EVANSVILLE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

EVANSVILLE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

EIN 35-6031419 · Animal-Related (D500)

What they do

THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS ACTIVITIES AT THE MESKER PARK ZOO & BOTANIC GARDEN THROUGH LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION, FUND DEVELOPMENT, and VOLUNTEER SERVICES for THE BENEFIT of THE PEOPLE, PLANTS and ANIMALS IT SERVES.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $55.00 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 leaders18 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

42.34%of revenue went to mission work55.0% of expenses · Program services

13.07%of revenue went to fundraising17.0% of expenses

$77.00spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

21.58%of revenue went to management and office costs28.0% of expenses

$3.39in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

46.3%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

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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$1,275,640

Mission workProgram services$540,12942.34% of revenue55.0% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$275,32821.58% of revenue28.0% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$166,77113.07% of revenue17.0% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$293,41223.00% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$982,22877.00% 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: 55.0% mission · 28.0% management · 17.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.00% of revenue

2024Expense mix: 56.0% mission · 28.3% management · 15.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 81.83% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 61.0% mission · 22.8% management · 16.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.97% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 92.9% mission · 4.3% management · 2.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 455.99% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 54.6% mission · 28.8% management · 16.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 49.77% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 16.0% mission · 50.5% management · 33.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 41.07% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 54.1% mission · 30.8% management · 15.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 71.44% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 37.3% mission · 40.0% management · 22.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 24.64% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$1,275,640

Expenses$982,228

Annual surplus $293,412 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)$540,129 · 55.0% of expenses

Management and office costs$275,328 · 28.0% of expenses

Fundraising$166,771 · 17.0% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$1,275,640

Expenses$982,228

Assets$3,333,104

Income$1,990,756

Contributions$590,914

Mission work (program services)$540,129

Fundraising$166,771

Grants given$650,939

Average grant$216,980

Management and general$275,328

Accounting fees$66,935

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2025

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

No compensation was reported for these leaders. The complete board and leadership roster is shown below.

Board and leadership roster (18)

JON WANDLINGMEMBER

ZAC NELSONMEMBER

TY KAHLEMEMBER

TIM ETHRIDGEMEMBER

STEVE BOHLEBERBOARD ATTORNEY

SHAWN HAYDENMEMBER

SHANNON HOEHNSECRETARY

MAYTES RIVERAMEMBER

KRISTEN RUNYONMEMBER

ALI ODANIELMEMBER

JO FERRELLMEMBER

ERICA ESCHEMEMBER

DONNA LOGANMEMBER

DIANA SCHNAKENBURGMEMBER

DAN MCGINNMEMBER

CULLEN STANLEYPRESIDENT ELECT

COOPER LILLYPRESIDENT

BART EMIGTREASURER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1979
Location: 1545 MESKER PARK DR, EVANSVILLE, IN 47720-8224
County: Vanderburgh
In care of: % ERIK BECK
Primary officer: ERIK BECK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

Phone(812) 435-6143 Officer phone(812) 435-0804

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2025
Tax period began: January 1, 2025
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: HARDING SHYMANSKI & CO PSC
NTEE classification: Animal-Related (D500)
IRS tax category: Zoos and Botanical Gardens
Grant-giving organization: Yes