Cleveland Zoological Society
Connecting people with wildlife
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Education
The Zoo is committed to being the region’s foremost provider of lifelong learning opportunities. The Zoo operates 30 conservation education programs for students and visitors of all ages, with a special focus on underserved youth. In addition to supporting 100,000 students in our education programs and 850 teachers in professional development workshops annually, our Online Resource Library engages nearly 20,000 students and educators by providing key resources for both on- and off-site learning. The Zoo also has collaborated with Cleveland Metropolitan School District to embed inquiry-based science programs in all grades (pre-K through eighth grade) of five of their STEM schools and in every fifth grade classroom in the district.
We Care for Animals
The Zoo Society helps to support a broad range of important animal care needs, including veterinary care, healthy diet and exercise.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo routinely conducts research addressing contemporary challenges in animal care, wildlife health and population sustainability. The Zoo’s Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine is the hub for leadership development and research training. Its staff employs expert knowledge of endocrinology, epidemiology, veterinary medicine and behavioral sciences to ensure optimal care for the Zoo’s many species. In addition, the staff develops and supports cooperative breeding programs, facilitates animal research and management initiatives at the regional and global level, and administers the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP). The Zoo maintains educational and research partnerships with Case Western Reserve University, Cuyahoga Community College, Miami University and The Ohio State University to train graduate-level students in conservation education, research and veterinary science.
In 2013, the Zoo Society’s ZooFund supported a local foods initiative for the Zoo’s animals. Zoo food must be fresh, pesticide-free and available in large quantities. Most food items would be familiar to any restaurant, home or farm: high-quality fruits and vegetables and plenty of hay. And, like many of us, Zoo animals are shifting to healthier diets, with more fresh greens, lower starch and fewer processed foods.
We Care for the Planet
As one of the first Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) accredited institutions to establish a formal conservation program, the Zoo has been an industry leader in making a long-term investment in securing a future for wildlife. In partnership with the Zoo Society, the Zoo has contributed more than $6 million to global wildlife conservation efforts since 1995. The Zoo is committed to addressing the most important and emerging threats to wildlife today. Zoo staff and graduate students are actively engaged in wildlife conservation efforts in East Africa and Southeast Asia, helping to facilitate scientific research, evaluate education and awareness efforts, and train the next generation of biologists and conservationists. These partnerships focus on mitigating population loss and human-wildlife conflict for the following species: African carnivores, gorillas, giraffe, Asian turtles, Andean bears, and species impacted by illegal wildlife trafficking (including elephants, rhinos, tigers, lorises and many more).
The Zoo is committed to minimizing its environmental footprint, by implementing Zoo-wide green practices and promoting sustainability throughout Northeast Ohio. Focus areas include:
»» recycling operations,
»» community education,
»» renewable energy, and
»» ensuring that new and renovated facilities meet green building standards.
Recognizing that building in-country scientific and conservation capacity is of prime importance, the Zoo Society Board of Trustees created the Steve H. Taylor Award to further the professional development of scientists in partner countries. Other Zoo and Zoo Society supported international conservation projects focus on some of the Zoo’s on-grounds signature species such as lions, elephants, gorillas, turtles and amphibians. In 2013, the Zoo and Zoo Society awarded more than 60 grants to field conservation projects and programs in 40 countries around the world.
Where we work
External reviews
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Cleveland Zoological Society
Board of directorsas of 05/05/2023
Christine Myeroff
Thomas G Fistek
A. Malachi Mixon IV
Shelly M. Peet
Lisa M. Hunt
Thomas Leiden
Robert S. Reitman
Virginia Benjamin
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data