Commonwealth Zoological Corporation
Also known as Zoo New England
Commonwealth Zoological Corporation reported $34.4 million in revenue and $30.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.33 went to program services, $19.03 to management and general costs and $4.64 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 64.2% of the total. Government grants made up 35.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $180,016 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 26% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $31MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $34MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.3% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 19.0% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.6% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 64.2% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 35.5% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 32.2% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $180,016 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.59% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 23.3 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 22 of 22 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseGuest servicesin FY 25, zoo new england's daytime attendance reached 711,392 visitors, a decrease of 44,662 visitors compared to 756,054 in FY 24. Stone zoo's daytime attendance reached 289,140 visitors, a decrease of 4,551 from 293,691 in FY 24. Total FY 25 attendance for zoolights (stone zoo' evening holiday light show, which operates primarily in the month of december) was 79,043 an decrease of 7,991 visitors compared to 87,034 in FY 24. Total FY 25 attendance for boston lights: a lantern experience (franklin park zoo' evening summer/fall lantern experience) was 211,208, an increase of…
Animal care & exhibits as of june 30, 2025, franklin park zoo features 78 public animal habitats and stone zoo features 55. Zoo new england is home to 1,069 animals representing 193 species.during FY 25, significant acquisitions at franklin park zoo included bird species such as blacknaped fruit dove, scaly-sided merganser, red-crested turaco, hadada ibis, boat-billed heron, sunbittern, kea, red siskin, and violet turaco, mammals including cotton-top tamarin, african wild dog, and nyala, and invertebrates such as the florida ivory millipede, emperor scorpion, blue baboon tarantula and sun…
Education chapter 92b of the acts of 1992 of the massachusetts general laws provides that the zoos will admit massachusetts school groups at no charge. Field trips to the zoo are an opportunity for students to learn more about science, wildlife and conservation. The education department began offering at-school educational programming for schools, which resulted in 78 at-school educational programs reaching over 1,904 participants
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,813 | $0 | $13,203 | $180,016 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $161,462 | $0 | $13,042 | $174,504 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,711 | $0 | $7,533 | $157,244 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,708 | $0 | $12,353 | $151,061 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $131,460 | $0 | $12,135 | $143,595 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $128,579 | $0 | $11,861 | $140,440 |
| DIRECTOR OF CORP. SPONSORS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $136,046 | $0 | $4,081 | $140,127 |
| DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL HEALTH Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $125,620 | $0 | $6,831 | $132,451 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Commonwealth Zoological Corporation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b22 · 22 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5448
- Volunteers Part I, line 6186
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| COMMODORE BUILDERS LLC Construction services | $6,459,140 |
| SALEM INFORMATION SERVICES LTD Information technology | $306,511 |
| CBIZ ADVISORS LLC Accounting & tax | $134,862 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
12 private foundations reported grants to Commonwealth Zoological Corporation totaling $319K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Commonwealth Zoological Corporation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Commonwealth Zoological Corporation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Commonwealth Zoological Corporation spent in FY2025, $76.33 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Karuna FoundationCheyenne, WY · revenue $34M · programs 99.9% · 2025
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoological SocietyColorado Springs, CO · revenue $34M · programs 82.8% · FY2026
- Tennessee AquariumChattanooga, TN · revenue $34M · programs 70.9% · 2024
- Conservation Society of CaliforniaOakland, CA · revenue $35M · programs 79.3% · FY2025
- Sea Research FoundationMystic, CT · revenue $34M · programs 79.4% · 2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Commonwealth Zoological Corporation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Commonwealth Zoological Corporation reported that 76.3% of its $30.6 million in expenses went to program services, 19.0% to management and general and 4.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Commonwealth Zoological Corporation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Commonwealth Zoological Corporation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $180,016, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Commonwealth Zoological Corporation get its money?
Of $34.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 64.2% came from contributions and grants (including 35.5% from government grants) and 32.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Commonwealth Zoological Corporation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-3129124 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202641259349301624 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202500559349301850 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202420929349301357 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202330819349301023 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202210769349300701 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202100719349301005 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-3129124: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.