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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 37.5% | 22 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 40.9% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 43.6% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 35.7% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 16.2% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 16.9% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 16.2% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 15.0% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 16.5% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 18.7% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 16.3% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 16.5% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | 17.2% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2010 | — | — | 16.1% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Leonhardt | Executive Director | 20.3% of Rev | ||
| Judith Herrington | Artistic Director | 15.2% of Rev | ||
| Mitch Sagers | Board President | — | ||
| Tim Haueisen | Board President | — | ||
| Becca Bowlby Peters | Board President | — | ||
| Katie Tuite | Secretary | — | ||
| Mark Matteson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Kasey Eck | Board Member | — | ||
| Alan Alvarez | Board Member | — | ||
| Grant Blinn | Board Member | — | ||
| Tereasa Gandhi | Board Member | — | ||
| Diane Hunt | Board Member | — | ||
| Phillip Inouye | Board Member | — | ||
| Siri Preston | Board Member | — | ||
| Ken Sharp | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Leonhardt | Executive Director | 21.5% of Rev | ||
| Judith Herrington | Artistic Director | 12.7% of Rev | ||
| Mitch Sagers | Board President | — | ||
| Tim Haueisen | Board President | — | ||
| Becca Bowlby Peters | Board President | — | ||
| Katie Tuite | Secretary | — | ||
| Mark Matteson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Kasey Eck | Board Member | — | ||
| Alan Alvarez | Board Member | — | ||
| Grant Blinn | Board Member | — | ||
| Tereasa Gandhi | Board Member | — | ||
| Diane Hunt | Board Member | — | ||
| Phillip Inouye | Board Member | — | ||
| Siri Preston | Board Member | — | ||
| Ken Sharp | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 235 other orgs in WA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 41 points below the peer median (0 vs. 41).
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.
Overall score has gone from 27 → 22 over 5 years (declining by 5 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 37.5% is above the 90th percentile for orgs of this size (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 37.5% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~31 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.