BLANK PARK ZOO FOUNDATION INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

BLANK PARK ZOO FOUNDATION INC

EIN 42-1171821 · Animal-Related (D115)

What they do

to INSPIRE AN APPRECIATION of THE NATURAL WORLD THROUGH CONSERVATION, EDUCATION, and RECREATION.THE PRIMARY PURPOSES of THE FOUNDATION ARE A) to MANAGE THE BLANK PARK ZOO; B) to SOLICIT, COLLECT and PROVIDE FUNDS to IMPROVE THE FACILITIES and PROGRAMS of THE ZOO; C) to PROMOTE INTEREST AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC CONCERNING THE ZOO; D) to IMPLEMENT and ASSIST IN THE STUDY of ZOOLOGICAL NATURAL HISTORY, ANIMAL BEHAVIOR and THE SCIENCE ALLIED THEREWITH; E) to PROVIDE CHARITABLE and EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ZOO.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $81.60 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 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

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

They name their leaders38 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

72.58%of revenue went to mission work81.6% of expenses · Program services

3.80%of revenue went to fundraising4.3% of expenses

$88.89spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

12.51%of revenue went to management and office costs14.1% of expenses

$2.70in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

42.4%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

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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 $174,634 for ANNE SHIMERDLA (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 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 2024

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$11,913,239

Mission workProgram services$8,646,80472.58% of revenue81.6% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,490,62912.51% of revenue14.1% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$452,8143.80% of revenue4.3% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$1,322,99211.11% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$10,590,24788.89% 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

2024CurrentExpense mix: 81.6% mission · 14.1% management · 4.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.89% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 83.7% mission · 12.3% management · 4.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 81.33% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 84.0% mission · 12.6% management · 3.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 84.59% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 83.8% mission · 13.0% management · 3.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 87.56% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.3% mission · 13.8% management · 3.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.40% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 83.5% mission · 13.5% management · 3.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.40% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 82.1% mission · 14.6% management · 3.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 109.12% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 73.6% mission · 23.1% management · 3.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 81.50% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$11,913,239

Expenses$10,590,247

Annual surplus $1,322,992 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)$8,646,804 · 81.6% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,490,629 · 14.1% of expenses

Fundraising$452,814 · 4.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$11,913,239

Expenses$10,590,247

Assets$28,547,961

Income$12,527,152

Contributions$5,057,013

Mission work (program services)$8,646,804

Fundraising$452,814

Grants given$327,290

Average grant$12,122

Management and general$1,490,629

Executive compensation (total)$169,289

Accounting fees$86,294

Investing fees$3,707

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

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

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

ANNE SHIMERDLACHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $174,634Base $160,240 · Other $14,394

RACHEL SUMMERSCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $126,148Base $118,888 · Other $7,260

GARY TUCKERCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $87,650Base $78,509 · Other $9,141

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 (38)

ANNE SHIMERDLACHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

RACHEL SUMMERSCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

GARY TUCKERCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

KURT HERBRECHTSMEYERDIRECTOR

VINCE WARDDIRECTOR

LAUREN DOLL-SHEEDERDIRECTOR

LOU SIPLOTDIRECTOR

MARY RADIADIRECTOR

MATT FRYARDIRECTOR

MATT GUSTAFSON2ND VICE CHAIRPERSON & SECRETARY/TREASURER

MICHAEL RENNERDIRECTOR

NEUSA FACENDADIRECTOR

PAT HENSONMEMBER-AT-LARGE / BOARD RECORDER THROUGH 1/1/25

PEG ARMSTRONG-GUSTAFSONDIRECTOR THROUGH 3/31/25

ROB STEVENSONMEMBER-AT-LARGE

ROCHELLE BURNETTCHAIRPERSON

TINA HOFFMANDIRECTOR

TOBY JOSEPHDIRECTOR

TUCKER ANDERSONDIRECTOR

AARON KENNEDYIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRPERSON

DIANE CROOKHAM-JOHNSONMEMBER-AT-LARGE

ARMEL R TRAORE DIT NIGNANDIRECTOR

BEN PAGEDIRECTOR

CALEB KNUTSONDIRECTOR

CARL VOSSDIRECTOR

CLINT PURSLEYDIRECTOR

DAN GROOMSDIRECTOR

DAN SCHWARZ1ST VICE CHAIRPERSON

DAVID BRICKDIRECTOR THROUGH 3/31/25

JULIE JACKOWSKIDIRECTOR

HEATHER ETNYREDIRECTOR

HIRAM HOUGHTONDIRECTOR

JAY BYERSDIRECTOR THROUGH 3/31/25

JEFFREY KARCHMEMBER-AT-LARGE

JEN CLAUSENDIRECTOR

JIM HAGENBUCHERMEMBER-AT-LARGE

JOHN VIGGERSMEMBER-AT-LARGE

JUDY RALSTON-HANSENDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1981
Location: 7401 SW 9TH ST, DES MOINES, IA 50315-6667
County: Polk
In care of: % DBA BLANK PARK ZOO
Primary officer: ANNE SHIMERDLA, CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@blankparkzoo.com Phone(515) 974-2502

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: April 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: DENMAN CPA LLP
NTEE classification: Animal-Related (D115)
IRS tax category: Other Grantmaking and Giving Services
Grant-giving organization: Yes