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 | — | — | 7.4% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 9.6% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 17.3% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 12.2% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 9.7% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 7.3% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 8.5% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | 7.8% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 6.8% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 8.0% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 6.9% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 6.8% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 9.3% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Simpson | Artistic Director | 8.5% of Rev | ||
| Pam Prodromou | Board President | — | ||
| Sierra War | Board President | — | ||
| Alette Mahler | Secretary | — | ||
| Matt Normington | Treasurer | — | ||
| Afreen Ali | Board Member | — | ||
| Mike Cobb | Board Member | — | ||
| Carol Doup Muller | Board Member | — | ||
| Dan Kelly | Board Member | — | ||
| Beeker Northam | Board Member | — | ||
| Vivek Sharma | Board Member | — | ||
| Cary Watson | Board Member | — | ||
| Rachen Yuen | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Simpson | Board Member | 8.1% of Rev | ||
| Mike Cobb | Board President | — | ||
| Brad Ward | Board President | — | ||
| Karen Kwan | Secretary | — | ||
| Matt Normington | Treasurer | — | ||
| Afreen Ali | Board Member | — | ||
| Audra Branstad | Board Member | — | ||
| Alisson Devenney | Board Member | — | ||
| Alette Mahler | Board Member | — | ||
| Adva Ophir | Board Member | — | ||
| Eyal Ophir | Board Member | — | ||
| Pam Prodromou | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Simpson | Board Member | 7.7% of Rev | ||
| Mike Cobb | Board President | — | ||
| Barbie Koch | Board President | — | ||
| Karen Kwan | Secretary | — | ||
| Matt Normington | Treasurer | — | ||
| Allison Devenney | Board Member | — | ||
| Doug Kundrat | Board Member | — | ||
| Alette Mahler | Board Member | — | ||
| Pam Prodromou | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Vetter | Board Member | — | ||
| Brad Ward | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 6 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix Z9.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 20 points below the peer median (0 vs. 20).
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 7.4% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- Two consecutive years of deficit spending.
- 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).
- Stabilize program expenses or grow earned-income revenue to break the consecutive-deficit pattern (~8 points to financial score).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.