Mission Drift
What does this mean?
Highly volatile revenue swings year over year paired with fluctuating Program Scores. The organization is constantly pivoting to chase restricted grant funding rather than building a sustainable core.
The Path Forward
The Lodestar
A radical recommitment to the core mission. It requires the organization to gain the strength to say 'no' to restricted funding that pulls them away from their true purpose.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | — | 22.6% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | 24.1% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 54 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 15.6% | 43 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES LEE | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBBIE SYKES | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA WOLLARD | Board Member | — | ||
| JAN VOLZ | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHERINE BORTNER | Board Member | — | ||
| ALLEN BOLIN | Board Member | — | ||
| DANIEL FOGARTY | VicePresident | — | ||
| SHELLY F GRAY | Executive Director | — | ||
| NATALIE WEBB | Treasurer | — | ||
| WILLIAM WALLACE | Board President | — | ||
| JOHN D BATT | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES LEE | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBBIE SYKES | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA WOOLARD | Board Member | — | ||
| JAN VOLZ | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHERINE BORTNER | Board Member | — | ||
| ALLEN BOLIN | Board Member | — | ||
| DANIEL FOGARTY | Board President | — | ||
| SHELLY F GRAY | Executive Director | — | ||
| NATALIE WEBB | Treasurer | — | ||
| WILLIAM WALLACE | Board President | — | ||
| JOHN D BATT | Secretary | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 222 other orgs in NC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 17 points below the peer median (45 vs. 62).
5-year trend: Mission Drift
Highly volatile revenue swings year over year paired with fluctuating Program Scores. The organization is constantly pivoting to chase restricted grant funding rather than building a sustainable core.
Overall score has gone from 46 → 34 over 5 years (declining by 12 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 22.6% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
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).
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 22.6% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~5 points.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.