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· Public charity

Detroit Zoological Society

The mission of the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is to create meaningful connections between people, animals and the natural world so all can thrive.

$639k
Granted FY2024still arriving
16
Grants FY2024still arriving
12
States reached
$70k
Largest
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Animals$1.8MEnvironment$1.0M
02FY2024 · 16 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 16 grants below total $281,020, the rows itemized in this filing. The $638,508 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $357,488 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k1 grant · $8k
  • $10k–50k14 grants · $203k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $70k
$10,000
Median grant
12
States reached
$70M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Inc$70,000
Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc$40,000
Wildlife Conservation Network$25,000
OnePlanet Inc$20,000
American Forests$18,020
Re wild$10,000
Turtle Survival Alliance$10,000
Minnesota Zoo Foundation$10,000
Global Conservation Network$10,000
Ngogo Chimpanzee Project Inc$10,000
Polar Bears International Inc$10,000
Oklahoma City Zoological Trust dba Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden$10,000
Lincoln Park Zoological Society$10,000
Amphibian Survival Alliance$10,000
Red Panda Network$10,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–24) land where the poverty rate runs at 11%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 63% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%African Elephant Conservation Trust: $40k → 10%Minnesota Zoo Foundation: $15k → 6%Polar Oceans Research Group Inc: $50k → 10%Snow Leopard Trust: $15k → 9%Wildlife Conservation Network: $25k → 10%Turtle Survival Alliance: $15k → 11%Oklahoma City Zoological Trust dba Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden: $20k → 16%American Forests: $18k → 14%CONAPAC: $25k → 8%ReLeaf Michigan Inc: $17k → 14%Michigan Technological University: $21k → 14%St Louis Zoo Association: $18k → 21%Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Inc: $70k → 13%US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center: $20k → 10%The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois: $146k → 19%The Jane Goodall Institute: $35k → 6%OnePlanet Inc: $20k → 10%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $60k → 7%Polar Oceans Research Group Inc: $50k → 10%Wildlife Conservation Network: $20k → 10%CONAPAC: $25k → 8%Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Inc: $50k → 13%US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center: $20k → 10%The Jane Goodall Institute: $15k → 6%OnePlanet Inc: $15k → 10%Association of Zoos and Aquariums: $80k → 8%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $50k → 7%Polar Oceans Research Group Inc: $25k → 10%Wildlife Conservation Network: $20k → 10%CONAPAC: $20k → 8%Regents of the University of Michigan: $15k → 14%Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Inc: $20k → 13%University of Washington Foundation: $15k → 9%US Geological Survey - Alaska Science Center: $20k → 10%Association of Zoos and Aquariums: $80k → 8%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $40k → 7%Wildlife Conservation Network: $18k → 10%CONAPAC: $15k → 8%Regents of the University of Michigan: $15k → 14%Association of Zoos and Aquariums: $20k → 8%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $25k → 7%Wildlife Conservation Network: $15k → 10%Association of Zoos and Aquariums: $15k → 8%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $25k → 7%Wildlife Conservation Network: $15k → 10%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $25k → 7%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $20k → 7%Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center Inc: $20k → 7%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

AK
ME
WA
ID
MT
MN
IL
MI
NY
MA
OH
CT
RI
CA
CO
MO
VA
MD
AZ
SC
DC
OK
GA
TX
FL

Grants abroad, by region: $295k on the FY2024 return

Schedule F, as filed: 3 regions. The IRS asks for region and purpose, not the recipient, so no country or grantee can be named here.

South America$275k · 93% · 2 grants

Stated purpose: Education Support · Conservation Support

Sub-Saharan Africa$10k · 3% · 1 grant

Stated purpose: Conservation Support

Europe (including Iceland and Greenland)$10k · 3% · 1 grant

Stated purpose: Conservation Support

How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving. Grants abroad on Schedule F are filed by region, purpose and amount with no recipient name, so they are shown by region and cannot be placed on the country map or matched to a grantee.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

88%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$2.4M · 35 repeat orgs$343k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +83% since the first grant, against +33% for those funded once.

35 repeat relationships: 13 still active in FY2024, 22 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

35
19

Total granted

$2.4M
$315k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+83%
+33%

Still filing today

74%
68%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 90% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $28k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
AnimalsEnvironmentEducationInternationalOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • GR
    GORILLA REHABILITATION CONSERVATION EDUCATION (GRACE) CENTER INC
    8× · 2017–2024 · $265k · revenue +87%
  • REWILD
    8× · 2017–2024 · $232k · revenue +550%
  • AA
    AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS INC
    7× · 2017–2024 · $223k · revenue +83%

Funded once

  • TB
    THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    one grant, 2022 · $146k
  • WC
    Wildlife Conservation Societygraduated
    one grant, 2017 · $13k · revenue +59%
  • MT
    Michigan Tech Fund
    one grant, 2017 · $10k · revenue -37%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
World Wildlife Fund Inc

Wwf's mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on earth. (continued on schedule o)

Environment
2
Rainforest Trust

Rainforest trust saves endangered wildlife and protects our planet by creating rainforest reserves through partnerships, community engagement, and donor support.

International
3
International Primate Protection League

Protecting the world's remaining primates by monitoring and exposing illegal trade, supporting a worldwide network of overseas sanctuaries and ngo's, publicising the plight of abused primates, and operating a sanctuary for resued gibbons.

Animals
4
African Wildlife Foundation Inc

Awf's mission is to ensure wildlife and wild lands thrive in modern africa. we work to equip african governments, institutions, business, and communities with the tools, insights, and support they need to define, own, and realize a…

Animals
5
Global Wildlife Foundation

Funding innovative veterinary research and supporting organizations dedicated to preserving and protecting wildlife for future generations.

Animals
6
Conservation International Foundation

Ci works to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity.

Environment
7
Panthera Corporation

Panthera's mission is the conservation of the world's 40 wild cat species, many of which are endangered or threatened. panthera develops, implements and oversees wild cat conservation strategies on a global scale.

Animals
8
Zambia Carnivore Programme

To safeguard large carnivores, their prey, and habitat in zambia through applied research, conservation, and education.

Animals
9
Wildlife Sos

Protecting india's precious wildlife from poaching, habitat loss, and human exploitation since 1995.

Animals
10
Conservation Society of California

Through management of oakland zoo, the conservation society of california deepens connection with animals, saves wildlife, and inspires champions for the natural world.

Animals
11
Wildlife Protection Solutions

To protect endangered species.

Animals
12
Int'l Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources - Us

Iucn-us fund builds bridges between us donors and iucn by catalyzing, accelerating, funding and promoting iucn's work - conserving nature and natural resources in the united states and throughout the world.

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Wildlife Conservation Network Inc; the most unlike its peers is Michigan Tech Fund. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

41 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 41 of the 57 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
9
Early backer (in before they grew)
41/41
Grantees still filing
36/41
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

GORILLA REHABILITATION CONSERVATION EDUCATION (GRACE) CENTER INC: $265,000 · AnimalsGORILLA REHABILITATION CONSERVATION EDUCATION (GRACE) CE…REWILD: $231,791 · AnimalsREWILDAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS INC: $223,000 · AnimalsAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS I…THE TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE FOUNDATION: $85,000 · AnimalsTHE TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE FOUNDATIONAFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION TRUST: $80,000 · AnimalsAFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION TRUSTRED PANDA NETWORK: $70,000 · AnimalsMINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION: $65,000 · AnimalsJANE GOODALL INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE RESEARCH EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION: $60,000 · AnimalsGLOBAL CONSERVATION NETWORK: $50,000 · AnimalsTHE SAINT LOUIS ZOO ASSOCIATION: $47,500 · Animals+13 more: $218,500 · Animals+13 moreTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS: $145,624 · OtherTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSI…Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Inc: $140,000 · OtherDian Fossey Gorilla Fund Internationa…Wildlife Conservation Network: $97,500 · OtherWildlife Conservation NetworkCONAPAC: $85,000 · OtherCONAPACUS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: $66,000 · OtherUS GEOLOGICAL SURVEYMichigan Tech University: $61,446 · OtherMichigan Tech UniversityNATIONAL PARK SERVICE: $60,000 · OtherNATIONAL PARK SERVICEREGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: $50,000 · OtherREGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANASU Foundation for A New American University dba ASU Foundation: $40,000 · Other+12 more: $181,179 · Other+12 morePOLAR OCEANS RESEARCH GROUP: $145,000 · EnvironmentPOLAR OCEA…OnePlanet USA Inc: $35,000 · EnvironmentOnePlanet …The Ocean Foundation: $30,000 · EnvironmentThe Ocean …RELEAF MICHIGAN INC: $27,000 · EnvironmentRELEAF MIC…American Forests: $18,020 · EnvironmentAmerican F…Detroit Bird Alliance: $10,000 · EnvironmentAMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC: $40,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $40,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION: $35,000 · EducationYale University: $20,000 · EducationMichigan Tech Fund: $10,000 · EducationARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $10,000 · EducationGIRAFFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION USA: $70,000 · International
Animals$1,395,791Other$926,749Environment$265,020Education$155,000International$70,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetGORILLA REHABILITATION CONSERVATION EDUCATION (GRACE) CENTER INC: $265,000 over 8y, 10% of budgetREWILD: $231,791 over 8y, 0.3% of budgetAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS INC: $223,000 over 7y, 0.8% of budgetPOLAR OCEANS RESEARCH GROUP: $145,000 over 5y, 35% of budgetDian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Inc: $140,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetTHE TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE FOUNDATION: $85,000 over 8y, 0.9% of budgetAFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION TRUST: $80,000 over 5y, 8.5% of budgetRED PANDA NETWORK: $70,000 over 7y, 1.9% of budgetGIRAFFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION USA: $70,000 over 7y, 1.4% of budgetMINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION: $65,000 over 6y, 0.4% of budgetJANE GOODALL INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE RESEARCH EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION: $60,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetGLOBAL CONSERVATION NETWORK: $50,000 over 5y, 1.5% of budgetTHE SAINT LOUIS ZOO ASSOCIATION: $47,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC: $40,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $40,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION: $35,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetINTERNATIONAL SNOW LEOPARD TRUST: $35,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetOnePlanet USA Inc: $35,000 over 2y, 6.4% of budgetWILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK INC: $35,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetThe Ocean Foundation: $30,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL: $30,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetTHE PEREGRINE FUND INC: $30,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetPOLAR BEARS INTERNATIONAL: $30,000 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetRELEAF MICHIGAN INC: $27,000 over 2y, 7.5% of budgetMGVP INC Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project: $20,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetYale University: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetLINCOLN PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY: $20,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Forests: $18,020 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetWildlife Conservation Society: $12,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetWildlife Conservation Global Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetTHE SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION CENTER INC: $10,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetDetroit Bird Alliance: $10,000 over 1y, 4.2% of budgetSAVE THE GOLDEN LION TAMARIN: $10,000 over 1y, 4.5% of budgetTHE WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetNational Marine Mammal Foundation Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetSERENITY OAKS EQUINE SANCTUARY: $10,000 over 1y, 15% of budgetZOO CONSERVATION OUTREACH GROUP INC: $10,000 over 1y, 4.7% of budgetARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetDENVER ZOOLOGICAL FOUNDATION: $6,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds GORILLA REHABILITATION CONSERVATION EDUCATION (GRACE) CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds REWILD ↗
  • Who funds AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL PARKS AND AQUARIUMS INC ↗
  • Who funds POLAR OCEANS RESEARCH GROUP ↗
  • Who funds Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds AFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION TRUST ↗
  • Who funds RED PANDA NETWORK ↗
  • Who funds GIRAFFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION USA ↗
  • Who funds MINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE RESEARCH EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION ↗
  • Who funds GLOBAL CONSERVATION NETWORK ↗
  • Who funds THE SAINT LOUIS ZOO ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds AMERICANS FOR OXFORD INC ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds INTERNATIONAL SNOW LEOPARD TRUST ↗
  • Who funds OnePlanet USA Inc ↗
  • Who funds WILDLIFE CONSERVATION NETWORK INC ↗
  • Who funds The Ocean Foundation ↗
  • Who funds BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL ↗
  • Who funds THE PEREGRINE FUND INC ↗
  • Who funds POLAR BEARS INTERNATIONAL ↗
  • Who funds RELEAF MICHIGAN INC ↗
  • Who funds MGVP INC Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project ↗
  • Who funds Yale University ↗
  • Who funds LINCOLN PARK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY ↗
  • Who funds American Forests ↗
  • Who funds Wildlife Conservation Society ↗
  • Who funds Michigan Tech Fund ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Columbus Zoological Park AssociationOH22.1× affinity8 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Columbus Zoological Park Association · Zoological Society of San Diego · Dallas Zoo Management Inc · Commonwealth Zoological Corporation D/B/A Zoo New England · Houston Zoo Inc · Jacksonville Zoological Society Inc · Reid Park Zoological Society · Utah Zoological Society · East Coast Zoological Society of Florida Inc · Nashville Zoo Inc · Living Desert The · Arizona Center for Nature Conservation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Detroit Zoological Society funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Detroit Zoological Society. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 60%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 12%
  • Yale University: 12% of income from government
  • Giraffe Conservation Foundation Usa: 2% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
6get no government money at all
4report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 57 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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