LINCOLN PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year

1959

Legal Domicile

Principal Officer

MEGAN ROSS

Phone

3127422000

Tax Period

2024-04-01 to 2025-03-31

LINCOLN PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, founded in 1959, is a mid-sized nonprofit in the Animal-Related sector that reported $50.5M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue decreased 10% compared to the prior year. Expenses of $44.3M left a modest 12% surplus.

Mission

LINCOLN PARK ZOO IS DEDICATED TO CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE BY PROVIDING A FREE, FAMILY-ORIENTED WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE IN THE HEART OF CHICAGO AND BY ADVANCING THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF ANIMAL CARE, HORTICULTURE, EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1

Expenses: $11,614,177 Revenue: $0

BUILDING AND GROUNDS SITTING ON 49 ACRES ON THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE IN THE HEART OF CHICAGO, LINCOLN PARK ZOO IS THE ONLY PRIVATELY-MANAGED FREE ADMISSIONS ZOO IN THE NATION. CARING FOR MORE THAN 700 ANIMALS, MANY OF WHICH ARE ENDANGERED OR THREATENED, THAT RESIDE IN A VARIETY OF BUILDINGS DESIGNED TO HOUSE ANIMALS HABITATS, SOME OF WHICH ARE HISTORICALLY LANDMARKED. LINCOLN PARK ZOO IS ALSO AN ACCREDITED BOTANIC GARDEN BY BOTANIC GARDENS CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL AND AN ACCREDITED LEVEL III ARBORETUM.

Program 2

Expenses: $14,707,781 Revenue: $0

ANIMAL CARE AND CONSERVATION LINCOLN PARK ZOO IS HOME TO BOTH THE LARGEST ZOO-BASED CONSERVATION & SCIENCE DEPARTMENTS AND THE LARGEST ZOO-BASED ANIMAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY, WITH EXPERTS IN AREAS INCLUDING URBAN WILDLIFE; BEHAVIOR COGNITION, STATISTICAL POPULATION MODELING; VETERINARY SERVICES; AND THE CORRELATION BETWEEN HUMAN, ANIMAL AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH.

Program 3

Expenses: $6,170,243 Revenue: $0

VISITOR SERVICES LINCOLN PARK ZOO WELCOMES MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION VISITORS EVERY YEAR TO DISCOVER THER WONDERS OF WILDLIFE IN THE HEART OF CHICAGO. THE ZOO IS OPEN 365 DAYS PER YEAR AND IS DEDICATED...

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $25,583,104

Program Service Revenue $15,322,081

Investment Income $8,154,354

Other Revenue $1,460,434

TOTAL REVENUE $50,519,973

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $500,386

Salaries & Benefits $23,920,706

Fundraising Expenses $3,223,894

Program Expenses $38,488,845

Other Expenses $19,838,139

TOTAL EXPENSES $44,259,231

Year-over-Year Comparison

	2024	2023	Change
Revenue	$50,519,973	$56,439,039	-0.1%
Expenses	$44,259,231	$43,076,073	+0.0%
Net Income	$6,260,742	$13,362,966	-0.5%

Key Indicators

✓ Grants to Organizations ✗ Grants to Individuals ✓ Lobbying ✗ Political Activity ✓ Foreign Activities ✗ Donor Advised Fund ✓ Schedule B Required

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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Governance

Voting Members

Independent Members

Employees

546

Volunteers

406

Governance Policies

✓ Conflict of Interest Policy

✓ Whistleblower Policy

✓ Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

✗ Operated a School

✗ Operated a Hospital

✗ Provided First Class Travel

✗ Reported Conflict of Interest

✗ Reported Asset Diversion

✗ Excess Benefit Transaction

✗ Made Political Expenditures

✓ Engaged in Lobbying

✗ Operated Donor Advised Fund

✓ Maintained Art Collections

✗ Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers

$872,512

Total Directors

$539,651

Key Employees

Highest Compensated

reported

Name	Title	Hours/Week	Role	Reportable Comp	Other Comp	Total
MEGAN ROSS	PRESIDENT/CEO	40.00	Officer Director	$500,929	$38,722	$539,651
FRANCESCA M EDWARDSON	CHAIR	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
TRACEY E BENFORD	VICE CHAIR OF FINANCE	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
CHARLES A BARONE	SECRETARY	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
IAN RADOMSKI	VICE CHAIR	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
HIMANI ASHLEMAN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
BUCK BETTEN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DAVID P BOLGER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MICHAEL COLLINS	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
RONALD DENARD	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MISSY DOLSKI	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
BRIAN EGWELE	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
POLLY ELDRINGHOFF	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JOHN R ETTELSON	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
TAREK FADEL	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
RICHARD FEITLER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DENISE STEFAN GINASCOL	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
LUIS GUTIERREZ	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
EDWARD C HAFFNER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DAVID HEYMAN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
BARBARA A HIGGINS	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ROGER G HILL II	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JOHN M HOLMES	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
J THOMAS HURVIS	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
OSCAR JOHNSON	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MARCIA S KAMINSKY	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
KAREN STONE KAPLAN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ELIZABETH A KARLSON	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
BARBARA MALOTT KIZZIAH	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
NEIL KAWASHIMA	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
KANDACE LENTI	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
GREG LEOS	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
GAYLE LITTLETON	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JOHN MCLINDEN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ELISABETH C MEEKER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
RANDALL E MEHRBERG	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ELIZABETH A MIHAS	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JASON MILLER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
LEE T MOORE	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
C JOHN MOSTOFI	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DAVID L NICHOLS	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ADAM NORDIN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JOHN OXTOBY	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
BRENDA PALMS	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
GREGORY Y PEARLMAN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SCOT PEPPER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
RICHARD POULTON	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MAYARI PRITZKER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
KELLY POWERS BARIA	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SUSAN L REGENSTEIN	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MYRA REILLY	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JOHN H RODI	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SHANNON SCHUYLER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SUSAN SHERMAN DVM	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SHARON SZAFRANSKI	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
THOMAS F WALKER JR	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
K JAY WEAVER	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JARED WHITE	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SHARON ZACKFIA	TRUSTEE	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
BETSY ZIEGLER	TRUSTEE	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
CHRISTINE TIERNEY	TRUSTEE	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
LYNN JEKKALS	TRUSTEE	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
RON MALLICOAT	TRUSTEE	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SHARIF WALKER	TRUSTEE	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
TRACY BROWN	TRUSTEE	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
RENA SOLANO	CFO	40.00	Officer	$299,972	$32,889	$332,861
GINEVRA RANNEY	VP OF DEVELOPMENT	40.00	Highest	$273,468	$18,407	$291,875
BRENDAN DALEY	VP OF OPERATIONS	40.00	Highest	$176,860	$26,014	$202,874
MAUREEN LEAHY	VP OF ANIMAL CARE AND HORTICULTURE	40.00	Highest	$174,519	$22,661	$197,180
DANA MURPHY	VP OF LEARNING	40.00	Highest	$167,348	$11,111	$178,459
KATIE CRONIN	DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL WELFARE	40.00	Highest	$159,376	$16,879	$176,255
KEVIN BELL	PRESIDENT EMERITUS / LIFE TRUSTEE	0.00		$158,024	$0	$158,024

Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Net Income
2025	$50,519,973	$44,259,231	$253,968,470	$6,260,742
2024	$56,439,039	$43,076,073	$264,865,031	$13,362,966
2023	$48,421,031	$40,005,808	$225,884,838	$8,415,223
2022	$64,159,516	$40,075,721	$237,808,256	$24,083,795
2021	$29,163,519	$50,341,084	$213,615,035	$-21,177,565
2020	$51,352,751	$37,391,439	$177,977,452	$13,961,312
2019	$42,262,357	$41,232,150	$178,139,439	$1,030,207
2018	$43,430,242	$35,441,197	$177,533,194	$7,989,045