Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society
Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society reported $34.4 million in revenue and $28.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2026. Of every $100 it spent, $82.81 went to program services, $12.86 to management and general costs and $4.33 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 75.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $478,224 (PRESIDENT &). 13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 67% between FY2020 and FY2026. Source: Form 990, FY2026.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending April 30, 2026 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $28MFor 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 April 30, 2026 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $34MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2026 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.8% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.9% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.3% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.20 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 17.8% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 75.4% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $478,224 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.69% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 13 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 57.2 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 24 of 24 | 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
FY2026 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseAnimal care and conservation - to house and display an animal collection for the cultural and recreational benefit of the general public and to provide survival assistance for species in peril. We share our enthusiasm for animals in the hopes that this will compel others to love, respect and protect the natural environment and its' inhabitants. We will cultivate deep appreciation of wildlife in our visitors by providing amazing opportunities to connect with our animals, and we will continually improve our animals' quality of life through training, enrichment, health care, exhibits and staff…
Educational activities - to provide educational programs designed to foster an appreciation and respect for wildlife and wild places and to educate youth on the ecosystems of the world. Our education programs create connections to animals, nature, staff and zoos that empower action and environmental stewardship. We want our guests to be excited to share their experiences and feelings by offering an unselfconscious, comfortable and engaging environment. It is our goal to ignite passion in the very young and foster it for life; we consider every stage of life and offer age appropriate programs
Highest reported compensation
FY2026 · 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, 39.00 hrs/week | $462,472 | $0 | $15,752 | $478,224 |
| VP FINANCE Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $192,783 | $0 | $13,462 | $206,245 |
| EXECUTIVE VI Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $197,647 | $0 | $6,308 | $203,955 |
| VP ANIMAL CA Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $140,463 | $0 | $5,556 | $146,019 |
| EXECUTIVE VI Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $139,017 | $0 | $5,492 | $144,509 |
| DIR OF DEVEL Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $137,955 | $0 | $583 | $138,538 |
| HEAD VETERIN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $126,631 | $0 | $11,173 | $137,804 |
| SR DIR OF OP Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $118,085 | $0 | $10,500 | $128,585 |
13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $967K (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
FY2026 · 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–1b24 · 24 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5363
- Volunteers Part I, line 6300
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society totaling $33,244 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 Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society spent in FY2026, $82.81 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Commonwealth Zoological CorporationBoston, MA · revenue $34M · programs 76.3% · FY2025
- Conservation Society of CaliforniaOakland, CA · revenue $35M · programs 79.3% · FY2025
- Karuna FoundationCheyenne, WY · revenue $34M · programs 99.9% · 2025
- Humane World for Animals InternationalWashington, DC · revenue $35M · programs 74.3% · 2024
- Tennessee AquariumChattanooga, TN · revenue $34M · programs 70.9% · 2024
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Colorado
Questions people ask
How much of Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending April 30, 2026, Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society reported that 82.8% of its $28.4 million in expenses went to program services, 12.9% to management and general and 4.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending April 30, 2026 was $478,224, for the role of PRESIDENT & (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society get its money?
Of $34.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending April 30, 2026, 17.8% came from contributions and grants and 75.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 84-0407039 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
- FY2026: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2026, object 202622269349303107 · read the filing
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2025, object 202532559349300423 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2024, object 202402789349301620 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2023, object 202312419349301721 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2022, object 202232249349301123 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2021, object 202142259349300014 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2020, object 202032279349302303 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 84-0407039: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.