MARYLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

MARYLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC

EIN 52-0996352 · Animal-Related (D500)

What they do

to ENGAGE PEOPLE IN THE WONDERS of THE LIVING WORLD THROUGH PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH ANIMALS, FOSTERING EMPATHY and LIFELONG SUPPORT for CONSERVATION of WILDLIFE and WILD PLACES.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $86.70 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 leaders51 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

75.21%of revenue went to mission work86.7% of expenses · Program services

2.84%of revenue went to fundraising3.3% of expenses

$86.72spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

8.67%of revenue went to management and office costs10.0% of expenses

$3.77in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

65.3%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 $331,967 for KIRBY FOWLER JR (PRESIDENTCEO). 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$24,960,748

Mission workProgram services$18,772,11275.21% of revenue86.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$2,163,5738.67% of revenue10.0% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$709,8582.84% of revenue3.3% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$3,315,20513.28% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$21,645,54386.72% 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: 86.7% mission · 10.0% management · 3.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 86.72% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 85.1% mission · 11.2% management · 3.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.76% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 85.8% mission · 10.4% management · 3.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 102.66% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 84.8% mission · 11.4% management · 3.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.78% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 83.1% mission · 13.0% management · 4.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.86% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 82.3% mission · 11.8% management · 5.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.30% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 81.4% mission · 12.6% management · 6.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 62.47% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 80.8% mission · 15.7% management · 3.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.64% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$24,960,748

Expenses$21,645,543

Annual surplus $3,315,205 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)$18,772,112 · 86.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$2,163,573 · 10.0% of expenses

Fundraising$709,858 · 3.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$24,960,748

Expenses$21,645,543

Assets$81,627,429

Income$25,617,940

Contributions$16,299,944

Mission work (program services)$18,772,112

Fundraising$709,858

Grants given$82,987

Average grant$10,373

Management and general$2,163,573

Stocks and bonds$237,821

Accounting fees$54,207

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

KIRBY FOWLER JRPRESIDENTCEO · 40 hrs/week $331,967Base $318,722 · Other $13,245

MICHELE RUTKOWSKIEXEC VP OF FINANCECFO · 40 hrs/week $208,444Base $169,964 · Other $38,480

KARL KRANZEXECUTIVE VP OF ANIMAL PROGRAMS · 40 hrs/week $181,627Base $148,122 · Other $33,505

ELLEN BRONSON ZAKSR DIR OF HEALTH & CONSERVATION · 40 hrs/week $158,216Base $131,653 · Other $26,563

BRINA LEHNERCONTROLLER · 40 hrs/week $149,647Base $122,863 · Other $26,784

SHANNON BROWNSR DIR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT · 40 hrs/week $145,755Base $135,391 · Other $10,364

DANA KIRNVICE PRESIDENT OF GUEST EXPERIENCE · 40 hrs/week $142,557Base $111,192 · Other $31,365

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 (51)

KIRBY FOWLER JRPRESIDENTCEO

MICHELE RUTKOWSKIEXEC VP OF FINANCECFO

KARL KRANZEXECUTIVE VP OF ANIMAL PROGRAMS

ELLEN BRONSON ZAKSR DIR OF HEALTH & CONSERVATION

BRINA LEHNERCONTROLLER

SHANNON BROWNSR DIR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

DANA KIRNVICE PRESIDENT OF GUEST EXPERIENCE

PHILIP NESTICOTRUSTEE

WILLIAM THRUSH JRTRUSTEE

KEITH STONETRUSTEE

WILLIAM COLETRUSTEE

MATT JONESTRUSTEE

MATTHEW CALHOUNTRUSTEE

MATTHEW GORRATRUSTEE

MICHAEL ALDRICHIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

TRISH MCCLEANTRUSTEE

NICOLE DONEGANTRUSTEE

SINDHU LEYSERTRUSTEE

TODD FEUERMANTRUSTEE

RABBI DANIEL BURGTRUSTEE

REGINALD MOORETRUSTEE

JASON ST JOHNCHAIRPERSONSECRETARY

RONALD CURRYTRUSTEE

SAMANTHA ONEILTRUSTEE

SARA LUCASTRUSTEE

SARAH GRISWOLD-JOHNSONTRUSTEE

STACIE TOBINTRUSTEE

DAWN WHITETRUSTEE

ALFONSO PEARSON JRTRUSTEE

ANDREW MILLERTRUSTEE

ANN TYLERTRUSTEE

AUDRA JONESTRUSTEE

BRADLEY RODIERTRUSTEE

C DOUGLAS SAWYER IIITRUSTEE

CHADFIELD CLAPSADDLETRUSTEE

CHARLES VIETH SRTRUSTEE

CHRISTIE STRAVINOTRUSTEE

CHRISTINE ASPELLTRUSTEE

CHRISTOPHER HOLTVICE PRESIDENTTREASURER

JONATHAN SACHSTRUSTEE

DR SCOTT RIFKINTRUSTEE

ERIC ORLINSKYTRUSTEE

FRANK REMESCHTRUSTEE

GABRIELLE MELKATRUSTEE

HERBERT GOLDMANTRUSTEE

INGRID HARBAUGHTRUSTEE

JAMES JONESTRUSTEE

JAMES WILHELMTRUSTEE

JASON MILLERTRUSTEE

AFUA BREFOTRUSTEE

JILL KAMENETZTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1974
Location: 1876 MANSION HOUSE DR, BALTIMORE, MD 21217-4474
County: Baltimore (city)
In care of: % KIRBY FOWLER
Primary officer: KIRBY FOWLER, PresidentCEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailmail@marylandzoo.org Phone(410) 396-7102

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
NTEE classification: Animal-Related (D500)
Grant-giving organization: Yes