GoFundMea GoFundMe started by the publication's now-former managing director has raised over $180,000 in an effort to stave off the end of the Texas Observer. It outlined some requests, including asking board members who voted for immediate closure to resign, adding a staff member to the board, adding at least one nationally recognized journalists familiar with nonprofits in crisis to the board, and, crucially, for an emergency fund of $200,000, raised through GoFundMe, be used to forestall layoffs for at least a month. It outlined some requests, including asking board members who voted for immediate closure to resign, adding a staff member to the board, adding at least one nationally recognized journalists familiar with nonprofits in crisis to the board, and, crucially, for an emergency fund of $200,000, raised through GoFundMe, be used to forestall layoffs for at least a month