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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 11.4% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 8.8% | 50 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 14.6% | 39 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Trompeter | Artistic Director | 10.0% of Rev | ||
| Jeri-Lou Zike | Board Of Trustees | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Mary Mackay | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| Douglas Walter | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| Byron Harrison | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| Michael Young | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| Jerry Tietz | Board President | — | ||
| Karen Patricia Smith | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Trompeter | Artistic Director | 10.2% of Rev | ||
| Jeri-Lou Zike | Board Of Trustees | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Sarah Harding | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| David Rice | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| Mary Mackay | Secretary | — | ||
| Jerry Tietz | Board President | — | ||
| Karen Patricia Smith | Board Of Trustess | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Trompeter | Artistic Director | 9.9% of Rev | ||
| Jeri-Lou Zike | Board Of Trustees | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| Sarah Harding | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| David Rice | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| Jerry Tietz | Board President | — | ||
| Suzanne L Wagner | Board President | — | ||
| Mary Mackay | Secretary | — | ||
| Rupert Ward | Treasurer | — | ||
| Karen Patricia Smith | Board Of Trustess | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Trompeter | Artistic Director | 9.0% of Rev | ||
| Jeri-Lou Zike | Board Of Trustees | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| Sarah Harding | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| David Rice | Board Of Trustees | — | ||
| Jerry Tietz | Board President | — | ||
| Suzanne L Wagner | Board President | — | ||
| Mary Mackay | Secretary | — | ||
| Rupert Ward | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 195 other orgs in IL with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 31 points below the peer median (5 vs. 36).
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
- All-volunteer org with no paid officers — governance signal is neutral (default 50), not absent.
- 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:
- 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.