The Founder's Trap
What does this mean?
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
The Path Forward
The Dispersal
Forces succession planning and structural maturity. It requires raising capacity-building funds to decouple the organization's survival from the founder's personal sacrifice.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 2.5% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 39 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 1.1% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 10.1% | 37 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.9% | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berit Johnson | Board Member | 5.2% of Rev | ||
| Alyssa Simon | Board Member | 4.8% of Rev | ||
| Ramona Ponce | Board Member | 2.6% of Rev | ||
| Craig Anderson | Board Member | 1.6% of Rev | ||
| Patrice Miller | Secretary | 0.9% of Rev | ||
| Edward Einhorn | Artistic Director | — | ||
| David Hanson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Ian W Hill | Board Member | — | ||
| Yvonne Roen | Board Member | — | ||
| Rebecca Silbert | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berit Johnson | Board Member | 2.2% of Rev | ||
| Patrice Miller | Secretary | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| Edward Einhorn | Artistic Director | — | ||
| David Hanson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Ian W Hill | Board Member | — | ||
| Yvonne Roen | Board Member | — | ||
| Craig Anderson | Board Member | — | ||
| Rebecca Silbert | Board Member | — | ||
| Ramona Ponce | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ian W Hill | Board Member | 0.7% of Rev | ||
| Craig Anderson | Board Member | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| Edward Einhorn | Artistic Director | — | ||
| David Hanson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Patrice Miller | Secretary | — | ||
| Berit Johnson | Board Member | — | ||
| Yvonne Roen | Board Member | — | ||
| Rebecca Silbert | Board Member | — | ||
| Ramona Ponce | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ian W Hill | Board Member | 2.1% of Rev | ||
| Berit Johnson | Board Member | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| Rebecca Silbert | Board Member | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| Ramona Ponce | Board Member | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| Craig Anderson | Board Member | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Yvonne Roen | Board Member | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Edward Einhorn | Artistic Director | — | ||
| David Hanson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Patrice Miller | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDWARD EINHORN | Artistic Director | 3.0% of Rev | ||
| YVONNE ROEN | Board Member | 2.4% of Rev | ||
| CRAIG ANDERSON | Board Member | 2.2% of Rev | ||
| RAMONA PONCE | Board Member | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| BERIT JOHNSON | Board Member | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| PATRICE MILLER | Secretary | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| DAVID EINHORN | Treasurer | — | ||
| JAMES SIMON | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFF NASH | Board Member | — | ||
| HENRY AKONA | Board Member | — | ||
| CARLA GANT | Board Member | — | ||
| IAN W HILL | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 699 other orgs in NY with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 14 points below the peer median (15 vs. 29).
5-year trend: The Founder's Trap
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 2.5% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- Financial resilience score in the bottom quartile — reserves and liabilities ratios warrant review.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Build cash reserves to at least 3 months of operating expenses — moves financial resilience score meaningfully (~10 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.