Lincoln Park Zoological Society
Lincoln park zoo is dedicated to connecting people with nature by providing a free, family-oriented wildlife experience in the heart of chicago and by advancing the highest quality …
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Make your donationAbout Lincoln Park Zoological Society
Founded in 1868, Lincoln Park Zoo is among the most established zoos in the country.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
Lincoln park zoo is dedicated to connecting people with nature by providing a free, family-oriented wildlife experience in the heart of chicago and by advancing the highest quality of animal care, education, science and conservation.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 6 similar animal welfare in United StatesConcerns
· None foundWhere every $1 goes
· FY2025 · IRS 990 (FY2025)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
GiveRadar's verified records show Lincoln Park Zoological Society with a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.
- 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
- Established in 1959, it predates 94% of the animal welfare charities in the United States GiveRadar has a founding year for. View this cohort
- By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 98% of the 16,157 animal welfare charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
- government registration
- financial records (6 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- a donation page
- third-party accreditation
- a contact email
- 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 + methodologyLincoln Park Zoological Society is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in Chicago, IL, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1959 and has been operating for 67 years. Its EIN is 362512404. 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 87/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $51M in annual revenue. 272 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
Lincoln Park Zoological Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 362512404. 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.
Lincoln Park 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. The charity allocates 87% 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.
Lincoln Park Zoological Society is located in Chicago, IL, United States. The organization was established in 1959 and has been active for 67 years.
Based on official tax filings, Lincoln Park Zoological Society has $51M in annual revenue. It allocates 87% 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.
Lincoln Park 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 $51M in annual revenue. The organization has 272 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Lincoln Park 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, Lincoln Park 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 87% 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.
Founded in 1868, Lincoln Park Zoo is among the most established zoos in the country. Lincoln Park Zoological Society is classified as an animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1959.
Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: It allocates 87% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 83%. Its annual revenue of $51M is well above the peer average of $1M.
Yes, donations to Lincoln Park Zoological Society are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 362512404, 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.
Filing history
6 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
Sign up to viewTaxes
Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
LINCOLN PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Staff & volunteers
From filings and published profiles
Leadership
From FY2025 filing
Officers & trustees (25)
Source: Public filings
25 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
10 articles found
From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.
Lincoln Park Zoo - Britannica
Lincoln Park Zoo opens new open-air aviary exhibit - NBC26
Must see in Manitowoc — Lights in Lincoln Park runs nightly Dec. 11-30 - Herald Times Reporter
Grand Opening Held for New Coyote Exhibit at Lincoln Park Zoo - Seehafer News
Lincoln Park Zoo Unveils Master Plan - Seehafer News
Former Lincoln Park Zoo director Lester Fisher dies at age 100 — a transformational leader for the zoo and its animals - Chicago Tribune
Retiring president Kevin Bell bids goodbye to the Lincoln Park Zoo that has been his home for nearly half a century - Chicago Tribune
Need to Know Details for Your Trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo - TripSavvy
Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo to remain free through at least 2050 - WIFR
Lincoln Park Zoo to remain free until 2050 — and why the contract was extended early - Chicago Tribune
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United States
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United States
Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.
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 - 272 disclosed in the public registry.
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2025 on record
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Named leadership · 272 officers on file
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Executive pay · Disclosed
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Mission statement · Published
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1959
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Programs & activitiesNo 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.
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Quick facts about Lincoln Park Zoological Society
- What is Lincoln Park Zoological Society?
- Lincoln Park Zoological Society is a animal welfare publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Chicago, United States. Founded in 1868, Lincoln Park Zoo is among the most established zoos in the country.
- When was Lincoln Park Zoological Society founded?
- Lincoln Park Zoological Society was founded in 1959.
- Who leads Lincoln Park Zoological Society?
- Megan Ross serves as President & CEO.
- Where is Lincoln Park Zoological Society located?
- Headquartered in Chicago, IL, United States.
- What is Lincoln Park Zoological Society's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $10M-$100M. 87% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Lincoln Park Zoological Society trustworthy?
- Lincoln Park 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 Lincoln Park Zoological Society's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 362512404.
- What is Lincoln Park Zoological Society's website?
- http://lpzoo.org