Houston Zoo
Houston Zoo reported $82.7 million in revenue and $70.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $86.24 went to program services, $7.53 to management and general costs and $6.23 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 63.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $711,080 (President & CEO). 34 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 12% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $70MFor 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 $83M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$29.49 $24M
- Government grants$0.40 $335K
- Program service revenue$62.96 $52M
- Investment income$7.15 $5.9M
Other revenue was negative: −$260K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.2% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.5% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.2% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.18 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 30.0% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 63.2% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $711,080 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.01% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 34 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 56.7 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHouston Zoo, Inc. (HZI), accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), upholds the gold standard in animal care, safety, conservation, and education, earning a rare 100% clean AZA evaluation in 2024, a distinction achieved by only eight institutions in AZA history. In 2024, HZI welcomed over 2,000,000 guests, reflecting its "Zoo for All" commitment to accessibility. Attendance was distributed as follows: - 32% Members - 30% General Admission - 29% Free or Discounted Admission (including Free Entry, Lone Star cardholders, Military families, and Seniors) - 9% Zoo Lights (Continued…
Wildlife conservation is a core HZI mission. In 2024, the Zoo supported 33 long-term partnerships across 17 countries, linking on-site animal care with global field conservation. Regional efforts focused on Texas species of concern, including: - Houston Toad Conservation: Release of 1,865,700 eggs, 4,300 tadpoles, and 430 toadlets in Bastrop County in partnership with USFWS and Texas State University. - Attwater's Prairie Chicken Conservation: Breeding and release of 58 birds into native grasslands. - Sea Turtle Conservation: Provided medical care for over 50 injured or stranded wild sea…
The Houston Zoo's Conservation Education Department engaged 725,235 participants in 2024 through camps, school partnerships, interpretive programs, and community outreach, fostering wildlife-saving actions. Key initiatives included: - Camp Zoofari: Immersive summer sessions for children ages 6-12, with 2,040 campers enrolled and scholarships provided to families with demonstrated financial need. - Zoo Crew Teen Program: Provided conservation skills training for 68 high school students, fostering leadership in wildlife conservation. (Continued on Schedule O) - School Partnerships and Free…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $691,246 | $0 | $19,834 | $711,080 |
| COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $374,936 | $0 | $17,414 | $392,350 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $332,237 | $0 | $18,272 | $350,509 |
| Chief Advancement Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $313,227 | $0 | $21,899 | $335,126 |
| Chief Human Resources Officer Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $301,730 | $0 | $19,868 | $321,598 |
| Senior VP Marketing, Communications Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $282,556 | $0 | $13,925 | $296,481 |
| VP Animal Programs Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $241,498 | $0 | $24,284 | $265,782 |
| VP Conservation and Education Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $216,513 | $0 | $19,538 | $236,051 |
34 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Houston Zoo (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.0M (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–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 4No
- 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 5605
- Volunteers Part I, line 6747
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Tellepsen Builders Construction | $12,529,229 |
| O'Donnell Snider Construction LLC Construction | $5,658,404 |
| SSA Group LLC Food Services | $5,444,720 |
| Bright Lights of Houston Lighting | $1,658,396 |
| Strike Marketing Advertising | $1,299,275 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 42 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
52 private foundations reported grants to Houston Zoo totaling $4.9M 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 Houston 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 Houston Zoo, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Houston Zoo spent in 2024, $86.24 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Omaha Zoological SocietyOmaha, NE · revenue $82M · programs 93.2% · 2024
- Woodland Park Zoological SocietySeattle, WA · revenue $84M · programs 83.5% · 2024
- Great Lakes Fishery CommissionAnn Arbor, MI · revenue $80M · programs 92.4% · FY2025
- Ocean Habitat and Wildlife RescueWest Palm Beach, FL · revenue $86M · programs 69.8% · 2025
- RewildAustin, TX · revenue $75M · programs 92.3% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Houston Zoo's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Houston Zoo reported that 86.2% of its $70.3 million in expenses went to program services, 7.5% to management and general and 6.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Houston Zoo pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Houston Zoo reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $711,080, for the role of President & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Houston Zoo get its money?
Of $82.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 30.0% came from contributions and grants (including 0.4% from government grants) and 63.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Houston Zoo a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 74-1590271 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 202542899349300929 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423209349311872 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333069349303018 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223019349301117 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103169349311525 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003189349303240 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 74-1590271: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.