San Francisco Zoological Society
San Francisco Zoological Society reported $23.1 million in revenue and $29.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.90 went to program services, $12.00 to management and general costs and $2.10 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 60.7% of the total. Government grants made up 17.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $396,597 (CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 12% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $30MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $23MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.9% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.0% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.1% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 33.8% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 17.5% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 60.7% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $396,597 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.33% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 16 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 5.9 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 22 of 22 | 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 expenseGeneral public service: food, merchandise, rides, and parking. The San Francisco zoo serves hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and is open to the public 365 days a year. The facility is located on 90 acres on the edge of the pacific ocean in the city of San Francisco
Membership services, admissions, educational programs, and publications: educational programs and services including docent-guided tours, adult and youth volunteer programs, zoo camp, children's and adult classes, overnights, conservation lecture series, zoo mobile, wildlife theatre presentations, and teacher resources
Animal and botanical collections: the San Francisco zoo is home to thousands of engangered and rescued animals comprised of species from around the world. The zoo participates in conservation programs aimed at protecting and saving endangered animals. The zoo maintains gardens showcasing a variety of plant species
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $351,000 | $0 | $45,597 | $396,597 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $225,770 | $0 | $14,872 | $240,642 |
| EVP OF ANIMAL CARE & WELLNESS Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $170,404 | $0 | $21,511 | $191,915 |
| EVP OF GUEST CONNECTIONS Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $160,385 | $0 | $21,010 | $181,395 |
| CHIEF VETERINARIAN Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $157,015 | $0 | $7,851 | $164,866 |
| EVP OF HR/DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $136,123 | $0 | $6,806 | $142,929 |
| VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNOLOGY Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $127,400 | $0 | $6,370 | $133,770 |
16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from San Francisco Zoological Society (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $637K (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–1b22 · 22 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 5259
- Volunteers Part I, line 6212
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| HILLCREST Construction | $587,470 |
| DLA PIPER LLP (US) Legal service | $191,026 |
| LOMBERA BUILDING RENOVATION Construction | $168,551 |
| VITUS HR CONSULTING LLC Consultation | $100,002 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
17 private foundations reported grants to San Francisco Zoological Society totaling $423K 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco Zoological Society, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 San Francisco Zoological Society spent in FY2025, $85.90 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Sedgwick County Zoological SocietyWichita, KS · revenue $23M · programs 91.1% · 2024
- Norristown Zoological SocietyNorristown, PA · revenue $23M · programs 88.9% · 2025
- Clearwater Marine AquariumClearwater, FL · revenue $23M · programs 75.1% · 2024
- Gulf of Maine Research InstitutePortland, ME · revenue $23M · programs 67.9% · FY2025
- Tulsa Zoo ManagementTulsa, OK · revenue $23M · programs 86.0% · 2024
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of San Francisco Zoological Society's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, San Francisco Zoological Society reported that 85.9% of its $29.7 million in expenses went to program services, 12.0% to management and general and 2.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does San Francisco Zoological Society pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation San Francisco Zoological Society reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $396,597, for the role of CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does San Francisco Zoological Society get its money?
Of $23.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 33.8% came from contributions and grants (including 17.5% from government grants) and 60.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is San Francisco Zoological Society a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-1429538 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 June 30, 2025, object 202601009349301610 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202531329349304153 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202430539349301213 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202340419349300019 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202240289349301774 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202130279349300923 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-1429538: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.