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.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | 2.8% | 42 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 2,350.3% | 38 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 44 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 39 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Cather | Board President | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| Nancy Carr | Board Member | 0.8% of Rev | ||
| Joanne Lazzaro | Board Member | 0.8% of Rev | ||
| Erika Robinson | Board President | — | ||
| Brad Cohen | Board President | — | ||
| Peter Landecker | 1st ViceChair | — | ||
| Robert Torres | Secretary | — | ||
| Alfred Cain | Treasurer | — | ||
| Ari Polidari | Board Member | — | ||
| Diane Cohen | Board Member | — | ||
| Amber Purohit | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Geoffrey Pope | Board Member | 637.9% of Rev | ||
| Dr Geoffrey Pope | Board Member | 6.4% of Rev | ||
| Dr Geoffrey Pope | Board Member | 6.4% of Rev | ||
| Rebecca Rutkowski | Board Member | 1.8% of Rev | ||
| Rebecca Rutkowski | Board Member | 1.8% of Rev | ||
| Rebecca Rutkowski | Board Member | 1.8% of Rev | ||
| John Cather | Board President | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| John Cather | Board President | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| John Cather | Board President | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| Nancy Carr | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| Nancy Carr | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| Nancy Carr | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| Nancy Carr | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| Nancy Carr | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| Nancy Carr | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| Erika Robinson | Board President | — | ||
| Brad Cohen | Predsident | — | ||
| Robert Torres | Secretary | — | ||
| Alfred Cain | Treasurer | — | ||
| Peter Coffee | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Landecker | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Coffee | Board Member | — | ||
| Diane Cohen | Board Member | — | ||
| Joanne Lazzaro | Board Member | — | ||
| Erika Robinson | Board President | — | ||
| Brad Cohen | Predsident | — | ||
| Robert Torres | Secretary | — | ||
| Alfred Cain | Treasurer | — | ||
| Peter Coffee | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Landecker | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Coffee | Board Member | — | ||
| Diane Cohen | Board Member | — | ||
| Joanne Lazzaro | Board Member | — | ||
| Erika Robinson | Board President | — | ||
| Brad Cohen | Predsident | — | ||
| Robert Torres | Secretary | — | ||
| Alfred Cain | Treasurer | — | ||
| Peter Coffee | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Landecker | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Coffee | Board Member | — | ||
| Diane Cohen | Board Member | — | ||
| Joanne Lazzaro | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erika Robinson | Chairmn Of The Board | — | ||
| Brad Cohen | Board President | — | ||
| John Cather | 1st Vice Chairman | — | ||
| Jenn Flato | 2nd Vice Chairman | — | ||
| Robert Torres | Secretary | — | ||
| Alfred Cain | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 830 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 16 points below the peer median (15 vs. 31).
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 2.8% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
What would change this score
No specific high-impact levers identified — this org's score is balanced across components.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.