Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

EIN 95-1648219 · San Diego, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE IS COMMITTED TO SAVING SPECIES WORLDWIDE BY UNITING OUR EXPERTISE IN WILDLIFE CARE AND CONSERVATION SCIENCE WITH OUR DEDICATION TO INSPIRING PASSION FOR NATURE.

Income
$437.6 million
Spending
$391.4 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
6.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 69%
Employees
4,211
Volunteers
2,019
Highest pay
$2.1 million, president/ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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, 2024, 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 (1)
  1. $332.5 million spent. SDZWA CATEGORIZES ALL ACTIVITIES INTO ONE PROGRAM: WILDLIFE CARE AND CONSERVATION. SDZWA IS AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION WITH TWO FRONT DOORS: THE SAN DIEGO ZOO AND THE SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK. SDZWA IS COMMITTED TO SAVING SPECIES WORLDWIDE BY UNITING OUR EXPERTISE IN WILDLIFE CARE AND CONSERVATION SCIENCE WITH OUR DEDICATION TO INSPIRING PASSION FOR NATURE. CONSERVATION IS AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING SDZWA PURSUES AND IT STARTS WITH CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH WILDLIFE THROUGH OUR ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, INSPIRING AND EDUCATING OUR GUESTS EVERYDAY. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OWILDLIFE CONSERVATION PARKS:THE SAN DIEGO ZOO AND SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK SERVE AS VITAL HUBS FOR CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION, WELCOMING MILLIONS OF VISITORS ANNUALLY. THE ZOO CARES FOR OVER 12,000 ANIMALS FROM 680 SPECIES, WHILE THE SAFARI PARK HOUSES MORE THAN 3,100 ANIMALS FROM 340 SPECIES. BOTH PARKS PROVIDE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, FOSTERING A DEEPER CONNECTION TO WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION.GLOBAL CONSERVATION INITIATIVES:THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES EIGHT CONSERVATION HUBS WORLDWIDE, ADDRESSING BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE THE REINTRODUCTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES LIKE THE MOUNTAIN YELLOW-LEGGED FROGS AND PACIFIC POCKET MICE, AS WELL AS GROUNDBREAKING WORK IN CRYOPRESERVATION THROUGH THE FROZEN ZOO, WHICH ADDED 199 SPECIES BRINGING THE ORGANIZATION TO A TOTAL OF 11,420 SPECIES IN 2024. THE RETURN OF GIANT PANDAS XIN BAO AND YUN CHUAN IN 2024 MARKED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION COLLABORATION, WITH PANDA RIDGE OPENING TO PROVIDE STATE-OF-THE-ART HABITATS FOR THIS FIRST NEW GIANT PANDA PAIR TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES IN TWO DECADES.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION:NEARLY 315,000 STUDENTS VISITED THE ZOO AND SAFARI PARK, WITH OVER 33,000 PARTICIPATING IN GUIDED LEARNING PROGRAMS. THE ORGANIZATION EMPHASIZES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN CONSERVATION, SUPPORTING LOCAL STEWARDSHIP IN REGIONS LIKE PALAU AND AFRICA'S SAVANNAS. ADDITIONALLY, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS THERMAL DRONES, ARE USED TO MONITOR SPECIES LIKE KOALAS AND TIGERS, ENHANCING CONSERVATION EFFORTS GLOBALLY.FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR CONSERVATION:AS A LARGE COMPLEX NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, THE SAN DIEGO ZOO WILDLIFE ALLIANCE REPORTED $445 MILLION IN REVENUE IN 2024, WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ADMISSIONS AND GIFTS. THE ORGANIZATION REINVESTS REVENUE ABOVE EXPENSES INTO CONSERVATION PRIORITIES AND OPERATIONAL NEEDS, ENSURING SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FOR ITS EXTENSIVE GLOBAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 October 13, 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 2024.

    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 April 1942.

    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 October 21, 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.