Norristown Zoological Society

What it reported doing in 2025

Purposes, educating the public about wildlife, preservation of endangered species & conservation. As an educational institution, the zoo hosts many public events to inform and entertain its guests. Such events include annual breakfast with the animals, brunches with anta, party for the planet, zoosnooze overnight campouts, boo at the zoo weekends, and many more. Each summer, the zoo hosts beast of a feast, its largest annual fundraiser with dozens of local vendors that showcase the best food drom montgomery county. Per its designation as a certifed autism center, the zoo hostsmonthly early access mornings to cater to guests with special needs and their caretakers. The zoo offers interships and volunteer opportunities in each of its departments. Guests outside the zoo can enjoy educational programs like zoo-on-wheels, in which educators on staff travel with animals to schools, camps, community events, senior centers, and malls to promote the mission of the zoo. Children ages 6-11 can enjoy the zoo's day camps, held each spring and summer. In addition to the special events held thoughout the year, the zoo hosts regular events each month to cater to its members, and the community at large. There are two member mornings held each month giving zoo members the opportunity to enter the zoo before it opens to the public. There are also regularly scheduled norristown free days, providing free zoo admission on those days to residents of the norristown borough. The zoo frequently partners with local businesses and organizations to help educate the community about its mission.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 69.7%; rating input score 70
• Program expense ratio: 88.9%; rating input score 89
• Fundraising efficiency: $18.14 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • 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: 23.4%; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.5; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.27; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.9%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 12.5% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.9% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 17.3% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings