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 | Hidden | Hidden | 23.6% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 6.4% | 50 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 11.3% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 8.5% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.3% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 14.8% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 14.5% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 12.7% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 15.1% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 15.8% | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 18.9% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 45.0% | 20 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 9.2% | 44 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA KARLIN | Artistic Director | 13.0% of Rev | ||
| CARLA SPARKS | Secretary | — | ||
| FIONA KARLIN | Board Member | — | ||
| FRANCINE RINGOLD | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANA LYNN WALLACE | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA BERGHOFF | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAURA KARLIN | Board President | 11.9% of Rev | ||
| FIONA KARLIN | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA BERGHOFF | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL KARLIN | Board President | — | ||
| ALEX CALLE | Board President | — | ||
| FRANCINE RINGOLD | Board Member | — | ||
| CARLA SPARKS | Secretary | — | ||
| PAM YOON | Board Member | — | ||
| BRANDEN GRIMMETT | Board Member | — | ||
| TAMARA BENEFIELD FAULK | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIE GILBERT | Treasurer | — | ||
| GLORIA BRADBURY | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 829 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 28 points below the peer median (5 vs. 33).
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 29 → 29 over 5 years (stable by 0 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 23.6% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
- 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:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- 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.