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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 18.2% | 41 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 16.2% | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 25.3% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 16.4% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 13.6% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 13.8% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 14.2% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 13.5% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 13.6% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 13.2% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 13.3% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | 12.6% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 13.4% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patricia West | Executive Director | 22.4% of Rev | ||
| Kristi Barnhill | Board President | — | ||
| Meggan Davis | Board President | — | ||
| David Center | Board President | — | ||
| Stevi Costa | Board Member | — | ||
| Jennifer Slawson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Teresa Green | Board Member | — | ||
| Kate Montgomery | Secretary | — | ||
| Erika Nusser | Board Member | — | ||
| Kelley Rozo | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patricia West | Executive Director | 19.8% of Rev | ||
| Kristi Barnhill | Board President | — | ||
| Meggan Davis | Board President | — | ||
| David Center | Board President | — | ||
| Stevi Costa | Secretary | — | ||
| Jennifer Slawson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Teresa Green | Board Member | — | ||
| Kate Montgomery | Board Member | — | ||
| Erika Nusser | Board Member | — | ||
| Kelley Rozo | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 235 other orgs in WA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 13 points above the peer median (45 vs. 32).
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.
Overall score has gone from 33 → 41 over 5 years (improving by 8 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 18.2% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- Two consecutive years of deficit spending.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- Stabilize program expenses or grow earned-income revenue to break the consecutive-deficit pattern (~8 points to financial score).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.