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Chicago Zoological Society

To inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature.

Animal Welfare Brookfield, IL EIN: 362167016 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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90
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
90/100 · methodology

About Chicago Zoological Society

Chicago Zoological Society is a animal welfare organization based in BROOKFIELD, United States. Annual revenue: $82.2 million. 0% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 362167016.

Founded
Headquarters
Brookfield, IL
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
D500
IRS subsection
501(c)(c3)
Ruling date
Size
major

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1941

Mission

To inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar animal welfare in United States
Program spending This charity: 80%
Peer average: 85%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 0.63%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 90
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2025 · IRS 990 (FY2025)
$0.80
Program$0.80
80% to programs beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Chicago Zoological Society has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 6 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 6 independent sources, led by the IRS - among the most thoroughly sourced profiles in its cohort. See the sources
  • Established in 1921, it is among the oldest animal welfare charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks. View this cohort
  • GiveRadar has verified more about this organization than about 99% of the 40,468 animal welfare charities in the United States it tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (15 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a donation page
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Chicago Zoological Society is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in Brookfield, IL, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1921 and has been operating for 105 years. Its EIN is 362167016. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 90/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $108M in annual revenue. 239 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Chicago Zoological Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 362167016. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Chicago Zoological Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 90 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 80% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for animal welfare charities in United States is 90/100.

Chicago Zoological Society is located in Brookfield, IL, United States. The organization was established in 1921 and has been active for 105 years.

Based on official tax filings, Chicago Zoological Society has $108M in annual revenue. It allocates 80% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 85% for animal welfare charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Chicago Zoological Society is classified as an Animal Welfare organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has $108M in annual revenue. The organization has 239 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Chicago Zoological Society. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Chicago Zoological Society holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 80% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 85%). GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Chicago Zoological Society is a animal welfare organization based in BROOKFIELD, United States. Annual revenue: $82.2 million. 0% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 362167016. Chicago Zoological Society is classified as an animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1921.

Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: It allocates 80% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 85%. Its annual revenue of $108M is well above the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to Chicago Zoological Society are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 362167016, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100M-$1B
80% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2025) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

10 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2025, FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020, FY2019, FY2018, FY2017, FY2016.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
791

Leadership

From FY2025 filing

MI
Michael J A•••••••
President and CEO

Officers & trustees (25)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

25 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Strike ends after 3 days as Brookfield Zoo, union officials reach tentative agreement on 4-year contract - Chicago Sun-T
May 2026
chicago.suntimes.com
Around 100 union workers strike at Brookfield Zoo over health insurance, wages - NBC 5 Chicago
May 2026
www.nbcchicago.com
Dozens of Brookfield Zoo staffers strike after negotiations fail - Chicago Sun-Times
May 2026
chicago.suntimes.com
Teamsters at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago Authorize a Strike - International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Apr 2026
teamster.org
Hundreds of Brookfield Zoo Chicago staff authorize strike after rejecting latest contract offer - CBS News
Apr 2026
www.cbsnews.com
Hundreds of Brookfield Zoo Chicago staff authorize strike after rejecting latest contract offer - CBS News
Apr 2026
www.cbsnews.com
Barbara Grayson - Crain's Chicago Business
Feb 2026
www.chicagobusiness.com
Form filed
$108.0M revenue
FY2025
IRS 990
Form filed
$94.3M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo unveils new brand: Brookfield Zoo Chicago - The Chicago Crusader
Mar 2024
chicagocrusader.com
Brookfield Zoo Chicago: West suburban zoo changes to new name, logo ahead of 90-year anniversary - ABC7 Chicago
Mar 2024
abc7chicago.com
Form filed
$64.6M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Chicago Zoological Society receives historic $40M donation for Brookfield Zoo - FOX 32 Chicago
Sep 2023
www.fox32chicago.com
Form filed
$82.2M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$7.9M revenue
FY2021
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$59.8M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990
Form filed
$71.0M revenue
FY2019
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$68.9M revenue
FY2018
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$75.8M revenue
FY2017
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$62.6M revenue
FY2016
IRS/ProPublica

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
Animal Welfare this charity 40,468
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 239 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Supplementary verification
Wikidata structured data
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2025 on record
  • Named leadership · 239 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 1921
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Chicago Zoological Society

What is Chicago Zoological Society?
Chicago Zoological Society is a animal welfare publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Brookfield, United States. Chicago Zoological Society is a animal welfare organization based in BROOKFIELD, United States. Annual revenue: $82.2 million. 0% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 362167016.
When was Chicago Zoological Society founded?
Chicago Zoological Society was founded in 1921.
Who leads Chicago Zoological Society?
Michael J Adkesson serves as President and CEO.
Where is Chicago Zoological Society located?
Headquartered in Brookfield, IL, United States.
What is Chicago Zoological Society's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $100M-$1B. 80% of expenses go to program services.
Is Chicago Zoological Society trustworthy?
Chicago Zoological Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Chicago Zoological Society's registration number?
IRS EIN: 362167016.
What is Chicago Zoological Society's website?
http://www.brookfieldzoo.org