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.
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 | 2.4% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2022 | — | — | 1.7% | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 3.4% | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 8.0% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 5.2% | 42 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 6.5% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 9.4% | 44 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 9.1% | 45 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 8.5% | 50 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 4.7% | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 50 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 50 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JUDY LEWIS | Executive Director | 1.4% of Rev | ||
| KIMBERLY RENSVOLD | Treasurer | 1.0% of Rev | ||
| DANIEL DAMICO | Board President | — | ||
| SHELBY NASER | Board Member | — | ||
| SHELBY COCHRAN | Secretary | — | ||
| MIKE LAMONT | Board President | — | ||
| NICOLE HJELDEN | Treasurer | — | ||
| MATTHEW HALLAWAY | Board Member | — | ||
| RYAN YOUNGGREN | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE MAPLE | Board Member | — | ||
| HANNAH JAMES | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELOISE BREIKJERN | Executive Director | 1.3% of Rev | ||
| JAIME AASEN | Board President | — | ||
| ADAM MONTGOMERY JD | Board President | — | ||
| KARIN RUDD | Treasurer | — | ||
| CARYN HEWITT | Secretary | — | ||
| DANIEL DAMICO | Board Member | — | ||
| SHELBY ELLSWORTH | Board Member | — | ||
| SHELBY COCHRAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE LAMONT | Board Member | — | ||
| SHANNA FRANZEN | Board Member | — | ||
| JAY NELSON | Board President | — | ||
| JUDY LEWIS | Executive Director | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELOISE BREIKJERN | Executive Director | 1.2% of Rev | ||
| JAIME AASEN | Board President | — | ||
| ADAM MONTGOMERY JD | Board President | — | ||
| KARIN RUDD | Treasurer | — | ||
| CARYN HEWITT | Secretary | — | ||
| JAY NELSON | Board President | — | ||
| DANIEL DAMICO | Board Member | — | ||
| SHELBY ELLSWORTH | Board Member | — | ||
| SHELBY COCHRAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE LAMONT | Board Member | — | ||
| SHANNA FRANZEN | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 20 other orgs in ND with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 26 points above the peer median (60 vs. 34).
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 2.4% 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.