Nashville Zoo
Nashville Zoo reported $70.0 million in revenue and $37.0 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.75 went to program services, $8.88 to management and general costs and $5.37 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 59.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $853,982 (PRESIDENT). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 143% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $37MFor 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 $70MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.7% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.9% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.4% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 59.1% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 18.0% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $853,982 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.31% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 67.0 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 33 of 33 | 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 expenseNashville Zoo is proud to share that, in 2025, we once again made significant strides in global conservation efforts, while continuing to serve as a vital resource for education and family fun in our community. We invested more than one million dollars in conservation work around the globe. Our expert keepers worked with conservationists on the ground, supporting critical efforts with giraffes in botswana, puerto rican crested toads in puerto rico, and helped raise and rehabilitate cheetah cubs in somaliland in east africa. Additionally, our veterinary team partnered with tristar skyline…
Nashville Zoo actively participates in 50+ species survival plans and have the honor of working with institutions around the world to help save species vulnerable to extinction. A member of the zoo's hoofstock team traveled to africa twice to work with local communities and wild giraffe populations. She teamed up with save giraffes now (sgn) to help facilitate a translocation of 20 giraffe out of marloth park because of the human-wildlife conflict in the area and the extreme browsing and grazing pressure the wildlife there is facing. The zoo successfully shipped a record-breaking 6,681 puerto…
Education: overall Nashville Zoo served a total of 807,256 individuals through educational programming in 2025.we had 54,458 students visit the zoo through field trips, coming from 38 different counties.attendance for traditional programming includes:*homeschool days served 1,125 students in 2025 between the ages of 5-14*zootots served 2,668 students in ages 0-4*scout workshops served 529 students in 2025*zooventures outreach virtual programs served 5,031 students*summer camps served 1,431 students in 2025in addition to traditional classroom-based programming, our interpretive staff served a…
Highest 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 Officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $753,252 | $0 | $100,730 | $853,982 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $249,653 | $0 | $31,457 | $281,110 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $235,748 | $0 | $40,874 | $276,622 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER (1/1-11/14) Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $235,247 | $0 | $17,047 | $252,294 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $191,001 | $0 | $31,075 | $222,076 |
| VETERINARIAN Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $174,057 | $0 | $12,903 | $186,960 |
| DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $129,002 | $0 | $21,539 | $150,541 |
| DIRECTOR OF IT Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $130,807 | $0 | $12,380 | $143,187 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Nashville Zoo (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.0M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
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–1b33 · 33 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 5540
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,286
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CUSTOM TRIM ADDITIONS Maintenance/capital projects | $1,298,249 |
| B&E IRRIGATION Maintenance/capital projects | $597,620 |
| LAMAR TEXAS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP Marketing | $346,325 |
| WASTERSCAPE BACKYARD RESORTS Capital projects | $323,507 |
| GREGORY GATES ARCHITECHTURE Architect | $276,664 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 9 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
43 private foundations reported grants to Nashville Zoo totaling $950K 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 Nashville Zoo's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Nashville Zoo, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Nashville Zoo spent in 2025, $85.75 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Zoological Society of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH · revenue $69M · programs 88.1% · FY2025
- Petsmart CharitiesPhoenix, AZ · revenue $71M · programs 92.9% · FY2026
- San Diego Humane Society and SPCASan Diego, CA · revenue $68M · programs 85.6% · FY2025
- RewildAustin, TX · revenue $75M · programs 92.3% · FY2025
- Denver Zoological FoundationDenver, CO · revenue $66M · programs 80.0% · 2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Tennessee
Questions people ask
How much of Nashville Zoo's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Nashville Zoo reported that 85.7% of its $37.0 million in expenses went to program services, 8.9% to management and general and 5.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Nashville Zoo pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Nashville Zoo reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $853,982, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Nashville Zoo get its money?
Of $70.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 59.1% came from contributions and grants (including 0.1% from government grants) and 18.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Nashville Zoo a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 62-1411210 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, 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 202602599349301300 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502869349300720 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202422829349301127 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342929349301424 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223159349302442 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112659349301101 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043219349313059 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 62-1411210: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.