Cleveland Zoological Society
Cleveland Zoological Society reported $14.6 million in revenue and $16.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $87.86 went to program services, $3.84 to management and general costs and $8.30 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 71.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $221,417 (CEO). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 73% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $17MFor 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
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $15MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.9% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.8% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.3% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 71.1% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 20.4% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $221,417 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.31% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 19.9 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 48 of 48 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseWe exceeded our revenue goals for annual operations including membership revenue of over $5 million. The zoo society continued digital membership communications and in-person donor events. In turn, the zoo society provided $3,023,411 in general operating support to cleveland metroparks zoo
In 2024, the zoo society secured $6,028,840 in capital project support. The board of directors committed $9,000,000 in support for primate forest and $205,400 to special construction projects. Throughout the duration of the primate forest project, the zoo society will make additional commitments in support of the different phases of the project
The zoo society provided in total over $1.2 million to the zoo in support of its education, conservation, animal care programs, and other special projects.that $1.2 million the zoo society provided is comprised of $407,194 in support of animal care programming, $164,148 in support of educational programing, and $661,038 in support of conservation programming. This funding was a blend of generous donations, investment spinoffs, as well as a portion of each membership purchased in the year
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $193,885 | $0 | $27,532 | $221,417 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $139,024 | $0 | $18,491 | $157,515 |
| DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & EV Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $135,704 | $0 | $8,942 | $144,646 |
| DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $121,776 | $0 | $21,830 | $143,606 |
| CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $102,305 | $0 | $16,310 | $118,615 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cleveland Zoological Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $366K (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
2024 · 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–1b48 · 48 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 526
- Volunteers Part I, line 654
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses onlyIndividuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
48 private foundations reported grants to Cleveland Zoological Society totaling $836K 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 Cleveland 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 Cleveland Zoological Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Cleveland Zoological Society spent in 2024, $87.86 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Associated Humane SocietiesNewark, NJ · revenue $15M · programs 79.0% · FY2025
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- Save the ChimpsFt Pierce, FL · revenue $14M · programs 77.2% · 2024
- Foster Friends RescueGardena, CA · revenue $15M · programs 55.4% · 2024
- Minnesota Zoo FoundationApple Valley, MN · revenue $14M · programs 66.5% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Cleveland Zoological Society's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Cleveland Zoological Society reported that 87.9% of its $16.9 million in expenses went to program services, 3.8% to management and general and 8.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cleveland Zoological Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cleveland Zoological Society reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $221,417, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cleveland Zoological Society get its money?
Of $14.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 71.1% came from contributions and grants and 20.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cleveland Zoological Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-0816490 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202542749349300534 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402819349301035 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342829349301229 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202242849349301644 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202132749349300603 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202042939349300214 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-0816490: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.