Nonprofit CEO's Salary Climbs While its Finances Remain Shaky

On paper, a Lakewood Ranch charity appears to be in dire straits. Its most recent tax form came out three weeks ago, showing a deficit of more than $785,000.

Beginning in July 2014, the charity delayed retirement payments to employees for at least six months. It was late twice repaying a loan to a fellow nonprofit, and top officials acknowledge they are juggling cash flow to such an extreme that the Sarasota Ritz-Carlton waited months to get paid for an event it hosted in November.

While the Center for Building Hope struggles to make ends meet, CEO Carl Ritter has seen his salary almost triple to more than $335,000—including a recent bump of about $128,000.