Charities United States Animal Welfare Chicago Zoological Society
CH

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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87
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
87/100 · 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
Animal Welfare · NTEE D500
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.
SDG 15 SDG 15 · Life on Land Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar animal welfare in United States
Program spending This charity: 0%
Peer average: 96%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 0.63%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 87
Peer average: 92

Red flags

· All clear
IRS revocation history
OFAC / EU / UN sanctions
Open investigations
Governance scandals
Related-party deals
Excessive exec comp

Where every $1 goes

Program expenses$0.00 ($62.6 million)

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. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 87/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. The organization reports $108M in annual revenue. 239 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Chicago Zoological Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 87/100. 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 87 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for animal welfare charities in United States is 92/100.

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 0% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 96% 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 a 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.

Chicago Zoological Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 87/100 (Strong transparency) and no red flags have been detected, which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. 0% of expenses go to programs. The peer average is 96%. Visit the Chicago Zoological Society profile on GiveRadar for full details before deciding. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.

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 a animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1921.

Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: Chicago Zoological Society's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 87/100 is in line with the peer average of 92/100. It allocates 0% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 96%. 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.

Verified against 7 official sources, last refreshed .

Annual revenue
$100M-$1B
0% 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

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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.

Leadership

MI
Michael J Adkesson
President and CEO

Officers & trustees (25)

Source: Public filings

AM
Amy B•••
Trustee 11/23-3/24
AR
Arthur J F••••
Trustee through 3/22
BA
Barbara G••••••
Trustee
BA
Barbara J B•••••••
Trustee
BA
Barbara L••• K•••••
Trustee
BE
Benita S R•••••
Trustee
BE
Bert A G••• J•
Vice-Chair of the Board
CA
Cathleen B••••••••••
Sr. VP Development
CH
Cherryl T T•••••
Chair of the Board
CY
Cynthia W Z••••••
Chief Advancement Officer through 12/21
DA
Darius A G•••
Trustee
DA
David E B••••
Chief Financial and Admin. Officer
DR
Dr B•••• C•••
Trustee
DR
Dr L••• C F••••••
Trustee
DR
Dr M•••••• A•••••••
President and CEO
DR
Dr S••••• K C••••••••••
Sr. VP Animal Health Welfare
ED
Edward M•••••••• B•••• J•
Trustee
EL
Elizabeth H••••• B••••••
Vice-Chair of the Board
EL
Elizabeth S Q••••
Trustee as of 4/23
FR
Frank W Z••••••
Sr. VP Animal Programs
FR
Fred A K•••••••
Honorary Chair through 6/21
GE
George B•••
Trustee
GR
Gregory J D•••••••••
Trustee
HE
Heather B•••••
VP Finance
HE
Heidi H•••••••
Trustee
Full names, contact details & compensation

Free with an account.

Unlock

Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From global news sources

Sentiment

Neutral

Strike ends after 3 days as Brookfield Zoo, union officials reach tentative agreement on 4-year contract - Chicago Sun-Times

chicago.suntimes.com · · Neutral

Brookfield Zoo on Brink of Strike Amid Bitter Pay Dispute - BriefGlance

briefglance.com · · Neutral

Hundreds of Brookfield Zoo Chicago staff authorize strike after rejecting latest contract offer - CBS News

www.cbsnews.com · · Neutral

Teamsters at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago Authorize a Strike - International Brotherhood of Teamsters

teamster.org · · Neutral

Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo unveils new brand: Brookfield Zoo Chicago - The Chicago Crusader

chicagocrusader.com · · Neutral

Chicago Zoological Society receives historic $40M donation for Brookfield Zoo - FOX 32 Chicago

www.fox32chicago.com · · Positive

Andrea Rodgers joins Chicago Zoological Society as Senior Vice President of Guest Experience and Operations - Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)

www.aza.org · · Neutral

Chicago Zoological Society Ayuda a aumentar la diversidad genética de los lobos mexicanos salvajes - Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)

www.aza.org · · Neutral

Chicago Zoological Society Helps to Increase Genetic Diversity of Wild Mexican Wolves - Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)

www.aza.org · · Neutral

NIU president elected trustee of Chicago Zoological Society - Riverside-Brookfield Landmark

www.rblandmark.com · · Neutral

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
Brookfield Zoo on Brink of Strike Amid Bitter Pay Dispute - BriefGlance
May 2026
briefglance.com
Hundreds of Brookfield Zoo Chicago staff authorize strike after rejecting latest contract offer - CBS News
Apr 2026
www.cbsnews.com
Teamsters at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago Authorize a Strike - International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Apr 2026
teamster.org
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
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
Andrea Rodgers joins Chicago Zoological Society as Senior Vice President of Guest Experience and Operations - Associatio
Aug 2023
www.aza.org
Chicago Zoological Society Ayuda a aumentar la diversidad genética de los lobos mexicanos salvajes - Association of Zoos
Jun 2023
www.aza.org
Chicago Zoological Society Helps to Increase Genetic Diversity of Wild Mexican Wolves - Association of Zoos and Aquarium
Jun 2023
www.aza.org
NIU president elected trustee of Chicago Zoological Society - Riverside-Brookfield Landmark
Apr 2023
www.rblandmark.com
Form filed
$82.2M revenue
FY2022
IRS_990
Form filed
$7.9M revenue
FY2021
PROPUBLICA
Form filed
$59.8M revenue
FY2020
IRS_990
Form filed
$71.0M revenue
FY2019
PROPUBLICA
Form filed
$68.9M revenue
FY2018
PROPUBLICA
Form filed
$75.8M revenue
FY2017
PROPUBLICA
Form filed
$62.6M revenue
FY2016
PROPUBLICA

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Peer charities

Other animal welfare in United States, by integrity assessment

Charity Score Revenue Program %
Chicago Zoological Society This page 87 $108.0 million 0%
Critter Encounters 93 $230,370 100%
Wedrose Acres 93 $114,491 99%
Spca of Tennessee 93 $189,417 83%
Arizona Poodle Rescue Inc 93 $658,982 100%
Better Days Inc 93 $181,989 99%
Fifty Shades of Furr Inc 93 $314,656 94%
Bullpen Way Station & Sanctuary Ltd 90 $151,835 93%
Clay County Animal Rescue & Education Center Inc 90 $136,295 100%

Sources and verification

Refreshed

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
May 27, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we don't know

Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact

Programs & projects
No named programs listed by the charity
Operating reach
Countries where programs run not specified

Methodology

GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

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, United States.
What is Chicago Zoological Society's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $100M-$1B. 0% of expenses go to program services.
Is Chicago Zoological Society trustworthy?
Chicago Zoological Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 87 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