2025 Annual Report
Providing critical funding and resources that support the Minnesota Zoo’s initiatives and expand its impact.
Saving Wildlife: Conservation
Saving Wildlife: Funding
Minnesota Zoo Foundation Financials
Statement of Revenue and Expenses for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2024.
Note: The Minnesota Zoo Foundation is in the final stages of the Step Into Nature Capital Campaign, and the beginning of an Animal Hospital Campaign, and as such both Revenue and Expenses are significantly impacted by the variability of a multi-year capital campaign.
Revenue
Individual $6,512,580
Corporations $1,031,103
Foundations $139,854
Groups, Schools, Government $203,345
Event, Net of Direct Benefit $757,269
Other Income $651,849
Total: $9,296,000
Net assets: Beginning of Year
Net assets: End of Year
Expenses
Grants to the Zoo* $4,855,968
Change in Net Assets: $314,822
Other Grants $207,883
Other Program Expenses $789,781
General Operations $3,690,244
Total: $9,443,876
$13,932,489
$13,617,667
*Includes In-Kind Contributions and Capital Grants
**Substantial grants were made to the Zoo in FY24 from funds raised in prior fiscal years, leading to a decrease in net assets. Additionally substantial new capital campaign pledges were received in FY24, for both the Step Into Nature Campaign and the Animal Hospital Campaign. The Foundation has accumulated net assets due to the recognition of multi-year pledges, and payments against those pledges are not reflected as new revenue. Net assets are generally used within two fiscal years that gifts or pledge payments are received, and are expended for grants, program expenses, and operations. The exception to this is for Zoo Capital Projects, where funds are raised and kept at the Foundation until the Zoo requests those funds.
Director’s Circle Monthly Donors
Brian and Laura Plantenberg
We started donating to the Zoo before our son was born because we realized places like the Minnesota Zoo are important for families in Minnesota as well as for animals around the world. It has been a tremendous source of education and enjoyment for our family. We love all that the Zoo has to offer including special events like Farm Babies and the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, educational opportunities like Zoo Camp, and everyday visits enjoying things like the awesome Treetop Trail.
Our donations help ensure a place for future guests to learn about animals while enjoying everything the Zoo has to offer. And we try to teach our son that it is up to us to help maintain and support important organizations such as the Minnesota Zoo.
Revenue
⬤ Individual $6,512,580
⬤ Corporations $1,031,103
⬤ Foundations $139,854
⬤ Groups, Schools and Governments $203,345
⬤ Event, Net of Direct Benefit $757,269
⬤ Other Income $651,849
TOTAL $9,296,000
Expenses
Net assets: Beginning of Year
Net assets: End of Year
Change in Net Assets: $314,822
$13,932,489
$13,617,667
⬤ Grants at the Zoo* $4,755,968
⬤ Other Grants $207,883
⬤ Other Program Expenses $789,781
⬤ General Operations $3,690,244
TOTAL $9,296,000
*Includes In-Kind Contributions and Capital Grants
**Substantial grants were made to the Zoo in FY24 from funds raised in prior fiscal years, leading to a decrease in net assets. Additionally substantial new capital campaign pledges were received in FY24, for both the Step Into Nature Campaign and the Animal Hospital Campaign. The Foundation has accumulated net assets due to the recognition of multi-year pledges, and payments against those pledges are not reflected as new revenue. Net assets are generally used within two fiscal years that gifts or pledge payments are received, and are expended for grants, program expenses, and operations. The exception to this is for Zoo Capital Projects, where funds are raised and kept at the Foundation until the Zoo requests those funds.
Revenue
TOTAL $9,296,000
Expenses
TOTAL $9,443,876
Net assets: Beginning of Year
Net assets: End of Year
Change in Net Assets: $314,822
$13,932,489
$13,617,667
*Includes In-Kind Contributions and Capital Grants
**Substantial grants were made to the Zoo in FY24 from funds raised in prior fiscal years, leading to a decrease in net assets. Additionally substantial new capital campaign pledges were received in FY24, for both the Step Into Nature Campaign and the Animal Hospital Campaign. The Foundation has accumulated net assets due to the recognition of multi-year pledges, and payments against those pledges are not reflected as new revenue. Net assets are generally used within two fiscal years that gifts or pledge payments are received, and are expended for grants, program expenses, and operations. The exception to this is for Zoo Capital Projects, where funds are raised and kept at the Foundation until the Zoo requests those funds.
Testing Area
Ensuring Excellence
Taking Animal Care to a New Level
The reality of caring for animals at a zoo is that unexpected animal health issues will inevitably arise. That’s why the Minnesota Zoo has expert Animal Health and Care Teams who are ready to leap into action, making informed decisions and providing excellent medical treatment.
Last year, Zookeepers noticed something was amiss with Yana, an Amur tiger cub. She was experiencing cloudiness in her left eye and her vision was affected. Acting quickly, the Zoo’s care team diagnosed Yana with acute bullous keratopathy – a condition so rare for big cats that it was the first documented case in a tiger. The Zoo’s medical team decided to perform a surgery on Yana’s eyelid, ultimately saving her eye and helping her regain her vision.
This is just one example of the expertise and excellence of the Zoo’s Animal Health and Care Teams. They are caring for and helping animals behind the scenes at the Minnesota Zoo each day, and while their impact can be overlooked, it is evident in the everyday wellbeing of our animals at the Zoo.
To keep up with the constant demand of animal healthcare, our Animal Health and Care Teams rely on donor contributions. In fact, the Minnesota Zoo Foundation is currently raising funds to build a new, state-of-the-art Animal Wildlife Hospital and Wellness Center to give the Team more modern resources to make a larger impact. We envision the facility to include:
An ambulance bay for safe animal transport
Nutritional laboratory for diet analysis and preparation
Intensive Care Unit for small and large animals housed at the Zoo
Animal surgical suite and aseptic holding facilities for large animal species
Conference and education programmatic space for visiting veterinarians
And much more
Supporting our Animal Health and Care Teams in keeping the Zoo’s animals safe and healthy is one of the many ways your donations make a difference. Visit our donations page to donate and make an impact that will be felt for years to come.
Circle of Life Society Donors
Jeff Walker and Carey Becker
Supporting a place and keeping a place alive is important. If there’s a place that feels important, it’s important to us that that place stays relevant for people to continue to enjoy it.
Any amount that you can leave will be useful. Everybody at the Zoo is always so excited and so appreciative of anything you can do.
Amplifying Impact
Feeding Northern Sea Otters
We brought in new donors during our Zoo Lovers Giving Day, asking the community to help provide nutritious, personalized diets to Zoo animals, like new orphaned sea otters, Nuka and Denali.
Corporate Partner
Flint Hills Resources
Phil Gaarder, Executive Vice President, Operations
Flint Hills Resources is proud to partner with the Minnesota Zoo Foundation to support innovative programs and initiatives that benefit our shared community. Through the ZOOMS STEM Design Challenge, educational field trips, and exploration on the Treetop Trail, we are fostering interactive ways for youth to engage in STEM activities and to envision themselves in STEM careers. For more than 30 years, we’ve partnered with the Minnesota Zoo with the goal of inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators — and we know that together, we make a difference.
Redefining the Role of Zoos
Breeding Endangered Tiger Cubs
Donors to the Minnesota Zoo Foundation support critical conservation work in the field and allow the Zoo to contribute to a healthy, genetically diverse population of tiger cubs in human care. Watch the process of bringing Amur tiger cubs, Amaliya and Andrei, into the world, and learn how donors are critical to the field work and breeding efforts that are saving this endangered species.
Minnesota Zoo Foundation Financials
Statement of Revenue and Expenses for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2024.
Note: The Minnesota Zoo Foundation is in the final stages of the Step Into Nature Capital Campaign, and the beginning of an Animal Hospital Campaign, and as such both Revenue and Expenses are significantly impacted by the variability of a multi-year capital campaign.
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2024 Donors
Review our donors from fiscal year 2024.
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Make a Gift
Make a gift to make a difference.
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Board of Directors
Review our board of directors.