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 | — | — | 23.2% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | 67.1% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2022 | — | — | 48.9% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 51.4% | 42 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 46.1% | 36 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 45.4% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 72.4% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 31.6% | 36 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 64.5% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 25.8% | 36 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 57.7% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 35.6% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 59.0% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Steinberg | Artistic Director | 11.7% of Rev | ||
| Elise Dewsberry Green | Orchestra Manager | 6.2% of Rev | ||
| Joyce LaBriola | Orchestra Manager | 4.5% of Rev | ||
| James Leelayuvat | Staff | 0.8% of Rev | ||
| Britt Morris | Board President | — | ||
| Patrick Whelan | Board President | — | ||
| Brandon Stover | Secretary | — | ||
| Andrew Katz | Treasurer | — | ||
| Wendey Stanzler | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Goldberg | Board Member | — | ||
| Laura Danly | Board Member | — | ||
| Arlene Withers | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Steinberg | Artistic Director | 11.7% of Rev | ||
| Laura Kay Swanson | Executive Director | 9.4% of Rev | ||
| Kenneth Patton | Orchestra Manager | 1.5% of Rev | ||
| Elise Dewaberry Green | Orchestra Manager | 1.0% of Rev | ||
| Britt Morris | Board President | — | ||
| Bita Adham-Cetinyan | Secretary | — | ||
| Kirit Sarvaiya | Board Member | — | ||
| Ravi Dave | Board Member | — | ||
| Andrew Katz | Treasurer | — | ||
| Wendey Stanzler | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Steinberg | Artistic Director | 9.9% of Rev | ||
| Laura Kay Swanson | Executive Director | 8.0% of Rev | ||
| Anna Kouchnerov | Orchestra Manager | 4.9% of Rev | ||
| Britt Morris | Board President | — | ||
| Kirit Sarvaiya | Board Member | — | ||
| Richard Ross | Board Member | — | ||
| Bita Adham-Cetinyan | Secretary | — | ||
| Ravi Dave | Board Member | — | ||
| Andrew Katz | Treasurer | — | ||
| Wendey Stanzler | 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 33 points below the peer median (0 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.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 23.2% 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.