To provide unbiased, non-partisan news coverage for the city and county of Dallas.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$117K 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

FY2022 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $1.5M a year · 65% of revenue · last 3 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$117K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $5.7M
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$3.5M
844% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 844% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$530K
Spent
$3.1M
To programs
85%
Net assets
−$3.1M
By yearFY2022–FY2024
Revenue
$530K
FY2022
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$530K
FY2023$468K
FY2024$5.9M
Expenses
$3.1M
FY2022
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$3.1M
FY2023$4.3M
FY2024$4.1M
Net assets
−$3.1M
FY2022
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022−$3.1M
FY2023−$6.9M
FY2024−$5.1M

From the FY2022 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 2021.

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

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $2.6M Management & general 15% · $454K Fundraising 1% · $16K

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

4 people listed on the 990; $117K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Managing Dir
$117,026Pt VII · Sec A
President/Di
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Di
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Chris Putnam’s $300K as CEO is at the 97th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022
Chris Putnam$300,000——
Daniel Smercina—$150,000—
Karin Dyer-Thru 52023—$135,000—
Karin Dyer——$117,026
Declan Leary—$105,032—

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 Dallas Express Media executive salaries →

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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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II22 listed

Programs and updates

Delivers unbiased, non-partisan news for Dallas city and county.

Questions for Dallas Express Media

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Dallas express media is a general interest daily news source covering events, activities, and citizens of the city of dallas and dallas county. The organization was created to fill a void in the dallas metroplex communities for fact-based, non-opinion news.

$2.6Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Donors Trust INCFY2024$250K
Total grants receivedfrom 5 funders$5.7M
See all 5 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$530K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$502K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$25K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Money outPt IX
$3.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$454K
Fundraisingcol D$16K
Owns and owesPt X
−$3.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$383K
Total assetsLn 16$410K
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$502K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$25K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$530K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$383K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$383K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19K
Total assetsLn 16$410K
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.5M
Net assetsLn 32−$3.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 539
VolunteersI 63
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$117K$383K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19K
Total assetsLn 16$117K$410K
LiabilitiesLn 26$657K$3.5M
Net assetsLn 32−$540K−$3.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$129K$103K$13K$13K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$824K$824K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$74K$74K
Payroll taxesLn 10$71K$69K$895$895
Legal feesLn 11b$349K$349K
Accounting feesLn 11c$27K$27K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$594K$589K$3K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$572K$572K
Office expensesLn 13$27K$27K
Information technologyLn 14$304K$304K
OccupancyLn 16$31K$31K
TravelLn 17$20K$18K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$116$116
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$31K$31K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.1M$2.6M$454K$16K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $5.9M$4.1M$1.9M−$5.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $468K$4.3M−$3.9M−$6.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $530K$3.1M−$2.5M−$3.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $529,557 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $329,975$502,108
I-9 Program service revenue$24,572
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$2,877
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $329,975$529,557
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $88,663$1,097,483
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $60,000$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $688,898$1,956,880
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $837,561$3,054,363
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$507,586−$2,524,806
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $529,557 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$502,108
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$502,108
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $24,572$24,572
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,877$2,877
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $27,449$529,557
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,054,363 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $103,107 · Management $12,888 · Fundraising $12,888$128,883
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $823,852$823,852
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $74,143$74,143
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $68,815 · Management $895 · Fundraising $895$70,605
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $348,790$348,790
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $26,575$26,575
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $588,849 · Management $2,815 · Fundraising $2,000$593,664
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $572,025$572,025
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $27,142$27,142
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $304,094$304,094
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $30,841$30,841
IX-17 TravelPrograms $17,867 · Management $1,669$19,536
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,733$1,733
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,837$1,837
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $116$116
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $30,527$30,527
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,585,012 · Management $453,568 · Fundraising $15,783$3,054,363
Part X · Balance sheet $410,458 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $116,988$383,298
X-4 Accounts receivable$5,000
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$2,935
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$19,225
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $116,988$410,458
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$49,188
X-19 Deferred revenue$5,334
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $657,074$3,464,596
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$540,086−$3,054,138
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$540,086−$3,054,138
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $116,988$410,458
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$3,054,138 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$529,557
XI-2 Total expenses$3,054,363
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$2,524,806
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$540,086
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$10,754
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$3,054,138

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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