Chicago Zoological Society
3300 Golf Rd, Brookfield, IL · IRS data through FY2026
Revenue, expenses and net assets
Revenue Expenses Net assets
| Tax year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | $90,541,500 | $85,502,432 | $233,229,000 |
| FY2025 | $107,989,615 | $78,379,597 | $223,188,000 |
| FY2024 | $94,260,071 | $75,495,346 | $194,603,000 |
| FY2023 | $64,594,406 | $66,115,083 | $173,914,000 |
| FY2022 | $82,219,310 | $60,703,209 | $179,351,000 |
| FY2021 | $7,867,170 | $12,792,835 | $160,792,000 |
| FY2020 | $59,844,719 | $56,812,252 | $165,004,000 |
| FY2019 | $70,997,747 | $73,578,150 | $157,848,000 |
| FY2018 | $68,890,521 | $73,351,460 | $155,910,000 |
| FY2017 | $75,789,542 | $73,409,870 | $164,718,000 |
| FY2016 | $62,585,174 | $70,851,541 | $160,397,000 |
| FY2015 | $72,517,383 | $70,966,137 | $164,145,000 |
| FY2014 | $75,972,435 | $69,905,435 | $167,637,000 |
| FY2013 | $72,670,138 | $65,947,438 | $161,540,000 |
Form 990 filings
The returns filed by Chicago Zoological Society (EIN 36-2167016), including Form 990 PDFs and e-file data by year, are available in ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. The figures on this page come from IRS data files built from those returns.
Where the revenue came from
| Source | Amount | % of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions & grants | $45,300,998 | 50% |
| Program service revenue | $40,107,334 | 44% |
| Other revenue | $5,133,168 | 6% |
Where the money was spent
| Category | Amount | % of expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Program services | $69,181,178 | 81% |
| Management & general | $12,496,123 | 15% |
| Fundraising | $3,825,131 | 4% |
What the numbers show
- Contributions & grants made up 50% of total revenue in FY2026.
- Program services accounted for 81% of functional expenses, management & general 15%, and fundraising 4%.
- 81% of functional expenses went to program services in FY2026. That is higher than 45.6% of 241 Animal-Related organizations nationwide (too few in IL for a state comparison).
- Net assets covered about 32.7 months of expenses at the end of the reporting year. That puts it in the 75th percentile among 382 Animal-Related organizations in IL.
- Total revenue was higher than 99.7% of 387 Animal-Related organizations in IL.
- Total revenue rose from $72,670,138 in FY2013 to $90,541,500 in FY2026. Revenue increased in 6 and decreased in 7 of 13 year-over-year comparisons.
- Expenses exceeded revenue in 5 of 14 reported years (FY2016, FY2018, FY2019, FY2021, FY2023).
- The highest revenue on record here is $107,989,615 in FY2025.
- Net assets grew from $161,540,000 to $233,229,000 between FY2013 and FY2026.
- Contributions and grants made up 59% of revenue in FY2013 and 50% in FY2026.
- Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity).
Figures compared against other organizations of the same NTEE program area in the same state. See the methodology page for how these are calculated and the guide to reading nonprofit financials for their limits.
About this organization
To inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature.
IRS status
| Ruling year | 1941 |
| Subsection | 501(c)(3) |
| Classification | Public charity |
| Program area (NTEE) | D500 — Animal-Related |
| Donations | Listed in the IRS Publication 78 data as eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (public charity). |
Similar organizations
- Shedd Aquarium Society — Chicago, IL · $101,974,802
- Lincoln Park Zoological Society — Chicago, IL · $50,519,973
- Paws Chicago — Chicago, IL · $46,965,874
Source: Internal Revenue Service — Exempt Organizations Business Master File (downloaded November 4, 2026), Statistics of Income extracts, Form 990 e-file data, Publication 78 and the Automatic Revocation list. Figures are as reported by the organization; IRS processing may adjust them. This is not a charity rating and not tax advice. Confirm deductibility in IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
Think something here is wrong or should be removed? Use the contact form — we act on removal requests within 30 days.