FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Connecting Kids and Animals, Strengthening Families, Inspiring People to Care

aka Fort Wayne Children's Zoo | Fort Wayne, IN | www.kidszoo.org

GuideStar Charity Check

EIN: 35-6068234

Contributions tax deductible
as of September 2023

IRS BMF 509(a)(1)
as of September 18, 2023

View summary

Charity Check report

Mission

Connecting kids with animals, strengthening families, and inspiring people to care about the world around them – this is the mission of the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo and something that zoo staff members are proud to pursue every day. For over 50 years, the zoo has carried out this mission by providing innovative and engaging exhibits, fun animal encounters, and space for quality family interaction. We also present engaging educational programs to audiences both inside and outside the zoo campus. We strive to be the best children's zoo in the nation and serve our local community to the best of our ability, as we endeavor to provide an exemplary experience for each zoo guest.

Ruling year info

1967

Zoo Director

Rick Schuiteman

Main address

3411 Sherman Blvd

Fort Wayne, IN 46808 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

35-6068234

Subject area info

Zoos

Population served info

Children and youth

Families

Students

NTEE code info

Zoo, Zoological Society (D50)

IRS subsection

501(c)(3) Public Charity

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Tax forms

Show Forms 990

Communication

Blog

Programs and results

Reports and documents

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

We are working to connect kids and animals, strengthen families, and inspire people to care each and every day. We believe that by connecting kids and animals, and exposing them to the natural world, this will not only enhance their childhood development - but that these children will become better stewards of nature as they age.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Zoomobile

Brings science lessons to life with a visit from the zoo! Interactive, hands-on programs that engage students and include friendly zoo animals.

Population(s) Served

Children and youth

Zoo Scientific Inquiry Program

Intensive 9-week program, students build terrariums, care for live animals, and learn to gather and interpret data using the scientific method. This program is for 4th graders.

Population(s) Served

Children and youth

Z-Team Volunteer & Leadership Program

Students age 13-17 develop lifelong professional skills through our structured summer program.

Population(s) Served

Adolescents

Students

Community Ticket Grants Program

Our Zoo for All: Community Ticket Grants program provides tickets to children and families who experience barriers to visitation. The Zoo collaborates with over 100 area nonprofit organizations, who apply for these free tickets to enhance their programming, provide services to underserved populations, and more. On average, approximately $200,000 worth of free tickets are distributed through this program to the community each year.

Population(s) Served

Adolescents

Students

Where we work

External reviews

Photos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Evaluation documents

Total number of acres of area indirectly controlled under cultivation

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Adults

Related Program

Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

We have a 50 acre campus, 40 of which is developed.

Number of animals with freedom from hunger and thirst

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

We care for approximately 1,200 each year, providing them with the highest level of quality care and animal welfare.

Total number of organization members

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Total number of member households, including single adults, two adult, single parent, family, and grandparent member households.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Reports and documents

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

Our goal is to connect kids with animals, strengthen families and inspire people to care.

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

We accomplish our mission through providing innovative and engaging exhibits, animal encounters, as well as space for both quality family interaction and opportunities for young learners to explore the natural world. Additionally, we provide exciting educational programs which take place both inside and outside of zoo grounds. Our vision is to be the best children's zoo in the nation and our values are
rooted in providing the best experience possible for each guest who visits.

What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?

We carry out our work through our 40+ acre world-class zoological facility, along with a robust set of mobile programs capable of providing nature-based programming to schools, homes, care-facilities, and other community venues.

What have they accomplished so far and what's next?

Since 1965, the Zoo has served more than 21,000,000 children and families. Success can be measured in a number of ways. From the child who was inspired to learn more about a clouded leopard, to the family who has decided to recycle more or reduce water waste after engaging with educational activities promoting those ideals.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.

We shared information about our current feedback practices.

How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To plan future exhibit projects
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We use anonymous surveys whenever possible
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback

Financials

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Fiscal year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

Financial documents

Yes, financials were audited by an independent accountant.

Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

NET GAIN/LOSS: in

Note: When component data are not available, the graph displays the total Revenue and/or Expense values.

Liquidity in 2021

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

17.59

Average of 11.48 over 10 years

Months of cash in 2021

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

10

Average of 6.5 over 10 years

Fringe rate in 2021

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

19%

Average of 20% over 10 years

Funding sources

Source: IRS Form 990

Assets & liabilities

Source: IRS Form 990

Financial data

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Digitizing IRS form 990 data

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Revenue & expenses

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Revenue
Contributions	$3,216,160
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$2,988,582
Investments	($4,348)
Special Events	$51,699
Sales	$290,642
Other	$86,988
Total Revenue	$6,629,723

Expenses
Program Services	$6,445,254
Administration	$867,115
Fundraising	$135,442
Total Expenses	$7,447,811
Net Gain/Loss	($818,088)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$33,576
Advertising & Promotion	$164,174
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$92,761
Interest Expenses	$21,651
Investment Management Fees	$13,403
Legal Fees	$7,193
Pension Plan Contributions	$32,049
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$2,794,680
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$4,283,520
Investments	$230,652
Special Events	$41,478
Sales	($16,437)
Other	$11,909
Total Revenue	$7,345,802

Expenses
Program Services	$4,872,626
Administration	$944,344
Fundraising	$174,611
Total Expenses	$5,991,581
Net Gain/Loss	$1,354,221

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$38,050
Advertising & Promotion	$179,476
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$89,827
Interest Expenses	$18,684
Investment Management Fees	$19,090
Legal Fees	$1,194
Pension Plan Contributions	$34,550
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$4,095,573
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$3,748,023
Investments	$321,803
Special Events	$28,917
Sales	$0
Other	$28,816
Total Revenue	$8,223,132

Expenses
Program Services	$5,104,995
Administration	$1,013,400
Fundraising	$157,284
Total Expenses	$6,275,679
Net Gain/Loss	$1,947,453

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$34,310
Advertising & Promotion	$161,297
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$90,744
Interest Expenses	$15,704
Investment Management Fees	$28,974
Legal Fees	$11,625
Pension Plan Contributions	$35,602
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$4,162,167
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$3,552,655
Investments	$316,172
Special Events	$34,149
Sales	$0
Other	$31,364
Total Revenue	$8,096,507

Expenses
Program Services	$5,888,358
Administration	$917,205
Fundraising	$216,666
Total Expenses	$7,022,229
Net Gain/Loss	$1,074,278

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$37,705
Advertising & Promotion	$143,712
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$86,139
Interest Expenses	$13,357
Investment Management Fees	$39,258
Legal Fees	$7,531
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$5,363,226
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$3,723,209
Investments	$386,667
Special Events	$25,055
Sales	$0
Other	$35,355
Total Revenue	$9,533,512

Expenses
Program Services	$5,435,826
Administration	$777,366
Fundraising	$235,477
Total Expenses	$6,448,669
Net Gain/Loss	$3,084,843

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$17,450
Advertising & Promotion	$162,442
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$62,091
Interest Expenses	$9,409
Investment Management Fees	$48,428
Legal Fees	$12,604
Pension Plan Contributions	$0
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$5,062,105
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$4,118,785
Investments	$600,672
Special Events	($77,861)
Sales	$0
Other	$34,943
Total Revenue	$9,738,644

Expenses
Program Services	$5,849,806
Administration	$865,905
Fundraising	$268,095
Total Expenses	$6,983,806
Net Gain/Loss	$2,754,838

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$24,410
Advertising & Promotion	$159,856
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$65,944
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$60,371
Legal Fees	$7,248
Pension Plan Contributions	$42,339
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$6,213,555
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$4,403,056
Investments	$701,434
Special Events	$1,933
Sales	$0
Other	$24,745
Total Revenue	$11,344,723

Expenses
Program Services	$8,013,903
Administration	$947,819
Fundraising	$290,261
Total Expenses	$9,251,983
Net Gain/Loss	$2,092,740

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$27,950
Advertising & Promotion	$139,456
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$67,623
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$73,599
Legal Fees	$11,002
Pension Plan Contributions	$111,688
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$4,926,594
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$4,921,964
Investments	$890,887
Special Events	($79,439)
Sales	$0
Other	$33,901
Total Revenue	$10,693,907

Expenses
Program Services	$8,862,393
Administration	$1,005,602
Fundraising	$334,434
Total Expenses	$10,202,429
Net Gain/Loss	$491,478

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$23,053
Advertising & Promotion	$213,500
Information Technology Expenses	$44,197
Insurance Expenses	$68,733
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$81,056
Legal Fees	$9,002
Pension Plan Contributions	$79,857
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$6,429,899
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$5,045,659
Investments	$574,225
Special Events	($63,645)
Sales	$0
Other	$51,542
Total Revenue	$12,037,680

Expenses
Program Services	$8,810,797
Administration	$972,517
Fundraising	$363,511
Total Expenses	$10,146,825
Net Gain/Loss	$1,890,855

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$20,683
Advertising & Promotion	$164,659
Information Technology Expenses	$36,980
Insurance Expenses	$74,867
Interest Expenses	$26
Investment Management Fees	$89,770
Legal Fees	$12,342
Pension Plan Contributions	$76,840
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$7,521,174
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$5,643,607
Investments	$717,367
Special Events	($68,956)
Sales	$0
Other	$35,617
Total Revenue	$13,848,809

Expenses
Program Services	$9,051,837
Administration	$1,258,344
Fundraising	$370,702
Total Expenses	$10,680,883
Net Gain/Loss	$3,167,926

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$33,834
Advertising & Promotion	$162,571
Information Technology Expenses	$0
Insurance Expenses	$76,757
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$102,582
Legal Fees	$16,067
Pension Plan Contributions	$169,388
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$3,250

Revenue
Contributions	$5,780,187
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$4,903,419
Investments	$1,117,854
Special Events	($53,703)
Sales	$0
Other	$66,983
Total Revenue	$11,814,740

Expenses
Program Services	$12,228,018
Administration	$1,233,976
Fundraising	$394,439
Total Expenses	$13,856,433
Net Gain/Loss	($2,041,693)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$33,004
Advertising & Promotion	$173,420
Information Technology Expenses	$140,022
Insurance Expenses	$85,658
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$120,165
Legal Fees	$19,501
Pension Plan Contributions	$76,433
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$3,609,208
Government Grants	$0
Program Services	$5,637,811
Investments	$1,277,601
Special Events	$163,214
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$10,687,834

Expenses
Program Services	$11,059,209
Administration	$1,414,029
Fundraising	$440,908
Total Expenses	$12,914,146
Net Gain/Loss	($2,226,312)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$48,153
Advertising & Promotion	$185,443
Information Technology Expenses	$149,475
Insurance Expenses	$96,911
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$115,476
Legal Fees	$8,367
Pension Plan Contributions	$140,280
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$3,420,208
Government Grants	$869,480
Program Services	$2,506,796
Investments	$1,502,262
Special Events	$310,803
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$8,609,549

Expenses
Program Services	$7,285,875
Administration	$1,448,872
Fundraising	$525,270
Total Expenses	$9,260,017
Net Gain/Loss	($650,468)

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$53,867
Advertising & Promotion	$82,616
Information Technology Expenses	$155,773
Insurance Expenses	$106,255
Interest Expenses	$4,651
Investment Management Fees	$120,397
Legal Fees	$11,916
Pension Plan Contributions	$171,197
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

Revenue
Contributions	$5,654,938
Government Grants	$3,860,703
Program Services	$9,114,793
Investments	$2,326,644
Special Events	$270,183
Sales	$0
Other	$0
Total Revenue	$21,227,261

Expenses
Program Services	$6,099,772
Administration	$4,015,096
Fundraising	$675,553
Total Expenses	$10,790,421
Net Gain/Loss	$10,436,840

Functional expenses
Accounting Fees	$75,514
Advertising & Promotion	$150,909
Information Technology Expenses	$175,392
Insurance Expenses	$109,414
Interest Expenses	$0
Investment Management Fees	$134,525
Legal Fees	$11,379
Pension Plan Contributions	$75,142
Professional Fundraising Expenses	$0

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Balance sheet

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Fiscal year ending: Download Data

Assets	Jan 01, 2008	Dec 31, 2008	Change
Contributions	$3,216,160
Cash & Equivalents	$2,481,708	$2,330,733	($150,975)
Accounts Receivable	$26,008	$29,583	$3,575
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$4,424,573	$2,658,976	($1,765,597)
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$174,875	$153,655	($21,220)
Investment, Securities	$2,067,152	$2,019,096	($48,056)
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$633,561	$649,346	$15,785
Other	$36,983	$33,861	($3,122)
Total Assets	$9,844,860	$7,875,250	($1,969,610)

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2008	Dec 31, 2008	Change
Accounts Payable	$563,325	$597,062	$33,737
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$128,481	$160,353	$31,872
Loans and Notes	$459,000	$426,360	($32,640)
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$2,900,000	$2,266,909	($633,091)
Total Liabilities	$4,050,806	$3,450,684	($600,122)

Fund balance	Jan 01, 2008	Dec 31, 2008	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	$3,324,981	$1,667,695	-$1,657,286
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	$183,782	$1,119,107	$935,325
Total Restricted Net Assets	$3,508,763	$2,786,802	($721,961)
Unrestricted Net Assets	$2,285,291	$1,637,764	($647,527)
Net Assets	$5,794,054	$4,424,566	($1,369,488)

Assets	Jan 01, 2009	Dec 31, 2009	Change
Contributions	$2,794,680
Cash & Equivalents	$2,330,733	$2,973,033	$642,300
Accounts Receivable	$29,583	$29,207	($376)
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$2,658,976	$1,614,266	($1,044,710)
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$153,655	$0	($153,655)
Investment, Securities	$2,019,096	$2,865,831	$846,735
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$649,346	$631,123	($18,223)
Other	$33,861	$41,197	$7,336
Total Assets	$7,875,250	$8,154,657	$279,407

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2009	Dec 31, 2009	Change
Accounts Payable	$597,062	$375,882	($221,180)
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$160,353	$202,065	$41,712
Loans and Notes	$426,360	$392,414	($33,946)
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$2,266,909	$1,000,000	($1,266,909)
Total Liabilities	$3,450,684	$1,970,361	($1,480,323)

Fund balance	Jan 01, 2009	Dec 31, 2009	Change
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets	$1,667,695	$1,584,386	-$83,309
Permanently Restricted Net Assets	$1,119,107	$1,580,981	$461,874
Total Restricted Net Assets	$2,786,802	$3,165,367	$378,565
Unrestricted Net Assets	$1,637,764	$3,018,929	$1,381,165
Net Assets	$4,424,566	$6,184,296	$1,759,730

Assets	Jan 01, 2010	Dec 31, 2010	Change
Contributions	$4,095,573
Cash & Equivalents	$2,973,033	$3,490,062	$517,029
Accounts Receivable	$29,207	$15,151	($14,056)
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$1,614,266	$871,212	($743,054)
Receivable, Other	$0	$0	$0
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investment, Securities	$2,865,831	$4,442,184	$1,576,353
Investment, Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets (LBE - Depreciation)	$631,123	$1,332,238	$701,115
Other	$41,197	$42,398	$1,201
Total Assets	$8,154,657	$10,193,245	$2,038,588

Liabilities	Jan 01, 2010	Dec 31, 2010	Change
Accounts Payable	$375,882	$580,852	$204,970
Grants Payable	$0	$0	$0
Deferred Revenue	$202,065	$196,692	($5,373)
Loans and Notes	$392,414	$357,111	($35,303)
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$1,000,000	$598,707	($401,293)
Total Liabilities	$1,970,361	$1,733,362	($236,999)

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Financial trends analysis Glossary & formula definitions

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

This snapshot of FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.

Created in partnership with

Fiscal year: Jan 01 - Dec 31 View full report Download data

Business model indicators

Profitability	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation	$772,105	-$1,040,229	$851,759	-$235,740	$10,108,768
As % of expenses	7.4%	-7.6%	6.7%	-2.6%	95.8%
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation	$572,164	-$1,230,151	$615,850	-$475,135	$9,865,284
As % of expenses	5.4%	-8.9%	4.8%	-5.1%	91.4%

Revenue composition
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted)	$13,848,809	$11,814,740	$10,687,834	$8,609,549	$21,227,261
Total revenue, % change over prior year	15.0%	-14.7%	-9.5%	-19.4%	146.6%
Program services revenue	40.8%	41.5%	52.7%	29.1%	42.9%
Membership dues	14.8%	16.9%	20.5%	18.0%	0.0%
Investment income	2.9%	4.5%	5.0%	6.0%	2.3%
Government grants	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	10.1%	18.2%
All other grants and contributions	39.1%	31.6%	14.8%	25.4%	27.9%
Other revenue	2.5%	5.5%	7.0%	11.4%	8.7%

Expense composition
Total expenses before depreciation	$10,480,942	$13,666,511	$12,678,237	$9,020,622	$10,546,937
Total expenses, % change over prior year	4.7%	30.4%	-7.2%	-28.8%	16.9%
Personnel	46.0%	35.1%	40.4%	56.7%	51.4%
Professional fees	3.5%	3.2%	2.2%	2.9%	3.4%
Occupancy	6.4%	5.7%	6.9%	9.3%	8.3%
Interest	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%	0.0%
Pass-through	2.2%	1.8%	2.2%	0.6%	3.5%
All other expenses	41.8%	54.2%	48.3%	30.5%	33.5%

Full cost components (estimated)	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Total expenses (after depreciation)	$10,680,883	$13,856,433	$12,914,146	$9,260,017	$10,790,421
One month of savings	$873,412	$1,138,876	$1,056,520	$751,719	$878,911
Debt principal payment	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Fixed asset additions	$284,015	$1,165,917	$492,412	$0	$0
Total full costs (estimated)	$11,838,310	$16,161,226	$14,463,078	$10,011,736	$11,669,332

Capital structure indicators

Liquidity	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Months of cash	7.8	3.3	1.0	1.9	10.0
Months of cash and investments	28.2	19.1	20.3	28.7	38.6
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets	8.1	4.3	4.9	6.5	16.9

Balance sheet composition	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Cash	$6,822,802	$3,753,507	$1,062,722	$1,411,673	$8,762,150
Investments	$17,844,602	$17,958,338	$20,349,951	$20,137,167	$25,123,900
Receivables	$1,532,375	$1,424,628	$905,704	$432,201	$496,793
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE)	$3,787,877	$4,951,580	$5,429,916	$5,554,649	$5,689,042
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE)	25.9%	23.6%	25.6%	29.4%	32.9%
Liabilities (as a % of assets)	6.5%	10.8%	8.6%	8.0%	5.0%
Unrestricted net assets	$9,880,842	$8,650,691	$9,266,541	$8,791,406	$18,656,690
Temporarily restricted net assets	$17,190,345	$15,142,655	N/A	N/A	N/A
Permanently restricted net assets	$309,699	$322,048	N/A	N/A	N/A
Total restricted net assets	$17,500,044	$15,464,703	$14,871,328	$15,093,164	$18,018,667
Total net assets	$27,380,886	$24,115,394	$24,137,869	$23,884,570	$36,675,357

Key data checks

Key data checks	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Material data errors	No	No	No	No	No

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

Documents

Letter of Determination

Form 1023/1024 is not available for this organization

Zoo Director

Rick Schuiteman

LinkedIn profile

Rick Schuiteman joined the Zoo in September 2020, after the retirement of long-time executive director, Jim Anderson. Rick brought more than 30 years of experience to the Zoo from other zoological parks and attractions. He is focused on our mission of connecting kids and animals, strengthening families, and inspiring people to care. He does this by focusing creating incredible experiences for guests to enjoy, supporting the best animal care possible, as well as saving wildlife and wild places.

Number of employees

Source: IRS Form 990

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Officers, directors, trustees, and key employees

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Compensation

Other

Show data for fiscal year

Compensation data

Download up to 5 most recent years of officer and director compensation data for this organization

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Highest paid employees

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Compensation

Other

Show data for fiscal year

Compensation data

Download up to 5 most recent years of highest paid employee data for this organization

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Board of directors
as of 08/31/2023

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Board of directors data

Download the most recent year of board of directors data for this organization

Board chair

Mr. Chris Gomez

Randy Brown

Retired

Chuck Surack

Surack Enterprises

Kathleen Anderson

Barnes & Thornburg

Chris Gomez

Community Volunteer

Mark Hagerman

Hagerman Group

Dave McComb

DO McComb & Sons

Kristin Marcuccilli

STAR Financial Bank

Ron Turpin

Ambassador Enterprises

Dominic Freiburger

Steel Dynamics

Sarah Earls

Ruoff Mortgage

Brian Emerick

Micropulse, Inc

Tom Ackmann

SYM Financial

Tom Ellis

The Ellis Company

Heather Schimmele

Community Volunteer

Whitney Bandemer

WB Consulting

Ron Howard

Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Bill Khorshid

Khorporate Holdings

Nancy Louraine

Retired

Rachel Steinhofer

Barrett McNagny

Don Cates

3Rivers FCU

Katie Davis

Indiana Michigan Power / AEP

Kyle Krish

New Haven Pet Hospital

Paris McFarthing

Hop River Brewing Co

Gary Shearer

PHP

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

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 ? Yes
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? Yes
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? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 6/12/2023

Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

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

White/Caucasian/European

Gender identity

Male, Not transgender (cisgender)

Sexual orientation

Heterosexual or straight

Disability status

Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 06/09/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data

We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

Policies and processes

We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

Contractors

Fiscal year ending

There are no fundraisers recorded for this organization.

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Connecting Kids and Animals, Strengthening Families, Inspiring People to Care

Mission

Is this your nonprofit?

Programs and results

Reports and documents

What we aim to solve

Our programs

Zoomobile

Zoo Scientific Inquiry Program

Z-Team Volunteer & Leadership Program

Community Ticket Grants Program

Where we work

Our results

Evaluation documents

Total number of acres of area indirectly controlled under cultivation

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Number of animals with freedom from hunger and thirst

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Total number of organization members

Totals By Year

Population(s) Served

Related Program

Type of Metric

Direction of Success

Context Notes

Our Sustainable Development Goals

Goals & Strategy

Reports and documents

Charting impact

What is the organization aiming to accomplish?

What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?

What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?

What have they accomplished so far and what's next?

How we listen

Financials

Financial documents

Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown

Liquidity in 2021 info

17.59

Months of cash in 2021 info

10

Fringe rate in 2021 info

19%

Funding sources info

Assets & liabilities info

Financial data

Digitizing IRS form 990 data

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Business model indicators

Capital structure indicators

Key data checks

Operations

Documents

Zoo Director

Rick Schuiteman

Number of employees

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Compensation data

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Compensation data

FORT WAYNE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

Board of directors data

Mr. Chris Gomez

Board leadership practices

Board orientation and education

CEO oversight

Ethics and transparency

Liquidity in 2021

Months of cash in 2021

Fringe rate in 2021

Funding sources

Assets & liabilities