NASHVILLE ZOO INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

NASHVILLE ZOO INC

EIN 62-1411210 · Animal-Related (D500)

What they do

IN FULFILLMENT of OUR MISSION to INSPIRE A CULTURE of UNDERSTANDING and DISCOVERY of OUR NATURAL WORLD THROUGH CONSERVATION, INNOVATION and LEADERSHIP, OUR GOAL is to BUILD A FIRST CLASS ZOO for MIDDLE TENNESSEE and to DEVELOP A FACILITY THAT is RECOGNIZED for EXCELLENCE IN ANIMAL CARE and GLOBAL CONSERVATION WITH STRONG COMMUNITY VALUE IN MIND. WE STRIVE to BE THE BEST AT CREATING UNIQUE DESIGNS and INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE and HORTICULTURAL COMPONENTS to ENHANCE EXHIBITS for THE BENEFIT of THE ANIMALS, OUR VISITORS and THE ZOOLOGICAL COMMUNITY.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $84.50 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 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 leaders44 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 work84.5% of expenses · Program services

4.93%of revenue went to fundraising5.5% of expenses

$88.97spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

8.83%of revenue went to management and office costs9.9% of expenses

$5.72in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

28.5%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 $775,871 for RICK SCHWARTZ (PRESIDENT & CEO). 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$35,907,046

Mission workProgram services$27,005,95375.21% of revenue84.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$3,171,9458.83% of revenue9.9% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,769,5754.93% of revenue5.5% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$3,959,57311.03% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$31,947,47388.97% 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: 84.5% mission · 9.9% management · 5.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.97% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 84.4% mission · 10.4% management · 5.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 62.25% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 84.8% mission · 9.4% management · 5.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 75.38% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 79.8% mission · 12.8% management · 7.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 42.32% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 84.7% mission · 8.5% management · 6.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 94.52% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 83.4% mission · 11.1% management · 5.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 69.98% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 84.6% mission · 10.7% management · 4.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 73.40% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 85.7% mission · 9.7% management · 4.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 58.08% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$35,907,046

Expenses$31,947,473

Annual surplus $3,959,573 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)$27,005,953 · 84.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$3,171,945 · 9.9% of expenses

Fundraising$1,769,575 · 5.5% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$35,907,046

Expenses$31,947,473

Assets$182,691,024

Income$42,333,331

Contributions$10,224,784

Mission work (program services)$27,005,953

Fundraising$1,769,575

Grants given$2,391,718

Average grant$24,405

Management and general$3,171,945

Stocks and bonds$35,838,519

Accounting fees$58,797

Investing fees$54,638

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

RICK SCHWARTZPRESIDENT & CEO · 60 hrs/week $775,871Base $683,274 · Other $92,597

DAVID OEHLERVICE PRESIDENT · 50 hrs/week $250,040Base $212,492 · Other $37,548

KIM PRIDGENCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 50 hrs/week $247,792Base $215,713 · Other $32,079

ANDY TILLMANCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER · 50 hrs/week $184,025Base $157,461 · Other $26,564

BETH BUSHCHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER · 50 hrs/week $163,544Base $160,078 · Other $3,466

HEATHER SCHWARTZVETERINARIAN · 50 hrs/week $160,843Base $154,351 · Other $6,492

JAMIE GESELLECHIEF HUMAN RESOURSES OFFICER · 50 hrs/week $160,767Base $132,946 · Other $27,821

CHRIS MCBRIDEDIRECTOR OF IT · 50 hrs/week $126,623Base $117,261 · Other $9,362

JAMES BARTOODIRECTOR OF MARKETING · 50 hrs/week $125,225Base $114,238 · Other $10,987

LOUDEN WRIGHTVETERINARIAN · 50 hrs/week $124,912Base $106,523 · Other $18,389

JAMES DEGRAAUWAVIAN CURATOR · 50 hrs/week $105,232Base $104,956 · Other $276

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 (44)

RICK SCHWARTZPRESIDENT & CEO

DAVID OEHLERVICE PRESIDENT

KIM PRIDGENCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

ANDY TILLMANCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

BETH BUSHCHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

HEATHER SCHWARTZVETERINARIAN

JAMIE GESELLECHIEF HUMAN RESOURSES OFFICER

CHRIS MCBRIDEDIRECTOR OF IT

JAMES BARTOODIRECTOR OF MARKETING

LOUDEN WRIGHTVETERINARIAN

JAMES DEGRAAUWAVIAN CURATOR

MONIQUE HORTON ODOMEX-OFFICIO

PATRICK JOHNSONDIRECTOR

RHONDA SCOTT KINSLOWDIRECTOR

MIKE BRACKENDIRECTOR

MICHAEL PEACOCKDIRECTOR

MEG CROFTONDIRECTOR

RYAN FLURYTREASURER

WILSON PATTONDIRECTOR

SANDRA MORGANDIRECTOR

SCOTT HAMILTONDIRECTOR

TERRY BRUGGEMANSECRETARY

TIM SCHOETTLEDIRECTOR

TONY GIARRATANADIRECTOR

TRISH MUNRODIRECTOR

VANDANA ABRAMSONDIRECTOR

ADAM DRETLERDIRECTOR

ED GOODRICHCHAIRMAN

ALEXANDRA SOLLBERGERDIRECTOR

ALICE GOLDBERGDIRECTOR

ALLIE HALLDIRECTOR

BUTCH SPYRIDONDIRECTOR

CLARA BELDENDIRECTOR

DAVID BAIERDIRECTOR

DEANA IVEYEX-OFFICIO

DIANE HOLLOWAYDIRECTOR

LEE BEAMANDIRECTOR

JIMMY GRANBERYDIRECTOR

JOHN WEISENSEELDIRECTOR

KAREN MOOREDIRECTOR

KATIE CRUMBODIRECTOR

LARRY WIECKDIRECTOR

LAURIE ESKINDDIRECTOR

LAURIE SEABURYDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1990
Location: 3777 NOLENSVILLE ROAD, NASHVILLE, TN 37211-3324
County: Davidson
In care of: KIM PRIDGEN
Primary officer: KIM PRIDGEN, CFO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(615) 833-1534

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CHERRY BEKAERT ADVISORY LLC
NTEE classification: Animal-Related (D500)
Grant-giving organization: Yes