East Coast Zoological Society of Florida

Also known as Brevard Zoo

Melbourne, FL · EIN 59-2496749 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Latest filing: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

East Coast Zoological Society of Florida reported $30.8 million in revenue and $20.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $75.57 went to program services, $10.14 to management and general costs and $14.29 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 50.7% of the total. Government grants made up 7.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $415,244 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 53% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.

Where $100 of spending went

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21M

Program services$75.57 $16M
Management & general$10.14 $2.1M
Fundraising$14.29 $3.0M

For 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 $31M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$42.84 $13M
Government grants$7.86 $2.4M
Program service revenue$45.35 $14M
Investment income$1.50 $465K
Other revenue$2.45 $755K

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

2024 filing. Median across 245 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	2024	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	75.6%	82.1%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	10.1%	9.2%
Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)	14.3%	6.5%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h	$0.19	$0.10
Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12	50.7%	67.3%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	7.9%	0.0%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	45.3%	19.3%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$415,244	$314,886
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	1.99%	1.63%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	6	10
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	36.2	26.8
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	25 of 25	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 expense

$13M expenses · 81.3% of program spending · grants $63,600 · revenue $14M

Zoo operations - programs to provide animal exhibits for the enjoyment and education of zoo visitors, as well as the costs to maintain the animal collections, including the veterinarian department

$2.9M expenses · 18.7% of program spending · revenue $846K

Education and conservation activities - costs are related to the education of the general public regarding the habitat and conservation of our planet's resources. Programs include schools, community events and conservation activities both local and international

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
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$407,528	$0	$7,716	$415,244
DEPUTY DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$163,440	$0	$4,897	$168,337
CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$131,400	$0	$3,942	$135,342
FORMER CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Former, 40.00 hrs/week	$118,497	$0	$0	$118,497
DIRECTOR VETERINARY PROGRAMS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$102,259	$0	$3,064	$105,323
CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$100,114	$0	$0	$100,114

6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from East Coast Zoological Society of Florida (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $905K (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked

RevenueExpenses

Filing	Revenue	Expenses	Programs	Net assets	Top pay
2024 ⓘ	$31M	$21M	75.6%	$63M	$415,244
2023 ⓘ	$29M	$20M	79.5%	$52M	$364,895
2022 ⓘ	$26M	$18M	80.2%	$42M	$293,114
2021 ⓘ	$22M	$14M	86.1%	$34M	$227,400
2020 ⓘ	$16M	$11M	88.4%	$26M	$218,116
2019 ⓘ	$20M	$12M	87.7%	$22M	$215,664

Governance 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–1b25 · 25 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 14bNo
Employees Part I, line 5328
Volunteers Part I, line 61,136

Largest outside contractors

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

HHCP INC Aquarium design	$2,209,084
MH WILLIAMS CONSTRUCTION GROUP INC Contruction of africa lion habitat	$788,792
BREWER PAVING & DEVELOPMENT Services for manatee rehab	$402,586
MAIN STREET DESIGN Design documents for aquarium	$289,952
AQUATIC EQUIPMENT AND DESIGN INC Services for manatee rehab	$215,501

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 6 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

11 private foundations reported grants to East Coast Zoological Society of Florida totaling $2.7M 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 East Coast Zoological Society of Florida's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for East Coast Zoological Society of Florida, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

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Similar-sized charities in this cause

New England Wildlife Center
South Weymouth, MA · revenue $31M · programs 76.4% · 2024
Foundation to Support Animal Protection
Norfolk, VA · revenue $31M · programs 91.5% · FY2025
Memphis Zoological Society
Memphis, TN · revenue $31M · programs 84.9% · FY2025
Humane Society of Missouri
St Louis, MO · revenue $32M · programs 80.5% · FY2025
Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research Education and Conservation
Washington, DC · revenue $31M · programs 80.0% · 2024

Questions people ask

How much of East Coast Zoological Society of Florida's spending goes to programs?

In calendar year 2024, East Coast Zoological Society of Florida reported that 75.6% of its $20.9 million in expenses went to program services, 10.1% to management and general and 14.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does East Coast Zoological Society of Florida pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation East Coast Zoological Society of Florida reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $415,244, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does East Coast Zoological Society of Florida get its money?

Of $30.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 50.7% came from contributions and grants (including 7.9% from government grants) and 45.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is East Coast Zoological Society of Florida a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 59-2496749 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202532759349301858 · read the filing
2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442629349300714 · read the filing
2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202321929349301332 · read the filing
2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202340129349302399 · read the filing
2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202131959349300033 · read the filing
2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202012329349301316 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 59-2496749: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.