The Observer FY2024 filing

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Student newspaper which informs the communities of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's, and Holy Cross College of recent events.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 35-1414743) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$50K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $19K a year · 8% of revenue · last 5 filings
A surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
76%
of spending
76% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$50K
to officers and key staff · 23% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 23% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
Liabilities
$111K
×13 of total assets
Liabilities are 1300% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 14 voting members
None of 14 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$251K
+10% vs prior year
Spent
$219K
To programs
76%
Net assets
−$102K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$251K
FY2024▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$204K
FY2022$237K
FY2023$228K
FY2024$251K
FY2025$223K
Expenses
$219K
FY2024▼ -13%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$155K
FY2022$214K
FY2023$252K
FY2024$219K
FY2025$208K
Net assets
−$102K
FY2024▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021−$133K
FY2022−$109K
FY2023−$133K
FY2024−$102K
FY2025−$87K

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · see the original

You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1980.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $167K Management & general 24% · $52K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $50K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Editor-In-Chief
$5,642Pt VII · Sec A
Graphics Editor/Ad Design Manager
$5,032Pt VII · Sec A
Assistant Managing Editor
$3,796Pt VII · Sec A
Saint Mary's Editor
$3,371Pt VII · Sec A
Sports Editor
$3,319Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Editor
$3,126Pt VII · Sec A
Assistant Managing Editor
$3,050Pt VII · Sec A
Photo Editor
$2,924Pt VII · Sec A

Isa Sheikh’s $6K as Editor-In-Chief is at the 5th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Isa Sheikh$5,777$1,374———
Margaret Eastland—$5,642$3,371$1,494—
Alysa Guffey——$5,396$2,788$730
Tyler Reidy$5,298$765———
Christina Sayut—$5,032$2,072——
Marissa Panethiere$4,858$200———
Mannion McGinley——$4,488$4,697$853
Aidan Thomas——$3,959$493—

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See The Observer executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Informs college communities about recent events through a student newspaper.

Questions for The Observer

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1 program · $167K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

The observer is the student newspaper for the university of notre dame, saint mary's college, and holy cross college campuses. It serves over 15,230 students with a tri-weekly print and online newspaper during the year.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2023. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 35-1414743) · Dispute this line
$167Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$251K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$221K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$28K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$219K
Ln 25
Programscol B$167K
Managementcol C$52K
Owns and owesPt X
−$102K
net assets · Ln 32
Total assetsLn 16$9K
LiabilitiesLn 26$111K
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A25
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$28K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$221K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Total revenueLn 12$251K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
Accounts receivableLn 4$9K
Total assetsLn 16$9K
LiabilitiesLn 26$111K
Net assetsLn 32−$102K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 579
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$9K$9K
LiabilitiesLn 26$142K$111K
Net assetsLn 32−$133K−$102K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$60K$30K$30K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$30K$20K$10K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$7K$4K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$10K$10K$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$13K$13K
Information technologyLn 14$4K$4K
TravelLn 17$11K$11K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$78K$75K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$653$159$494$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$219K$167K$52K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Apr 29, 2026 $223K$208K$14K−$87K 990 PDF
FY2024 ViewingFiled with the IRS May 14, 2025 $251K$219K$32K−$102K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 13, 2024 $228K$252K−$24K−$133K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 15, 2023 $237K$214K$23K−$109K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 5, 2022 $204K$155K$49K−$133K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990
Part I · Summary $250,878 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $18,755$27,751
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $209,234$220,779
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$2,348
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $227,989$250,878
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $112,574$98,349
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $139,446$120,930
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $252,020$219,279
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$24,031$31,599
Part VI · Governance 0 of 14 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $250,878 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$27,751
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$27,751
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $220,779$220,779
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,348$2,348
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $223,127 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$250,878
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $219,279 across 11 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $29,783 · Management $29,782$59,565
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $19,905 · Management $9,800$29,705
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $2,249$2,249
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,802 · Management $3,028$6,830
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,717$3,717
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $9,560 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$9,560
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $13,409$13,409
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,446$4,446
IX-17 TravelPrograms $10,935$10,935
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $75,393 · Management $2,817$78,210
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $159 · Management $494 · Fundraising $0$653
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $167,392 · Management $51,887 · Fundraising $0$219,279
Part X · Balance sheet $9,169 assets, 12 lines filed
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $8,809$9,169
X-5 Loans to officers and key peopleStart of year $0$0
X-6 Loans to other insidersStart of year $0$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,809$9,169
X-22 Loans from officers and insidersStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $142,245$111,006
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $142,245$111,006
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year −$133,436−$101,837
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$133,436−$101,837
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,809$9,169
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$101,837 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$250,878
XI-2 Total expenses$219,279
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$31,599
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$133,436
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$101,837

Form 990 e-file FY2024 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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