Cosley Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
363461739
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Wheaton, IL, USA
Phone
6306655534
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Museum, Museum Activities

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,114,353
Expenses
$1,817,122
Assets
$2,907,976
Liabilities
$1,317,442

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JENNIFER CLARK (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • MICHAEL J BENARD (SECRETARY): $274,547 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The cosley foundation engages in fundraising activities to benefit the cosley zoo, an aza-accredited small zoo wholly owned and operated by the wheaton park district in wheaton, il. The foundation raises funds via donor development of individuals and foundations, and also holds community-centric events such as christmas tree sales, a 5k/10k run for the animals, the mike williams cosley classic golf tournament, and fall pumpkin sales. The cosley foundation board is comprised of volunteer board members who serve as advocates for the cosley zoo within the dupage county community (chicago suburbs); board members also provide fiscally sound strategic counsel pertaining to the zoos capital development and other policies and programs. The cosley foundation wholly supports the cosley zoos mission: to create connections between people and animals that will inspire lifelong conservation of the natural world. The zoo pursues its mission via world-class animal welfare, science-based conservation in

What it reported doing in 2025

The foundation provides financial support to help fund the operation of the cosley zoo by the wheaton park district. The zoos operations include free admission to all children under the age of 18 y/o, regardless of residence within the wheaton park district bounds and free admission to all wheaton park district adults. Admission to the zoo allows access to more than 20 animal exhibits, including a duck pond and chicken coop where visitors can participate in animal feedings for a small additional fee. Within the grounds of the zoo there is also a unique gift shop and small concessions stand. Since 2000, the cosley zoo has maintained accreditation by the association of zoos & aquariums (aza), and as such adheres to the worlds strictest standards of animal welfare and conservation advocacy within every aspect of its operating plan. The zoo is also beloved by the community for its strong and inclusive educational programs, with education being a primary operational focus.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 90% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 71
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 25
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 82%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.8%; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -63.1%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.6; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.45; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.4%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 20.1% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 11.3% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.9% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 82% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 12 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $1.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $275K · 12 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $117K reported
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2013 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 19/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 57/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 13/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 55/100.