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Nashville Zoo Inc

EIN 62-1411210 · Nashville, TN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

IN FULFILLMENT OF OUR MISSION TO INSPIRE A CULTURE OF UNDERSTANDING AND DISCOVERY OF OUR NATURAL WORLD THROUGH CONSERVATION, INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP, OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD A FIRST CLASS ZOO FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND TO DEVELOP A FACILITY THAT IS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN ANIMAL CARE AND GLOBAL CONSERVATION WITH STRONG COMMUNITY VALUE IN MIND. WE STRIVE TO BE THE BEST AT CREATING UNIQUE DESIGNS AND INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE AND HORTICULTURAL COMPONENTS TO ENHANCE EXHIBITS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ANIMALS, OUR VISITORS AND THE ZOOLOGICAL COMMUNITY.

Income
$70.0 million
Spending
$37.0 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
10.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
540
Volunteers
1,286
Highest pay
$853,982, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 47% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 95% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    33 of 33 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $30.6 million spent. NASHVILLE ZOO IS PROUD TO SHARE THAT, IN 2025, WE ONCE AGAIN MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN GLOBAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS, WHILE CONTINUING TO SERVE AS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR EDUCATION AND FAMILY FUN IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE INVESTED MORE THAN ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN CONSERVATION WORK AROUND THE GLOBE. OUR EXPERT KEEPERS WORKED WITH CONSERVATIONISTS ON THE GROUND, SUPPORTING CRITICAL EFFORTS WITH GIRAFFES IN BOTSWANA, PUERTO RICAN CRESTED TOADS IN PUERTO RICO, AND HELPED RAISE AND REHABILITATE CHEETAH CUBS IN SOMALILAND IN EAST AFRICA. ADDITIONALLY, OUR VETERINARY TEAM PARTNERED WITH TRISTAR SKYLINE MEDICAL CENTER ON A STUDY USING THROMBOELASTOGRAPHY (TEG) TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW GIANT ANTEATER BLOOD CLOTS AND ASSISTED WITH THE FIRST-EVER CROSS-SPECIES BLOOD TRANSFUSION FOR AUDUBON ZOO'S GIANT ANTEATER. NASHVILLE ZOO RELEASED 17 EASTERN HELLBENDERS BACK INTO THE WILD, WORKED TO PROTECT THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED NASHVILLE CRAYFISH, PARTICIPATED IN THE AZA SAFE NORTH AMERICA MONARCH BUTTERFLY PROGRAM, AND INSTALLED A POLLINATOR GARDEN AT LIBERTY ELEMENTARY. STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, FROM TODDLERS TO COLLEGE INTERNS, CONNECTED WITH THE NATURAL WORLD THROUGH OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. VISITORS TO THE ZOO EXPERIENCED UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC DEBUT OF AARDWOLVES AND MOON JELLYFISH. GUESTS ALSO WERE ABLE TO WATCH OUR CLOUDED LEOPARD CUB BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS NATIONALLY AND THROUGH OUR VETERINARY NURSERY WINDOWS; AND WELCOMED NEW BABIES LIKE CHIVE, THE RED RIVER HOG, BENI, THE SOUTHERN PUDU, AND TWO SERVAL KITTENS. SUPPORTERS WERE INTRODUCED TO OUR NEW HIGHLAND COW, HAMISH NATIONALLY ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA. NOTEWORTHY IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE TO THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WITH THE OPENING OF THE LONG-AWAITED LEOPARD FOREST. THIS WAS THE LARGEST OPENING THE ZOO HAS HAD AND WE SAW OVER 22,000 PEOPLE OPENING WEEKEND. NASHVILLE ZOO ALSO CELEBRATED 1.39MILLION IN ATTENDANCE AND 41,955 MEMBERSHIP HOUSEHOLDS.
  2. $1.1 million spent. NASHVILLE ZOO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN 50+ SPECIES SURVIVAL PLANS AND HAVE THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD TO HELP SAVE SPECIES VULNERABLE TO EXTINCTION. A MEMBER OF THE ZOO'S HOOFSTOCK TEAM TRAVELED TO AFRICA TWICE TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND WILD GIRAFFE POPULATIONS. SHE TEAMED UP WITH SAVE GIRAFFES NOW (SGN) TO HELP FACILITATE A TRANSLOCATION OF 20 GIRAFFE OUT OF MARLOTH PARK BECAUSE OF THE HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT IN THE AREA AND THE EXTREME BROWSING AND GRAZING PRESSURE THE WILDLIFE THERE IS FACING. THE ZOO SUCCESSFULLY SHIPPED A RECORD-BREAKING 6,681 PUERTO RICAN CRESTED TOAD TADPOLES TO PUERTO RICO TO BOOST THEIR POPULATION IN THE WILD. WE ALSO SENT A HERPETOLOGY KEEPER TO PUERTO RICO TO ASSIST WITH FIELDWORK AND GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE SUPPORTING THESE ENDANGERED AMPHIBIANS IN THE NATURAL HABITAT. SINCE STARTING OUR BREEDING EFFORTS IN 2012, WE'VE PRODUCED OVER 33,000 TADPOLES FOR RELEASE.
  3. EDUCATION: OVERALL NASHVILLE ZOO SERVED A TOTAL OF 807,256 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IN 2025.WE HAD 54,458 STUDENTS VISIT THE ZOO THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, COMING FROM 38 DIFFERENT COUNTIES.ATTENDANCE FOR TRADITIONAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDES:*HOMESCHOOL DAYS SERVED 1,125 STUDENTS IN 2025 BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5-14*ZOOTOTS SERVED 2,668 STUDENTS IN AGES 0-4*SCOUT WORKSHOPS SERVED 529 STUDENTS IN 2025*ZOOVENTURES OUTREACH VIRTUAL PROGRAMS SERVED 5,031 STUDENTS*SUMMER CAMPS SERVED 1,431 STUDENTS IN 2025IN ADDITION TO TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM-BASED PROGRAMMING, OUR INTERPRETIVE STAFF SERVED A TOTAL OF 415,502 GUESTS THROUGH INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMMING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1990.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.