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Detroit Zoological Society

The mission of the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is to create meaningful connections between people, animals and the natural world so all can thrive. The vision of the …

Animal Welfare Royal Oak, MI EIN: 386027356 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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80
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
80/100 · methodology

About Detroit Zoological Society

See the animals, experience enrichments and find your friends.

Founded
Headquarters
Royal Oak, MI
Foundation type
Supporting organization (509(a)(3))
NTEE code
D500
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
major

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1958

Mission

The mission of the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is to create meaningful connections between people, animals and the natural world so all can thrive. The vision of the DZS is to be a force for positive change in a world where animals and nature are valued, understood and protected by all people.

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. 6 similar animal welfare in United States
Program spending This charity: 85%
Peer average: 83%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 0.81%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 80
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

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.85
Program$0.85
85% to programs beats the peer average (83%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, Detroit Zoological Society has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 5 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 5 independent sources, led by the IRS - among the most thoroughly sourced profiles in its cohort. See the sources
  • Established in 1924, it is among the oldest animal welfare charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks. View this cohort
  • It is one of the better-documented animal welfare charities in the United States GiveRadar currently 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 (14 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • 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

Detroit Zoological Society is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in Royal Oak, MI, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1924 and has been operating for 102 years. Its EIN is 386027356. 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 80/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $64M in annual revenue. 295 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Detroit Zoological Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 386027356. 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.

Detroit Zoological Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80/100. 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 80 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 85% 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.

Detroit Zoological Society is located in Royal Oak, MI, United States. The organization was established in 1924 and has been active for 102 years.

Based on official tax filings, Detroit Zoological Society has $64M in annual revenue. It allocates 85% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 83% 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.

Detroit Zoological Society is classified as an Animal Welfare organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has $64M in annual revenue. The organization has 295 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Detroit 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, Detroit 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 85% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 83%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. 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.

See the animals, experience enrichments and find your friends. Detroit Zoological Society is classified as an animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1924.

Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: It allocates 85% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 83%. Its annual revenue of $64M is well above the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to Detroit Zoological Society are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Detroit Zoological Society is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 386027356, 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
$10M-$100M
85% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

10 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020, FY2019, FY2018, FY2017, FY2016, FY2015.
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.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
602

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

RO
Robert S••••••••
Chief Financial Officer

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

Three penguin chicks hatch at the Detroit Zoo and are learning to waddle - MLive.com
Jun 2026
www.mlive.com
Thousands of tadpoles raised at Detroit Zoo to be released - WNEM
Jun 2026
www.wnem.com
Detroit Zoo’s Erb Discovery Trails open to public with animals, playscape, VR - Planet Detroit
May 2026
planetdetroit.org
Detroit Zoo opens $49 million, 7-acre Erb Discovery Trails - Observer and Eccentric Newspapers
May 2026
www.hometownlife.com
Detroit Zoo unveils 7-acre, $49M attraction with stingrays, canopy trail - Crain's Detroit
May 2026
www.crainsdetroit.com
Detroit Zoo opens new Discovery Trails exhibit with stingrays, goats and more - The Detroit News
May 2026
www.detroitnews.com
11 Detroit Zoo animals that emerge outdoors as spring and summer arrive - MLive.com
May 2026
www.mlive.com
First ever Tigers Day coming to the Detroit Zoo with former players, big cats - MLive.com
Apr 2026
www.mlive.com
Meet the salamanders keeping watch over the Detroit River - Planet Detroit
Apr 2026
planetdetroit.org
Detroit Zoo welcomes three baby otters to its family - FOX 2 Detroit
Apr 2026
www.fox2detroit.com
Form filed
$64.1M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$54.3M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$55.1M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$55.2M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$31.1M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990
Form filed
$46.9M revenue
FY2019
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$47.0M revenue
FY2018
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$46.2M revenue
FY2017
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$46.7M revenue
FY2016
IRS/ProPublica
Form filed
$48.2M revenue
FY2015
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 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 295 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
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 · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 295 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 · 1924
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 Detroit Zoological Society

What is Detroit Zoological Society?
Detroit Zoological Society is a animal welfare supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Royal Oak, United States. See the animals, experience enrichments and find your friends.
When was Detroit Zoological Society founded?
Detroit Zoological Society was founded in 1924.
Who leads Detroit Zoological Society?
Robert Schumaker serves as Chief Financial Officer.
Where is Detroit Zoological Society located?
Headquartered in Royal Oak, MI, United States.
What is Detroit Zoological Society's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $10M-$100M. 85% of expenses go to program services.
Is Detroit Zoological Society trustworthy?
Detroit Zoological Society has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80 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 Detroit Zoological Society's registration number?
IRS EIN: 386027356.
What is Detroit Zoological Society's website?
http://www.detroitzoo.org/