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 | — | — | 12.2% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 9.8% | 42 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 9.9% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 9.3% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 3.2% | 35 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 2.7% | 35 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 3.2% | 35 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 4.1% | 35 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 3.8% | 45 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 3.4% | 45 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 3.6% | 49 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 4.1% | 51 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 4.9% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leslie Ishii | Artistic Director | 7.1% of Rev | ||
| Frank Delaney | Executive Director | 5.4% of Rev | ||
| Joe Bedard | Board President | — | ||
| Allison Holtkamp | Board President | — | ||
| Eric Vang | Treasurer | — | ||
| Susan Churchill | Board Member | — | ||
| Terry Cramer | Board Member | — | ||
| Liz Medicine Crow | Board Member | — | ||
| Erika Lee | Board Member | — | ||
| Indra Arriaga | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leslie Ishii | Artistic Director | 6.5% of Rev | ||
| Frank Delaney | Managing Di | 5.0% of Rev | ||
| Joe Bedard | Board President | — | ||
| Allison Holtkamp | Board President | — | ||
| Eric Vang | Treasurer | — | ||
| Bob Urata | Treasurer | — | ||
| Jesse Alleva | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Churchill | Board Member | — | ||
| Terry Cramer | Board Member | — | ||
| Liz Medicine Crow | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leslie Ishii | Artistic Director | 3.2% of Rev | ||
| Frank Delaney | Executive Director | 2.5% of Rev | ||
| Joe Bedard | Board President | — | ||
| Allison Holtkamp | Board President | — | ||
| Eric Vang | Secretary | — | ||
| Bob Urata | Treasurer | — | ||
| Jesse Alleva | Board Member | — | ||
| Liz Medicine Crow | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Churchill | Board Member | — | ||
| Terry Cramer | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 29 other orgs in AK with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 35 points below the peer median (0 vs. 35).
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 35 → 31 over 5 years (declining by 4 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 12.2% 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:
- 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.