Memphis Zoological Society
Memphis Zoological Society reported $30.6 million in revenue and $27.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.93 went to program services, $10.22 to management and general costs and $4.85 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 50.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $347,623 (President & CEO). 9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 127% 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 $28MFor 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 $31MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.9% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.2% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.8% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.10 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 44.0% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 3.9% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 50.2% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $347,623 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.26% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 9 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.3 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 21 of 21 | 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 expenseProgram service expenses were incurred in the accomplishment of the following objectives: to act as a manager of the memphis zoo. To work toward making the memphis zoo the major metropolitan zoo that the city of memphis needs and deserves. To engage in fundraising campaigns and programs to provide capital funds from the public and private sectors for the enlargements and improvement of the memphis zoo
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, 40.0 hrs/week | $324,694 | $0 | $22,929 | $347,623 |
| CFO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $167,254 | $0 | $7,462 | $174,716 |
| CDO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $156,795 | $0 | $12,186 | $168,981 |
| CMO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $149,937 | $0 | $15,386 | $165,323 |
| COO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $150,340 | $0 | $13,132 | $163,472 |
| CZO Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $144,710 | $0 | $6,408 | $151,118 |
| Senior Veterinarian Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $118,426 | $0 | $9,365 | $127,791 |
| Director Culinary Operations Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $107,770 | $0 | $8,400 | $116,170 |
9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Memphis Zoological Society (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–1b21 · 21 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 4No
- 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 5623
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,419
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ProductionOne LLC Event Production | $665,492 |
| Community Counseling Services LLC Campaign Consulting | $391,011 |
| On the Top Security Security Patrol | $368,781 |
| GCD Interiors Project Design | $321,672 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
6 private foundations reported grants to Memphis Zoological Society totaling $43,322 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 Memphis Zoological Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Memphis Zoological Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Memphis Zoological Society spent in FY2025, $84.93 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education and ConservationWashington, DC · revenue $31M · programs 80.0% · 2024
- New England Wildlife CenterSouth Weymouth, MA · revenue $31M · programs 76.4% · 2024
- Zoological Society of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · revenue $30M · programs 83.0% · 2024
- East Coast Zoological Society of FloridaMelbourne, FL · revenue $31M · programs 75.6% · 2024
- WvcLas Vegas, NV · revenue $30M · programs 89.2% · 2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Tennessee
Questions people ask
How much of Memphis Zoological Society's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Memphis Zoological Society reported that 84.9% of its $27.5 million in expenses went to program services, 10.2% to management and general and 4.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Memphis Zoological Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Memphis Zoological Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $347,623, for the role of President & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Memphis Zoological Society get its money?
Of $30.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 44.0% came from contributions and grants (including 3.9% from government grants) and 50.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Memphis Zoological Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7236155 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 202600909349300505 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511079349300906 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421379349301147 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321229349301482 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231369349303248 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202100609349301400 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7236155: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.