POTAWATOMI ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

POTAWATOMI ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

EIN 35-1183974 · Animal-Related (D500)

What they do

POTAWATOMI ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, INC. (THE SOCIETY) is AN INDIANA NONPROFIT CORPORATION WHOSE PRIMARY MISSION is to ASSIST and ADVISE THE CITY of SOUTH BEND, INDIANA (THE CITY) BY ACTING AS REPRESENTATIVES of THE COMMUNITY, and to PROVIDE FUNDING WITH FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY for THE SOUTH BEND POTAWATOMI PARK ZOO (THE ZOO) IN AREAS THAT PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, CONSERVATION and IMPROVED ANIMAL QUALITY of LIFE. THE ZOO is RECOGNIZED AS A VITAL CULTURAL and RECREATIONAL COMMUNITY ASSET and WISH to ENHANCE THE ZOOS CONTRIBUTIONS to THE COMMUNITY IN THE AREAS of RECREATION, EDUCATION and CONSERVATION. THE SOCIETY is COMMITTED to THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORT and ENRICHMENT of THE ZOO and SHARE THE GOAL of PROVIDING A TOP FLIGHT ZOO for A CITY THE SIZE of SOUTH BEND, for ITS CITIZENS of ITS NEIGHBOR COMMUNITIES, and for VISITORS to THE SOUTH BEND AREA. THE SOCIETY is ORGANIZED to SOLICIT, COLLECT, and PROVIDE FUNDS for SECURING and MAINTAINING ANIMALS and FACILITIES for THE CITY

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $62.50 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2025The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders22 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

60.44%of revenue went to mission work62.5% of expenses · Program services

16.79%of revenue went to fundraising17.3% of expenses

$96.76spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

19.54%of revenue went to management and office costs20.2% of expenses

$0.76in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

36.9%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $205,794 for JOSHUA SISK (EXECUTIVE DI). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2025

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$9,499,145

Mission workProgram services$5,740,85860.44% of revenue62.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,856,26919.54% of revenue20.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,594,60416.79% of revenue17.3% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$307,4143.24% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$9,191,73196.76% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2025CurrentExpense mix: 62.5% mission · 20.2% management · 17.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.76% of revenue

2024Expense mix: 54.5% mission · 25.3% management · 20.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.81% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 48.2% mission · 27.1% management · 24.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.04% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 49.4% mission · 26.6% management · 23.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 76.72% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 43.1% mission · 29.1% management · 27.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 130.66% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 47.0% mission · 26.6% management · 26.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 74.77% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$9,499,145

Expenses$9,191,731

Annual surplus $307,414 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$5,740,858 · 62.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,856,269 · 20.2% of expenses

Fundraising$1,594,604 · 17.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$9,499,145

Expenses$9,191,731

Assets$6,992,209

Income$11,696,634

Contributions$3,506,509

Mission work (program services)$5,740,858

Fundraising$1,594,604

Management and general$1,856,269

Accounting fees$10,091

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2025

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

JOSHUA SISKEXECUTIVE DI · 40 hrs/week $205,794

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (22)

JOSHUA SISKEXECUTIVE DI

JASON SCHULTZPRESIDENT

ROBERT MENDOZADIRECTOR

PATRICK STALVEYDIRECTOR

MYLES BUSBYDIRECTOR

MONA LIVINGSTONDIRECTOR

MARK CRINITIDIRECTOR

LEVON JOHNSONDIRECTOR

JOHN MERTESPRESIDENT EM

JOAN MCCLENDONDIRECTOR

JENNIFER DUKEDIRECTOR

AMBER PULFORDDIRECTOR

JAMES TURNWALDSECRETARY

HODGE PATELDIRECTOR

GILLIAN SHAWSECRETARY

GEORGE HORNPRESIDENT EM

ERIK JOHNSONDIRECTOR

ERIC HORVATHDIRECTOR

DARYL KNIPVICE PRESIDE

CHRISTINE COTTERDIRECTOR

CHRISTI RISKTREASURER

CHRIS FIELDINGDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1971
Location: 500 S GREENLAWN AVE, SOUTH BEND, IN 46615-1341
County: St. Joseph
In care of: JASON SCHULTZ
Primary officer: JASON SCHULTZ, PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@potawatomizoo.org Phone(574) 288-4639

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2025
Tax period began: January 1, 2025
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: ARANOWSKI & COMPANY
NTEE classification: Animal-Related (D500)