Charities United States Animal Welfare Zoological Society of San Diego
ZO

Zoological Society of San Diego

An international, nonprofit conservation organization with two front doors: the san diego zoo and the san diego zoo safari park, we integrate wildlife health and care, science, and …

Animal Welfare San Diego, CA EIN 951648219 · IRS Sign up to see website
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76
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
76/100 · methodology

About Zoological Society of San Diego

Zoological Society of San Diego is a animal welfare organization based in SAN DIEGO, United States. Annual revenue: $355.5 million. 0% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 951648219.

Founded
Headquarters
San Diego, CA
Foundation type
Supporting organization (509(a)(3))
NTEE code
D500
IRS subsection
501(c)(c3)
Ruling date
Size
very-large

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 1942

Mission

An international, nonprofit conservation organization with two front doors: the san diego zoo and the san diego zoo safari park, we integrate wildlife health and care, science, and education to develop sustainable conservation solutions.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Animal Welfare · NTEE D500
Cause tags

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: 0.41%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 76
Peer average: 92

Red flags

· All clear
IRS revocation history
Open investigations
Governance scandals
Related-party deals
Excessive exec comp

Where every $1 goes

Program expenses$0.00 ($332.5 million)

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Zoological Society of San Diego is a registered animal welfare nonprofit based in San Diego, CA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1916 and has been operating for 110 years. Its EIN is 951648219. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. This is below the average of 92/100 for animal welfare charities in United States. The organization reports $438M in annual revenue. 104 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Zoological Society of San Diego has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100. 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 76 ('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.

Zoological Society of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA, United States. The organization was established in 1916 and has been active for 110 years.

Based on official tax filings, Zoological Society of San Diego has $438M 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.

Zoological Society of San Diego is classified as a Animal Welfare organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a very-large organization. It has $438M in annual revenue. The organization has 104 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Zoological Society of San Diego. 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.

Zoological Society of San Diego has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100 (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 Zoological Society of San Diego 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.

Zoological Society of San Diego is a animal welfare organization based in SAN DIEGO, United States. Annual revenue: $355.5 million. 0% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 951648219. Zoological Society of San Diego is classified as a animal welfare organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 1916.

Among animal welfare charities registered in United States: Zoological Society of San Diego's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100 is below the peer average of 92/100. It allocates 0% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 96%. Its annual revenue of $438M is well above the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to Zoological Society of San Diego are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Its EIN is 951648219, 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 5 official sources, last refreshed .

Annual revenue
$100M-$1B
0% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 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.
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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

DA
David Franco
CFO

Officers & trustees (25)

Source: Public filings

AI
Aida R•••
CHF. HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER
AU
Aulani W••••••
TRUSTEE
BR
Bryan M••
TRUSTEE
CL
Cliff H••••
TRUSTEE
DA
David F•••••
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
DA
David G•••••
CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER
DA
David M•••••
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
DA
David P•••
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
DH
Dhevsivanand G•••••••
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
DW
Dwight S••••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN DIEGO ZOO
EA
Eamonn F••••••
VP OF CONSTRUCTION & ARCH
ER
Erika K•••••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN DIEGO ZOO
GA
Gary K••••
VICE CHAIRMAN
JA
Jane F•••••
TRUSTEE
JA
Javade C•••••••
CHAIRMAN
JO
Joye B•••••
OUTGOING TRUSTEE
JU
Judy W•••••••
OUTGOING TRUSTEE (DECEASED)
KA
Karen B••••
VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES
KA
Kathleen C••• C•••••••••
TRUSTEE
LI
Linda L•••••••••
TRUSTEE
LI
Lisa P•••••••
EXEC DIRECTOR, SAFARI PARK
NA
Nadine L••••••••
CHF. CONSERVATION/WILDLIFE
PA
Paul B••••••••
PRESIDENT/CEO
RI
Richard G•••••
SECRETARY
RO
Robert H••••••
OUTGOING TRUSTEE
Full names, contact details & compensation

Free with an account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$437.6M revenue
FY2024
IRS_990
Form filed
$411.0M revenue
FY2023
IRS_990
Form filed
$392.4M revenue
FY2022
IRS_990
Form filed
$355.5M revenue
FY2021
IRS_990
Form filed
$246.9M revenue
FY2020
IRS_990

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Peer charities

Other animal welfare in United States, by integrity assessment

Charity Score Revenue Program %
Zoological Society of San Diego This page 76 $437.6 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 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 104 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
May 27, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

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 Zoological Society of San Diego

What is Zoological Society of San Diego?
Zoological Society of San Diego is a animal welfare supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in San Diego, United States. Zoological Society of San Diego is a animal welfare organization based in SAN DIEGO, United States. Annual revenue: $355.5 million. 0% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 951648219.
When was Zoological Society of San Diego founded?
Zoological Society of San Diego was founded in 1916.
Who leads Zoological Society of San Diego?
David Franco serves as CFO.
Where is Zoological Society of San Diego located?
Headquartered in San Diego, United States.
What is Zoological Society of San Diego's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100M-$1B. 0% of expenses go to program services.
Is Zoological Society of San Diego trustworthy?
Zoological Society of San Diego has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76 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 Zoological Society of San Diego's registration number?
IRS EIN: 951648219.
What is Zoological Society of San Diego's website?
http://www.sdzwa.org