Mission Drift
What does this mean?
Highly volatile revenue swings year over year paired with fluctuating Program Scores. The organization is constantly pivoting to chase restricted grant funding rather than building a sustainable core.
The Path Forward
The Lodestar
A radical recommitment to the core mission. It requires the organization to gain the strength to say 'no' to restricted funding that pulls them away from their true purpose.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 32.1% | 23 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 7.8% | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 23 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAMELA BRIDGEFORTH | Board President | — | ||
| SHANAYA JACKSON | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| ASHLEY C TAYLOR JD | Board Member | — | ||
| JEWEL JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| DAMARIS JONES | ASSOC. PRGM. | — | ||
| CYNTHIA BOWMAN MBA | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHELLE MURDOCK | DIVERSITY DI | — | ||
| CELEST L MERRIWEATHER PHD | Board Member | — | ||
| DESI P SHELTON | EXECUTIVE DI | — | ||
| KENYAN WRIGHT | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESI P SHELTON | EXECUTIVE DI | 5.8% of Rev | ||
| PAMELA BRIDGEFORTH | Board President | 3.5% of Rev | ||
| SHANAYA JACKSON | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| ASHLEY C TAYLOR JD | Board Member | — | ||
| JEWEL JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| DAMARIS JONES | ASSOC. PRGM. | — | ||
| CYNTHIA BOWMAN MBA | Board Member | — | ||
| CELEST L MERRIWEATHER PHD | Board Member | — | ||
| KENYAN WRIGHT | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESI P SHELTON | EXECUTIVE DI | — | ||
| PAMELA BRIDGEFORTH | Board President | — | ||
| SHANAYA JACKSON | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| KENYAN WRIGHT | Secretary | — | ||
| CYNTHIA BOWMAN MBA | Board Member | — | ||
| JEWEL JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| DAMARIS JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| CELESTE L MERRIWEATHER PHD | Board Member | — | ||
| ASHLEY C TAYLOR | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 249 other orgs in NJ with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 43 points below the peer median (5 vs. 48).
5-year trend: Mission Drift
Highly volatile revenue swings year over year paired with fluctuating Program Scores. The organization is constantly pivoting to chase restricted grant funding rather than building a sustainable core.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 32.1% is above the 90th percentile for orgs of this size (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:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 32.1% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~20 points.
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.