The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation
74% goes to programs $3 to raise $100 Strong reserves
The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Saint Louis, Missouri, registered in 1995, with $58,536,119 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 74% of spending to programs.
1 Government Dr, Saint Louis, MO, 63110 EIN 43-1727309 Since 1995
Revenue (FY2024)
$58.5M
▼ 7.5% vs prior year
Animals median: $151K
Expenses (FY2024)
$17.8M
Net assets
$296.2M
Employees
79
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
BProgram efficiency40% of the rating74% to programs · $3 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation: 74% to programs · $3 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating200 mo reserves · +70% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation: 200 mo reserves · +70% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The saint louis zoo association was established to support and enhance the saint louis zoo by providing facilities, funds, and advice. the association provides direct financial support to the zoo for renovations, new facilities, programs, conservation and research; administers fundraising campaigns and activities for the zoo; and manages the zoo's endowment. the saint louis zoo association works to advance the saint louis zoo's mission to conserve animals and their habitats through animal management, research, recreation and education programs that encourage the support and enrich the experience of the public.
What they do
Membership - the association maintained a membership base of over 55,763 households, representing approximately 195,171 individuals in the community. this program generated $5,267,227 in revenue in 2024.
Development administration - administering donor development and cultivation that generates proceeds to be used to renovate exhibits and expand programs at the saint louis zoo, educating and benefiting millions of visitors each year.
Endowment harvest - in 2024, the association provided funding for the saint louis zoo wildcare institute ($1,100,675), veterinary medicine ($105,200), employee and volunteer recognition ($17,025), educational programs ($200,500), and unrestricted/zoo operations ($2,130,600).
Contact & location
- Address
- 1 Government Dr, Saint Louis, MO, 63110
- City
- Saint Louis
- State
- Missouri
- Category
- Animal-Related
- Subcategory
- Support Foundations & Fundraising
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $23.8M (FY2020) to $58.5M (FY2024) across 5 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $7.5MNet assets $296.2M
Operating margin
69.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$303.7M
Total liabilities
$7.5M
Net assets
$296.2M
Salaries & benefits
$4.9M
27% of expenses
Board members
74
74 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $58,536,119▼7.5% | $17,762,269▲26.4% | $296,173,503▲20.2% | $303,674,549▲21.2% | 990 |
| 2023 | $63,311,338▲107% | $14,053,715▲4.3% | $246,420,086▲35.3% | $250,509,248▲32.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $30,524,801▼47.2% | $13,472,228▼18.0% | $182,116,434 | $188,591,684▲1.1% | 990 |
| 2021 | $57,800,595▲143% | $16,428,584▼32.4% | $182,197,552▲20.8% | $186,470,677▲20.5% | 990 |
| 2020 | $23,795,871 | $24,294,035 | $150,829,747 | $154,804,893 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alicia S Mcdonnell | Immediate Past President | 1 | — |
| Amy A Gill | Director | 1 | — |
| Amy Dove | Vice President - Philanthropy | 10 | — |
| Andrew T Miedler | Director | 1 | — |
| Angela D Schaefer | Director | 1 | — |
| Angela M Rhone | Director | 1 | — |
| Annette L Kelly | Director | 1 | — |
| Barbara C Archer | Director | 1 | — |
| Bhavik R Patel | Director | 1 | — |
| Brad M Edwards | Director | 1 | — |
| Brett G Gilliland | Director | 1 | — |
| Carol S Klein | Director | 1 | — |
| Cassandra Brown Ray | Cfo & Vice President - Finance | 12 | — |
| Cenia D Bosman | Director | 1 | — |
| Charles Henson | Director | 1 | — |
| Christine Boushka | Director | 1 | — |
| Cory Elliott | Director | 1 | — |
| Davida Lichtenstein Grindstaff | Director | 1 | — |
| David Mcguire | Vice President - Architecture & Planning | 3 | — |
| Debbie A Caplin | Director | 1 | — |
Grants received · $21.9M total
145 grants to The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation totaling $21.9M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Louis Community Foundation Incorporated | Payment against the jsm charitable trust commitment dated june 6, 2023, for the zoos better wild, better world campaign, general support, 2024 contribution to the st louis zoo north park capital campaign | 2024 | $1,529,654 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Animal-related | 2024 | $87,500 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $50,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $38,646 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $26,364 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $25,842 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $15,000 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $12,650 |
| St Louis Community Foundation Incorporated | Annual support | 2023 | $2,995,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Environmental and animals | 2023 | $831,109 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $579,780 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Animal-related | 2023 | $324,250 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $140,957 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $42,228 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2023 | $40,000 |
Grants made · $7.5M in FY2024
1 grant totaling $7.5M in FY2024. All grants made by The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Louis Zoological Park | Endowment harvest, capital spending & program support | $7,475,920 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 43-1727309, based in Saint Louis, Missouri. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation's EIN?
- The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 43-1727309.
- How much revenue does The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation report?
- The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation reported $58,536,119 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation spends about 74% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation's latest Form 990 is $0, paid to Alicia S Mcdonnell (Immediate Past President).
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Data for The Saint Louis Zoo Foundation (EIN 43-1727309) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.