Minnesota Zoo Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
510147653
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Apple Valley, MN, USA
Phone
9524319237
Rating
71
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$14,486,591
Expenses
$10,344,349
Assets
$18,850,827
Liabilities
$1,065,600

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

Leadership & pay

23 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JAMIE FLAWS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • JOHN FRAWLEY (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • JAMIE FLAWS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $198,152 total reported compensation
  • JOHN FRAWLEY (PRESIDENT): $158,468 total reported compensation
  • JEFFREY SULZBACH (DIRECTOR OF MAJOR GIFTS): $132,053 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 Minnesota zoo foundation raises contributed income and supports conservation and animal care programs on behalf of the Minnesota zoo. The mission of the Minnesota zoo is to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife.

What it reported doing in 2024

Zoo capital projects: our support propels leading-edge ideas that redefine the role and impact of modern zoos, such as the creation of innovative nature experiences, best-in-class education programs, and industry-leading conservation efforts. We empower the Minnesota zoo to continuously raise the bar for excellence in animal care and operations by funding the most advanced equipment, best-in-class facilities and industry-leading staff development opportunities. The Minnesota zoo foundation's financial support of the treetop trail has expanded the zoo's role and impact in our communities. As visitors have explored the innovative, immersive, and accessible attraction, they've been able to connect with nature and nurture their personal well-being.the foundation's funding of the zoo's future new animal hospital will elevate the zoo's excellence in animal care by providing an industry-leading facility and high-tech equipment. The Minnesota zoo's wildlife hospital and wellness center will serve as an oasis of care and wellbeing for our animals and as a high-powered research center bringing together zoological veterinarians and scientists from around the country to learn and work together to change the future for wildlife here and around the globe.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 93% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 54
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 72
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 49.7%; rating input score 50
  • Program expense ratio: 66.5%; rating input score 67
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.9 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Pass
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 89.8%; rating input score 90; 20th 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; 66th 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: 28.6%; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.82; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.9%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 49.7% of revenue deployed · 66.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 18 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $6.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $198K · 23 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $772K reported
  • Consistency: 39 of 41 current checks pass · 2 findings to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 4 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 50/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 6 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 38/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 58/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 36/100.
  • 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.