Zoological Society of Cincinnati
88% goes to programs $4 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Zoological Society of Cincinnati is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Cincinnati, Ohio, registered in 1941, with $69,378,528 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 88% of spending to programs.
3400 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH, 45220 EIN 31-0537171 Since 1941
Revenue (FY2024)
$69.4M
▼ 42.0% vs prior year
Animals median: $151K
Expenses (FY2024)
$63.6M
Net assets
$313.7M
Employees
997
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating88% to programs · $4 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 Zoological Society of Cincinnati: 88% to programs · $4 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating59 mo reserves · +8% 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 Zoological Society of Cincinnati: 59 mo reserves · +8% margin earns a A 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 Zoological Society of Cincinnati: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 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 Zoological Society of Cincinnati: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Creating adventure, conveying knowledge, conserving nature, serving community.
Contact & location
- Address
- 3400 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH, 45220
- City
- Cincinnati
- State
- Ohio
- Category
- Animal-Related
- Subcategory
- Zoos & Aquariums
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $41.5M (FY2013) to $69.4M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $16.8MNet assets $313.7M
Operating margin
8.3%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$330.4M
Total liabilities
$16.8M
Net assets
$313.7M
Salaries & benefits
$33.1M
52% of expenses
Board members
39
39 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $69,378,528▼42.0% | $63,617,523▲8.5% | $313,660,485▲1.9% | $330,421,028▲1.3% | 990 |
| 2023 | $119,557,573▲63.6% | $58,622,654▲6.8% | $307,836,583▲21.2% | $326,058,196▲20.7% | 990 |
| 2022 | $73,083,333▼15.9% | $54,883,019▲22.4% | $254,084,828▲7.7% | $270,224,711▲8.2% | 990 |
| 2021 | $86,872,035▲69.5% | $44,848,830▲16.9% | $235,945,765▲21.5% | $249,826,944▲15.3% | 990 |
| 2020 | $51,240,308▼28.6% | $38,375,258▼21.6% | $194,120,179▲7.7% | $216,678,031▲6.2% | 990 |
| 2019 | $71,790,214▲15.7% | $48,944,731▲2.8% | $180,305,507▲14.0% | $203,968,537▲14.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $62,042,369▼31.1% | $47,617,056▲10.2% | $158,194,434▲10.1% | $177,451,519▲10.6% | 990 |
| 2017 | $90,025,071▲82.3% | $43,193,066▲7.9% | $143,652,376▲42.1% | $160,454,264▲36.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $49,376,304▲4.6% | $40,039,091▲1.3% | $101,061,087▲10.2% | $117,794,606▲6.3% | 990 |
| 2015 | $47,191,477▲20.6% | $39,523,786▲3.9% | $91,724,652▲9.1% | $110,828,176▲2.1% | 990 |
| 2014 | $39,124,139▼5.6% | $38,035,440▲7.0% | $84,060,977▲1.3% | $108,566,637▼0.7% | 990 |
| 2013 | $41,457,996 | $35,552,291▲2.1% | $82,977,390▲7.6% | $109,322,672▲10.0% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $34,805,734▲3.4% | $77,082,246▲3.4% | $99,421,905▲5.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $33,669,126▲4.9% | $74,539,316▲11.6% | $94,118,085▲8.1% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $32,081,511 | $66,761,871 | $87,075,149 | 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)
Highest-paid: William T Maynard — $708,475 (1.11% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| William T Maynard | Executive Director | 35 | $708,475 |
| Samuel D Jenike | Vp & Coo | 35 | $335,786 |
| Lori L Voss | Vp & Cfo | 35 | $294,521 |
| Terri Roth | Vp: Conservation & Science | 40 | $189,430 |
| Mark Fisher | Vp: Facilities | 40 | $175,722 |
| Chad Yelton | Vp: Marketing | 40 | $164,544 |
| Reba Dysart | Vp: Development | 40 | $158,539 |
| Jeffrey Walton | Director of Human Resource | 40 | $148,696 |
| Michael Wenninger | Director of Animal Health | 40 | $124,087 |
| Christina Gorsuch | Director of Animal Care | 40 | $119,270 |
| Chris Record | Facilities Project Manager | 40 | $113,296 |
| Adam Mueller | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Albert Smitherman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Anya Sanchez | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Austin Heidt | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Bob Coughlin | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Brett Heekin | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Carla Walker | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Cathy Crain | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Chris Bevacqua | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2017)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hgc Construction Co | Exhibit Construction | $10,136,518 |
| Link2protect | Security Cameras | $251,627 |
| Siemens Building Technologies | Water Control Technology | $178,358 |
Grants received · $15.8M total
117 grants to Zoological Society of Cincinnati totaling $15.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Programatic support | 2024 | $1,137,208 |
| Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Programatic support | 2024 | $1,137,208 |
| 1386 General Electric Credit Union | General support | 2024 | $95,000 |
| Trihealth Inc | Sponsorship | 2024 | $35,000 |
| Greater Horizons | Environment & animals | 2024 | $25,800 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $20,323 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $20,031 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Environment & animal protection | 2024 | $20,000 |
| Johnson Charitable Gift Fund | Symposium & general | 2024 | $14,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Animal-related | 2024 | $10,750 |
| St Elizabeth Medical Center Inc | Program support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation | Environment & animals | 2024 | $7,500 |
| Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Programatic support | 2023 | $637,160 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $335,830 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Environmental and animals | 2023 | $79,850 |
Grants made · $388K in FY2024
14 grants totaling $388K in FY2024. All grants made by Zoological Society of Cincinnati →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Washington | Gorilla conservation/congo basin | $106,000 |
| Wildlife Conservation Network Inc | Conservation support donation | $72,244 |
| Snow Leopard Conservancy | Annual support | $31,000 |
| The International Rhino Foundation | Conservation support donation | $29,000 |
| Wild Nature Institute | Conservation support donation | $25,000 |
| Global Conservation Network | Uganda conservation foundation support | $25,000 |
| Wild Entrust International | Conservation support donation | $20,000 |
| Save the Manatee Club | Support of the manatee rehabilitation partnership | $20,000 |
| World Parrot Trust USA Inc | Conservation support donation | $12,581 |
| Red Panda Network | Conservation support donation | $11,000 |
| Elakha Alliance | Round up program support sea otter | $10,000 |
| Friends of Bonobos | Conservation support | $10,000 |
| Turtle Survival Alliance | Conservation support donation | $9,000 |
| Houston Zoo Inc | Elephant herpes virus funding | $7,000 |
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Compare Zoological Society of Cincinnati
Frequently asked questions
- Is Zoological Society of Cincinnati a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Zoological Society of Cincinnati is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 31-0537171, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Zoological Society of Cincinnati's EIN?
- Zoological Society of Cincinnati's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 31-0537171.
- How much revenue does Zoological Society of Cincinnati report?
- Zoological Society of Cincinnati reported $69,378,528 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Zoological Society of Cincinnati's spending goes to programs?
- Zoological Society of Cincinnati spends about 88% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Zoological Society of Cincinnati have?
- CharityIndex grades Zoological Society of Cincinnati A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Zoological Society of Cincinnati's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Zoological Society of Cincinnati's latest Form 990 is $708,475, paid to William T Maynard (Executive Director).
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Explore more
Data for Zoological Society of Cincinnati (EIN 31-0537171) 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.