Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa
Also known as ZooTampa
Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa reported $49.0 million in revenue and $40.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $88.41 went to program services, $8.92 to management and general costs and $2.67 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 49.2% of the total. Government grants made up 17.1%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $509,431 (President & CEO). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 111% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $41MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $49MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.4% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.9% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.7% | 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 | 38.5% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 17.1% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 49.2% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $509,431 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.25% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 18 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 23.4 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 42 of 42 | 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 expenseZooTampa at Lowry Park features 63 acres of lush, natural habitats comprising Florida, Asia, Primates, Australia, and Africa. As a nonprofit cultural organization committed to conservation, the focus is on animals from Florida, such as manatees and Florida panthers, and animals from Florida-like climates, such as elephants and orangutans. ZooTampa houses over 900 animals in naturalistic outdoor habitats year-round. The organization helps to ensure conservation goals and objectives as well as the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied population of…
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 | $479,530 | $0 | $29,901 | $509,431 |
| Sr VP, Chief Financial Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $245,174 | $0 | $30,936 | $276,110 |
| Sr VP, Chief Operating Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $240,252 | $0 | $16,181 | $256,433 |
| Chief External Relations Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $204,750 | $0 | $15,187 | $219,937 |
| Sr VP, Chief Zoological Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $171,288 | $0 | $29,848 | $201,136 |
| Sr VP, Chief People Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $177,308 | $0 | $20,314 | $197,622 |
| VP, Philanthropy Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,276 | $0 | $28,230 | $190,506 |
| Sr Director, Sales and Partnerships Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,286 | $0 | $27,003 | $173,289 |
18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.8M (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–1b42 · 42 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 2Yes
- 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 5597
- Volunteers Part I, line 6289
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| THE SINCLAIR GROUP INC Construction | $3,787,163 |
| OVATIONS FOOD SERVICES LP F&b operations | $3,406,874 |
| DUNN&CO INC Advertising agency | $1,480,123 |
| VERICON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LLC Construction | $647,218 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 26 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
9 private foundations reported grants to Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa totaling $175K 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 Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa spent in FY2025, $88.41 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Defenders of WildlifeWashington, DC · revenue $49M · programs 71.1% · FY2025
- The Toledo Zoological SocietyToledo, OH · revenue $50M · programs 85.1% · 2024
- Paws ChicagoChicago, IL · revenue $47M · programs 88.2% · 2024
- Lincoln Park Zoological SocietyChicago, IL · revenue $51M · programs 87.0% · FY2025
- Arizona Humane SocietyPhoenix, AZ · revenue $47M · programs 79.3% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa reported that 88.4% of its $40.7 million in expenses went to program services, 8.9% to management and general and 2.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $509,431, for the role of President & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa get its money?
Of $49.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 38.5% came from contributions and grants (including 17.1% from government grants) and 49.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 59-2328289 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 September 30, 2025, object 202621259349302552 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202511899349300041 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202402089349301360 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202312219349300726 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202201949349300830 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202122119349300712 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 59-2328289: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.