CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

As filed

Subsection

03

NTEE code

D500

Classification

1200

Street

3300 GOLF RD

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2025

• Park Operations The CZS maintains 76 buildings on 235 acres of land to exhibit over 2,500 animals. In a typical year, two million visitors annually enjoy the experience of seeing and learning about the animals of the world. Each individual that enters through Brookfield Zoos gates represents an opportunity to introduce representatives of the wild world, to convey our intertwined connections to the animal kingdom, and to encourage positive change in the world. The Zoo is open almost every day of the year. Admission is free to the general public 52 days/year and at all times to Illinois school groups and military personnel. The membership team services our 100,000 member households, providing them with the opportunity to participate in the conservation and educational efforts of CZS. The events team provides seasonal and animal themed events such as Earth Day, Spring Fest, Lantern Festival, Holiday Magic and Boo at the Zoo. Visitor services provides narrated tram tours and accessible transportation options in the park.

  Expenses $30,984,178 · Revenue $28,140,916

• Animal Health, Welfare, Care and Programs More than 2500 ambassadors of the animal kingdom provide our visitors with a rare opportunity to see species from around the globe and experience up close, personal encounters. CZS staff provide expert care of these ambassadors, where innovations in husbandry techniques and pioneering breeding programs are part of the cuttting edge culture of excellence and integrating disciplines such as population biology, behavioral science, nutrition and veterinary science help determine the best ways to provide and continuously care for the animals. CZS also incorporates models and practices from an array of animal care professionals around the world, to develop the best possible zoo-based animal care and management practices. Through Keeper Chats and Ambassador Animal Encounters, staff share their knowledge of the animals in their care with zoo guests, helping them gain an appreciation for all citizens of the natural world. Through field programs,CZS support efforts to protect and restore populations of threatened species in other parts of the world.

  Expenses $34,094,000 · Grants $197,674 · Revenue $3,194,219

• Education and Community Engagement Through its education programs, CZS communicates with others to engender in them a sense of ownership about living harmoniously with nature and helping save endangered species. Education specialists, volunteers, curators, graphic and exhibit designers, photographers and many others contribute to sharing this information both in person and virtually. As well as reaching the daily visitors to the Zoo, CZSs education and outreach programming reaches out to would be conservationists outside of the Zoo including classrooms of school children and teachers, local libraries and community organizations to engage them in nature based programs, strengthening the bridge between education and conservation and working together to create healthy spaces for people and wildlife.

  Expenses $4,103,000 · Grants $54,000 · Revenue $298,892

As filed on the 2025 return.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

The first 25 listed. Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

• 2025

  Revenue

  $90,541,500

  Expenses

  $85,502,432

  Contributions

  $45,300,998

  Grants paid

  $251,674

• 2023

  Revenue

  $94,260,071

  Expenses

  $75,495,346

  Contributions

  $54,102,303

  Grants paid

  $197,281

• 2022

  Revenue

  $64,594,406

  Expenses

  $66,115,083

  Contributions

  $26,699,887

  Grants paid

  $332,859

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

• 2025 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2024 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2023 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2022 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2021 · 990

  Revenue

  $82,219,310

  Expenses

  $60,703,209

  Assets (EOY)

  $234,132,000

• 2021 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2020 · 990

  Revenue

  $59,844,719

  Expenses

  $56,812,252

  Assets (EOY)

  $212,053,000

• 2020 · 990-T

  Revenue

  — not reported

  Expenses

  — not reported

  Assets (EOY)

  — not reported

• 2019 · 990

  Revenue

  $70,997,747

  Expenses

  $73,578,150

  Assets (EOY)

  $212,738,000

• 2018 · 990

  Revenue

  $68,890,521

  Expenses

  $73,351,460

  Assets (EOY)

  $209,343,000

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

• Vote Yes for Clean Air Clean Water and Wildlife NFP

  $175,000

  2022 · Contrib to spt work on referendum campaign

• Pangolin Conservation and Research Fdn

  $53,000

  2025 · Conservation fieldwork

• Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

  $46,583

  2025 · Conservation fieldwork

• Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation

  $15,500

  2023 · Pangolin Conservation

• Society for Marine Mammal Research Institute

  $10,000

  2022 · Marine Mammal Conference sponsor

• Species 360

  $7,000

  2025 · Conservation fieldwork

• Florida International University

  $7,000

  2023 · Pangolin Conservation

• American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

  $6,150

  2025 · conservation related event sponsor

• Zoo & Aquarium Video Archive

  $5,330

  2023 · Conservation Education

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

• THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST

  $752,846

  2024 · General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $577,449

  2023 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

• THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST

  $542,975

  2022 · support for the A Zoo for All initiative, General Operating Support, support for Punta San Juan Program, Annual Fund, General Operating Support - per Safari Paddle Raise Whirl 2022, Annual Support, support for King Conservation Leadership Academy, support to provide care and feeding of the animals, support for Above and Beyond, support for the 4/29/23 gala, The Whirl (no tickets or tangible benefits)

• THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY TRUST

  $451,908

  2023 · General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes

• DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING

  $436,021

  2024 · ENVIRONMENTAL AND ANIMALS

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $314,972

  2024 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

• NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR

  $303,000

  2022 · ENVIRONMENT, ANIMALS

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $292,450

  2022 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

• NCRC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND INC

  $250,000

  2023 · ILLINOIS CORONAVIRUS FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS

• NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR

  $241,450

  2024 · ENVIRONMENT, ANIMALS

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files