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 | 21.4% | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 22.0% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 20.8% | 41 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 23.1% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 21.3% | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 17.8% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 15.0% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 12.0% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 18.2% | 22 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 14.4% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | 15.1% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 13.8% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARCY BRANDT | EXECUTIVE DI | 21.4% of Rev | ||
| DENISE EMAL | Board President | — | ||
| ANGELA FINN | Board Member | — | ||
| JANENE HILL | Board Member | — | ||
| NICKOLA VAN HORN | Secretary | — | ||
| JULIE KRULL | Board Member | — | ||
| TRAVIS OLTMAN | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| CONNOR PETERSEN | Treasurer | — | ||
| MILES STEEN | Board Member | — | ||
| DESIRAE TIRA | Board Member | — | ||
| KIM TOLINE | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARCY BRANDT | EXECUTIVE DI | 18.6% of Rev | ||
| DENISE EMAL | Secretary | — | ||
| ANGELA FINN | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| LAURA GRAMS | Treasurer | — | ||
| DOUG HAMMER | Board Member | — | ||
| NICK HANSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| JANENE HILL | Board President | — | ||
| LESLIE LAMBERT | Board Member | — | ||
| RON NELSON | Board Member | — | ||
| TRAVIS OLTMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MILES STEEN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARCY BRANDT | Executive Director | 17.4% of Rev | ||
| ROB ARMSTRONG | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANGELA FINN | Board President | — | ||
| DOUG HAMMER | Board Member | — | ||
| LESLIE LAMBERT | Board Member | — | ||
| DENISE EMAL | Board Member | — | ||
| RON NELSON | Secretary | — | ||
| JANENE HILL | Board President | — | ||
| LAURA GRAMS | Board Member | — | ||
| NICK HANSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| MILES STEEN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARCY BRANDT | Executive Director | 18.0% of Rev | ||
| ROB ARMSTRONG | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANGELA FINN | Board President | — | ||
| MARY LIESKE | Board Member | — | ||
| LESLIE LAMBERT | Board Member | — | ||
| CODY KRULL | Board Member | — | ||
| RON NELSON | Secretary | — | ||
| JANENE HILL | Board President | — | ||
| LAURA GRAMS | Board Member | — | ||
| NICK HANSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| MILES STEEN | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 50 other orgs in NE with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 39 points below the peer median (25 vs. 64).
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 21.4% sits within the sector's 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:
- 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.