Structural Deficit
What does this mean?
Persistently low financial health over 5 years despite strong programmatic output. They are borrowing from their future (or bleeding an endowment) to pay for today's programs.
The Path Forward
The Truth-Teller
Forces necessary, painful cuts to preserve the core. It demands that the organization stop borrowing from its future and align its current programmatic output with actual sustainable revenue.
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 | 12.5% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 14.4% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 19.0% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 10.9% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 15.3% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 12.3% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 16.2% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 15.1% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 13.2% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 17.1% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 21.7% | 23 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 34.6% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Graci | Artistic Director | 12.8% of Rev | ||
| Michael Culler | Board Member | — | ||
| Amy Gaffney | Board Member | — | ||
| David Smalls | Board Member | — | ||
| Liza Elsner | Board Member | — | ||
| Bea Wray | Board Member | — | ||
| Josh Wilhoit | Board Member | — | ||
| Brad Erickson | Board President | — | ||
| Stephanie Hunt | Board President | — | ||
| James M Ward | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Graci | Artistic Director | 12.5% of Rev | ||
| Michael Culler | Board President | — | ||
| Christopher Burgess | Board President | — | ||
| Peter Calcagno | Treasurer | — | ||
| Brad Erickson | Secretary | — | ||
| Amy Gaffney | Board Member | — | ||
| Bridgette Laird | Board Member | — | ||
| David Smalls | Board Member | — | ||
| Liza Elsner | Board Member | — | ||
| Stephanie Hunt | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Graci | Artistic Director | 9.5% of Rev | ||
| James Marino | Board President | — | ||
| Barry Abrams | Treasurer | — | ||
| Peter Calcagno | Secretary | — | ||
| David Albenberg | Board Member | — | ||
| Michael Culler | Board Member | — | ||
| Amy Gaffney | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Graci | Artistic Director | 8.7% of Rev | ||
| James Marino | Board President | — | ||
| Barry Abrams | Treasurer | — | ||
| Peter Calcagno | Secretary | — | ||
| David Albenberg | Board Member | — | ||
| Michael Culler | Board Member | — | ||
| Amy Gaffney | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Graci | Artistic Director | 8.6% of Rev | ||
| James Marino | Board President | — | ||
| Barry Abrams | Treasurer | — | ||
| Michael Culler | Secretary | — | ||
| David Albenberg | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Calcagno | Board Member | — | ||
| Amy Gaffney | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Meloy | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 97 other orgs in SC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 33 points above the peer median (60 vs. 27).
5-year trend: Structural Deficit
Persistently low financial health over 5 years despite strong programmatic output. They are borrowing from their future (or bleeding an endowment) to pay for today's programs.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 12.5% 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.