Compensation Escalation Cycle
What does this mean?
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
The Path Forward
The Steward
Re-establishes board supremacy over executive extraction. It freezes compensation and mandates that all future financial rewards be tied strictly to verifiable mission expansion.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | — | — | 76.0% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 68.7% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 54.9% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH GRAF | Executive Director | 30.1% of Rev | ||
| SHAUNNA WILSKY | TEACHER | 17.5% of Rev | ||
| DONOVAN ROSS KRIBBS | Board Member | 13.5% of Rev | ||
| BRITTNI BROWN | Board Member | 7.8% of Rev | ||
| LINDSAY BOBYAK | TEACHER | 4.3% of Rev | ||
| ROBERTO ARUNDALE | TEACHER | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| GORDON MACALPINE | Treasurer | — | ||
| WILLIAM CAPPS | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Graf | Executive Director | 24.6% of Rev | ||
| Donovan Ross Kribbs | MentorTeacher | 15.2% of Rev | ||
| Brittni Borwn | MentorTeacher | 9.0% of Rev | ||
| Gordon MacAlpine | PresTrea | — | ||
| William Capps | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Graf | Board Member | 23.9% of Rev | ||
| William Capps | Board Member | 11.0% of Rev | ||
| Donovan Ross Kribbs | MentorTeacher | 9.4% of Rev | ||
| John Seybold | Board President | — | ||
| Gordon MacAlpine | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 182 other orgs in CO with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 8 points below the peer median (42 vs. 50).
5-year trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 76.0% is well above the sector's 90th percentile (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 76.0% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~40 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.