Animal Outlook INC

Tax-deductible

Takoma Park, MD501(c)(3)Since 1997AnimalsEIN 52-2034417Revenue $2.3M in FY2025

On file with the IRSanimaloutlook.org6930 Carroll Ave Ste 439, 20912-4459 · Takoma Park, MDTax-exempt since Jul 1998Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Animal Outlook is a national Animal protection organization working to end the abuse of farmed animals using a variety of strategies, including investigations, legal advocacy, corporate and food system reform, and vegan outreach.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 35 volunteers and 13 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $238K a year · 13% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$127K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 61% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
21 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 20.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $25K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$168K
6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 6% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.3M
+28% vs prior year
Spent
$1.5M
To programs
77%
Net assets
$2.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.3M
FY2025▲ +28%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$2.0M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$2.3M
Expenses
$1.5M
FY2025▼ -0.7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.5M
Net assets
$2.5M
FY2025▲ +44%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$2.5M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1998.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $1.1M Management & general 12% · $176K Fundraising 12% · $175K

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

6 people listed on the 990; $127K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$122,971Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/Consultant (thru July)
$4,200Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer (as of July)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair and Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Benjamin Williamson’s $123K as Executive Director is at the 61st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1137 $1–10M animals 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Cheryl Leahy Executive Dir—$145,387————
Cheryl Leahy——$128,665$123,681$111,319$100,565
Benjamin Williamson$122,971$27,132————
Erica Meier—————$82,730
Irina Anta$4,200$2,719$13,129—$46,524$70,156
Erica Meier Left in 052021————$50,989—
Irina Anta Treas as of 012023———$43,958——

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.

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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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Investigates and advocates to end farmed animal abuse through legal and food system reform.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1000K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Investigations

The organization's investigators go undercover inside factory farms and slaughter plants to document the conditions inside these facilities. This regularly includes severe animal cruelty, some of which are considered standard practices within animal agribusiness.

$377Kprogram expense
02

Vegan Outreach

The organization promotes vegan eating among the mainstream american public through advocacy videos online, in-person events, and other national and local campaigns.

$354Kprogram expense
03

Legal Advocacy

The organization's legal advocacy program proactively challenges the systemic harms of animal agribusiness through litigation, criminal enforcement, and other legal advocacy. The program has repeatedly secured criminal enforcement and civil accountability for the mistreatment of animals, documented in the organization's undercover…

$268Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$25K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $10K · 2023–2023

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$51K
Other incomeLn 4–11$9K
Money outPt IX
$1.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$176K
Fundraisingcol D$175K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.6M
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$168K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$51K
Other incomeLn 4–11$9K
Total revenueLn 12$2.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$171K
SavingsLn 2$2.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$168K
Net assetsLn 32$2.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 635
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M$2.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$418K$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$3K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$169K$168K
Net assetsLn 32$1.7M$2.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$132K$116K$9K$6K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$805K$632K$70K$103K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$69K$54K$6K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$68K$54K$6K$8K
Legal feesLn 11b$22K$22K
Accounting feesLn 11c$50K$50K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$72K$70K$1K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$34K$21K$13K
Office expensesLn 13$39K$28K$9K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$59K$36K$4K$19K
OccupancyLn 16$4K$3K$354$455
TravelLn 17$94K$91K$4$3K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$11K$6K$4K
InterestLn 20$1K$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$267$267
InsuranceLn 23$17K$9K$7K$563
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$15K$2K$13K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.5M$1.1M$176K$175K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.3M$1.5M$766K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.8M$1.5M$263K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.8M$1.7M$64K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.0M$1.9M$104K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.8M$1.6M$249K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.6M$1.6M−$18K$1.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,261,995 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,721,191$2,202,023
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,090$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $46,046$50,897
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$9,075
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,769,327$2,261,995
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,151,869$1,073,610
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $4,300$4,450
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $350,601$417,709
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,506,770$1,495,769
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $262,557$766,226
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,261,995 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,202,023
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,202,023
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $50,897$50,897
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $9,075$9,075
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $59,972$2,261,995
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,495,769 across 18 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $115,920 · Management $9,441 · Fundraising $6,441$131,802
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $632,096 · Management $70,171 · Fundraising $103,224$805,491
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $54,305 · Management $5,846 · Fundraising $8,501$68,652
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $54,132 · Management $5,562 · Fundraising $7,971$67,665
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $21,680$21,680
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $50,482$50,482
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $4,450$4,450
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $69,988 · Management $1,356 · Fundraising $1,086$72,430
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $20,651 · Fundraising $13,247$33,898
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $27,698 · Management $8,627 · Fundraising $2,267$38,592
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $35,656 · Management $4,157 · Fundraising $19,187$59,000
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,921 · Management $354 · Fundraising $455$3,730
IX-17 TravelPrograms $90,902 · Management $4 · Fundraising $3,011$93,917
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $6,345 · Fundraising $4,416$10,761
IX-20 InterestPrograms $1,243$1,243
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $267$267
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $9,239 · Management $7,177 · Fundraising $563$16,979
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,562 · Management $13,168$14,730
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,144,605 · Management $176,345 · Fundraising $174,819$1,495,769
Part X · Balance sheet $2,661,050 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $692,832$170,595
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $718,387$2,391,489
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $47,475$75,543
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $25$3,517
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $3,425$2,604
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $14,578$14,366
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$2,936
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $418,351$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $650$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,895,723$2,661,050
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $168,821$141,608
X-19 Deferred revenue$26,728
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $168,821$168,336
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,645,182$1,864,774
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $81,720$627,940
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,726,902$2,492,714
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,895,723$2,661,050
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,492,714 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,261,995
XI-2 Total expenses$1,495,769
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$766,226
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,726,902
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$414
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,492,714

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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