Virginia Zoological Society
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 510253147
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2010–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
- Location
- Norfolk, VA, USA
- Phone
- 7574412374
- Rating
- 89
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Zoo, Zoological Society
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $5,335,550
- Expenses
- $4,299,790
- Assets
- $23,004,369
- Liabilities
- $1,619,526
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
25 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- NICOLE CARRY (PRESIDENT)
People named in this filing
- NICOLE CARRY (PRESIDENT)
- AMEET HABIB (VICE PRESIDE)
- RICHARD BOYKIN (TREASURER)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
The Virginia zoological society inc (the "society") exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code. Organized on september 21, 1979, its purpose is to act as an advisory and supportive organization to advance the development of the Virginia zoological park (the "zoo") in norfolk, Virginia. The zoo is owned by the city of norfolk (the "city"). The objective of the society is to foster public awareness and appreciation of the zoo and to promote the conservation of the world's flora and fauna. The society provides essential program services for the zoo, as follows: zoo improvements and exhibits: significant assistance for zoo expansion, building renovations and other volunteer efforts into providing services for the zoo. Educational services: encourages an understanding of conservation to a wide variety of individuals by funding and operating all zoo education programs (including programs for the handicapped and community outreach programs); training a
What it reported doing in 2024
Animal care for animals used in our educational programs. These programs include up close and personal behind the scenes tours of animal habitats and stage presentations featuring live animals which include messaging about conservation locally and around the world. Our education department provides informal and formal educational programs on grounds for visitors, as well as at schools, libraries and the community. Public and private events, birthday parties and programs are held on grounds throughout the year and often include live animal programming. These programs and other revenue generating activities on grounds make it possible for us to support and partner with other organizations to support their conservation work in the field.
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 100% 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.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 81
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 79
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 83.4%; rating input score 83
- Program expense ratio: 87.1%; rating input score 87
- Fundraising efficiency: $15.96 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 19.4%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.35; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 15.9% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 83.4% of revenue deployed · 87.1% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 25 of 25 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $3.7M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 25 people listed
- Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- 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: Fundraising efficiency scored 53/100.