Detroit Zoological Society

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
386027356
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Royal Oak, MI, USA
Phone
2485415717
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Zoo, Zoological Society

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$64,149,877
Expenses
$67,117,325
Assets
$70,446,976
Liabilities
$10,491,165

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

60 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Hayley Murphy (Executive Director/CEO)
  • William Conway (Executive Director)
  • Cynthia Ford (Executive Director)
  • Terry S Harvill (Executive Director)
  • Alan Kalter (Executive Director)
  • Alan Kaufman (Executive Director)

Highest reported compensation

  • Hayley Murphy (Executive Director/CEO): $584,762 total reported compensation
  • Robert Schumaker (Chief Financial Officer): $313,571 total reported compensation
  • Jane Alessandrini (VP of Development): $278,599 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

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. The DZS operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Center.

What it reported doing in 2024

GUEST ENGAGEMENT: The Detroit Zoological Society continues to inspire the community with engaging, meaningful and memorable experiences at both the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Center. Significant animal habitats/facilities at the Detroit Zoo include the Arctic Ring of Life habitat for polar bears and sea otters, the Devereaux Tiger Forest, the Great Apes of Harambee, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, the Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness, the Australian Outback Adventure, and the National Amphibian Conservation Center. The Detroit Zoo welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors in 2024. In addition to animal experiences, other attractions at the Zoo include the 4-D Theater, Giraffe Encounter, Tauber Family Railroad, Science On a Sphere, and the Carousel. Visitors can also participate in Zoo-sponsored events including Greenfest, Sunset at the Zoo, Run Wild, Zoo Boo and Wild Lights. Attendance has remained consistent over the past 3 years, and the DZS continued to provide a safe and secure experience to all guests. At the Belle Isle Nature Center, visitors are able to get an insider's view of an active beehive and get an up-close view of Michigan wildlife, including native reptiles and amphibians. Admission and programming at the Belle Isle Nature Center are free of charge.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 99% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • 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. Expenses are high relative to revenue and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 73
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 30
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 91.1%; rating input score 91
  • Program expense ratio: 84.8%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $17.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 88.2%; rating input score 88; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Limited
    • Conducts field audits: Limited
    • May suspend future funding: Limited
    • Requires financial reports: Limited
    • Conducts site visits: Limited
    • Requires grant agreements: Limited
    • May require repayment: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 90.7%; rating input score 91; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -4.6%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.05; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.2%; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.9% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 91.1% of revenue deployed · 84.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 47 of 47 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $56.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $585K · 60 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $13.5M reported
  • Consistency: 46 of 49 current checks pass · 3 findings to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 27 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 16 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 13/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 55/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 41/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 23/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.