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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 21.8% | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 16.8% | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 13.9% | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 30.6% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 31.5% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 27.9% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 22.5% | 37 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicki Burrichter | Artistic Director | 13.4% of Rev | ||
| Nathan Wubbena | Artistic Director | 10.2% of Rev | ||
| Susan Arends | Board President | — | ||
| Greg Herring | Treasurer | — | ||
| Laurel Seppala-Etra | Secretary | — | ||
| Kathy Czerny | Board President | — | ||
| Alexandra Chapman | Board Member | — | ||
| Markisha Key-Hagen | Board Member | — | ||
| Jackie Stone | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicki Burrichter | Artistic Director | 12.9% of Rev | ||
| Nathan Wubbena | Artistic Director | 8.9% of Rev | ||
| Susan Arends | Board President | — | ||
| Greg Herring | Treasurer | — | ||
| Laurel Seppala-Etra | Secretary | — | ||
| Kathy Czerny | Board President | — | ||
| Alexandra Chapman | Board Member | — | ||
| Markisha Key-Hagen | Board Member | — | ||
| Michael Moore | Board Member | — | ||
| Jackie Stone | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicki Burrichter | Artistic Director | 12.2% of Rev | ||
| Kathy Czerny | Board President | — | ||
| Laurel Seppala-Etra | Secretary | — | ||
| Greg Herring | Treasurer | — | ||
| Susan Arends | Board Of Directors Membership/Volunteer Recruitment Liaison | — | ||
| Michelle Dodd | Board Of Directors Marketing Liaison | — | ||
| Laura Moore | Board President | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicki Burrichter | Artistic Director | 11.2% of Rev | ||
| Marian Bussey | Secretary | — | ||
| Beverly Gourley | Membership Liaison | — | ||
| Laura Moore | Board President | — | ||
| Phoebe Norton | Community Liaison | — | ||
| Greg Herring | Treasurer | — | ||
| Robin Guthrie | Board President | — |
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: program score sits 13 points above the peer median (45 vs. 32).
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 21.8% 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.