The Fort Worth Zoological Association
The Fort Worth Zoological Association reported $62.2 million in revenue and $52.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $78.51 went to program services, $16.08 to management and general costs and $5.41 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 39.8% of the total. Government grants made up 24.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $586,175 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 90% 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 $53MFor 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 $62MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.5% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.1% | 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 | $0.11 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 39.8% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 24.7% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 37.3% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $586,175 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.11% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 14 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 28.1 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 45 of 45 | 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 expenseAnimal and conservation: the living animal collection includes almost 600 species and nearly 7,000 individual specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and invertebrates. Animal programs include a state-of-the-art animal hospital and nutrition lab, animal commissary, and conservation research center. The animal staff also supports numerous projects in texas and approximately 30 countries worldwide
Admissions and attractions: more than 1 million guests visit the zoo each year during regular operating hours. Approximately 75% of our visitors coming from the dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Zoo visitors are treated to naturalistic animal habitats, interactive learning experiences, and entertaining attractions
Educational programs: approximately 30,000 students and teachers attended zoo education programs including weekday zoo school, summer zoo camp, zoo careers camp, home school days, overnights, birthday parties, teacher workshops, and more. More than 100,000 students and chaperones visit the zoo on organized field trips. The wild ones mobile education serves more than 5,000 children attending title I schools in tarrant county, extending the zoo's educational outreach beyond its 64 acres
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $558,983 | $0 | $27,192 | $586,175 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $278,018 | $0 | $29,766 | $307,784 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $188,800 | $0 | $28,680 | $217,480 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $165,936 | $0 | $28,560 | $194,496 |
| DIRECTOR PARK OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,826 | $0 | $28,568 | $191,394 |
| DIRECTOR ANIMAL PROGRAMS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $154,302 | $0 | $22,689 | $176,991 |
| DIRECTOR OF HR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,394 | $0 | $15,919 | $172,313 |
| DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $152,622 | $0 | $19,313 | $171,935 |
14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Fort Worth Zoological Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $945K (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–1b45 · 45 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 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 5947
- Volunteers Part I, line 6200
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| SCHAEFER ADVERTISING CO Advertising | $1,494,844 |
| N STUDIO LLC Event decor rental | $1,063,471 |
| TARRANT CONSTRUCTION SERVICES LTD Construction | $383,429 |
| DEMOLITION SPECIALTIES LP Demolition | $118,977 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
21 private foundations reported grants to The Fort Worth Zoological Association totaling $2.1M 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 The Fort Worth Zoological Association's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Fort Worth Zoological Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Fort Worth Zoological Association spent in FY2025, $78.51 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Audubon Nature InstituteNew Orleans, LA · revenue $61M · programs 67.9% · 2024
- Arizona Center for Nature ConservationPhoenix, AZ · revenue $64M · programs 82.7% · FY2025
- San Antonio Zoological SocietySan Antonio, TX · revenue $61M · programs 88.8% · 2024
- Detroit Zoological SocietyRoyal Oak, MI · revenue $64M · programs 84.8% · 2024
- Aquarium of the Pacific CorporationLong Beach, CA · revenue $59M · programs 85.6% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of The Fort Worth Zoological Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, The Fort Worth Zoological Association reported that 78.5% of its $52.6 million in expenses went to program services, 16.1% to management and general and 5.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Fort Worth Zoological Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Fort Worth Zoological Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $586,175, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Fort Worth Zoological Association get its money?
Of $62.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 39.8% came from contributions and grants (including 24.7% from government grants) and 37.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Fort Worth Zoological Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 75-0991727 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, object 202612239349302066 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202532209349301203 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202402259349302105 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202312239349301446 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202212239349302031 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202132289349303203 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 75-0991727: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.