Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty
Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty reported $14.1 million in revenue and $16.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $72.78 went to program services, $21.98 to management and general costs and $5.24 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $345,468 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 59% between FY2020 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · 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 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$90.01 $13M
- Program service revenue$4.10 $581K
- Investment income$5.89 $836K
Other revenue was negative: −$127K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.8% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 22.0% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.2% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.8% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 4.1% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $345,468 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.06% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 5.8 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 38 of 39 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHighest reported compensation
2025 · 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 AND CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $314,077 | $0 | $31,391 | $345,468 |
| CHIEF REVENUE DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $182,989 | $0 | $48,987 | $231,976 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $155,280 | $0 | $45,848 | $201,128 |
| VP - PROGRAMS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $145,977 | $0 | $8,888 | $154,865 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $558K (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since FY2020
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b39 · 38 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13No
- 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5121
- Volunteers Part I, line 6456
Private foundation grants it received
37 private foundations reported grants to Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty totaling $395K 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 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty spent in 2025, $72.78 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Marin Humane SocietyNovato, CA · revenue $14M · programs 79.5% · FY2025
- Charleston Animal SocietyNorth Charleston, SC · revenue $14M · programs 82.4% · 2025
- Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $14M · programs 87.5% · 2024
- Inter-American Tropical Tuna CommissionLA Jolla, CA · revenue $14M · programs 82.9% · 2024
- National Marine Mammal FoundationSan Diego, CA · revenue $14M · programs 90.6% · 2024
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Wisconsin
Questions people ask
How much of Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty reported that 72.8% of its $16.8 million in expenses went to program services, 22.0% to management and general and 5.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $345,468, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty get its money?
Of $14.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 90.8% came from contributions and grants and 4.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Zoological Society of Milwaukee Cty a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 39-6077242 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202622369349301092 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202532349349300048 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442429349301204 · read the filing
- FY2022 (3 mo.): Form 990 for the 3-month short period ending December 31, 2022, object 202312159349301616 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202342779349301914 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202232149349301133 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202141939349300729 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 39-6077242: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.