CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

EIN 84-0407039 · Animal-Related (D500)

What they do

THE CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OWNS and OPERATES THE CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO. A LEADER IN CONSERVATION, CAPTIVE BREEDING and ANIMAL CARE, THE ZOO CONNECTS PEOPLE WITH WILDLIFE and WILD PLACES THROUGH EXPERIENCES THAT INSPIRE ACTION. A LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY, ITS PURPOSE is to EDUCATE PEOPLE and PROVIDE FIRST CLASS ANIMAL EXPERIENCES THAT BRING PEOPLE INTO THE AWE and WONDER of ANIMALS and THE NATURAL WORLD, RESULTING IN ACTION TOWARD SPECIES CONSERVATION and THE ENVIRONMENT. WE WORK to SECURE A BRIGHT FUTURE for OUR CAPTIVE COLLECTIONS, WILDLIFE and WILD PLACES BY ENCOURAGING DIRECT COMMUNITY ACTION, MANAGING and BREEDING IMPERILED SPECIES, and PARTICIPATING IN FIELD CONSERVATION PROGRAMS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM OUR UNIQUE SKILLS and ABILITIES. CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOOS FLAGSHIP CONSERVATION SPECIES ARE BLACK-FOOTED FERRETS, WYOMING TOADS, ORANGUTANS, PANAMA AMPHIBIANS, and AFRICAN ELEPHANTS, RHINOS, and GIRAFFES.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $82.20 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 leaders36 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

48.49%of revenue went to mission work82.2% of expenses · Program services

2.63%of revenue went to fundraising4.5% of expenses

$58.99spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

7.88%of revenue went to management and office costs13.4% of expenses

$5.37in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

32.5%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 $428,667 for ROBERT L CHASTAIN III (PRESIDENT &). 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$42,790,405

Mission workProgram services$20,749,51048.49% of revenue82.2% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$3,370,0767.88% of revenue13.4% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,123,5802.63% of revenue4.5% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$17,547,23941.01% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$25,243,16658.99% 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: 82.2% mission · 13.4% management · 4.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 58.99% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 83.3% mission · 11.4% management · 5.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 74.06% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 84.0% mission · 11.4% management · 4.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 78.03% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 83.2% mission · 12.3% management · 4.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 60.14% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.0% mission · 12.3% management · 5.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 62.14% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 80.9% mission · 13.9% management · 5.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.81% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 82.4% mission · 12.6% management · 4.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 68.84% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 80.5% mission · 14.5% management · 5.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 72.89% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$42,790,405

Expenses$25,243,166

Annual surplus $17,547,239 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)$20,749,510 · 82.2% of expenses

Management and office costs$3,370,076 · 13.4% of expenses

Fundraising$1,123,580 · 4.5% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$42,790,405

Expenses$25,243,166

Assets$135,584,583

Income$42,826,060

Contributions$13,916,503

Mission work (program services)$20,749,510

Fundraising$1,123,580

Grants given$500,000

Average grant$500,000

Management and general$3,370,076

Executive compensation (total)$612,868

Stocks and bonds$15,144,181

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

ROBERT L CHASTAIN IIIPRESIDENT & · 39 hrs/week $428,667Base $411,251 · Other $17,416

TRACEY GAZIBARAEXECUTIVE VI · 40 hrs/week $223,183Base $210,100 · Other $13,083

KATHY FRENCHVP FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $194,647Base $181,665 · Other $12,982

DAVE RUHLEXECUTIVE VI · 40 hrs/week $179,760Base $173,657 · Other $6,103

JEFF HALTERVP ANIMAL CA · 40 hrs/week $135,717Base $129,137 · Other $6,580

DR ERIC KLAPHAKEHEAD VETERIN · 40 hrs/week $127,964Base $117,303 · Other $10,661

JENNY KOCHDIR OF MARKE · 40 hrs/week $123,171Base $117,353 · Other $5,818

JUSTIN WEISSR DIR OF OP · 40 hrs/week $119,042Base $111,241 · Other $7,801

KELLEY PARKERDIR OF DEVEL · 40 hrs/week $104,892Base $104,358 · Other $534

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 (36)

ROBERT L CHASTAIN IIIPRESIDENT &

TRACEY GAZIBARAEXECUTIVE VI

KATHY FRENCHVP FINANCE

DAVE RUHLEXECUTIVE VI

JEFF HALTERVP ANIMAL CA

DR ERIC KLAPHAKEHEAD VETERIN

JENNY KOCHDIR OF MARKE

JUSTIN WEISSR DIR OF OP

KELLEY PARKERDIR OF DEVEL

RYAN TRUJILLODIRECTOR

MATT CARPENTERDIRECTOR

MIKE EDMONDSVICE CHAIR

PAUL ACKERMANDIRECTOR

PERI FARICYSECRETARY

VIC ANDREWSDIRECTOR THR

SALLY VIETCHDIRECTOR

STEVE SCHNEIDERDIRECTOR

SUSAN JOHNSONDIRECTOR THR

SUSIE BURGHARTHONORARY DIR

TIA FERGUSONPAST CHAIR

TREVOR MILLERDIRECTOR

ANN NAUGHTONCHAIR

MARIANNE BROOKSDIRECTOR

KEVIN KRATTDIRECTOR

KATHERINE H LOOHONORARY DIR

KAREN EBERHARTDIRECTOR

JEANIE BARATONODIRECTOR THR

JACEY SHARPINGDIRECTOR SIN

HANS MUEHDIRECTOR THR

GRETA JOHNSONDIRECTOR SIN

GREG RAYMONDDIRECTOR

GEOFF LAWHORNDIRECTOR

GARY WINEGARTREASURER

DR ELIZABETH DOMANGUEDIRECTOR

CARLOS JIMENEZDIRECTOR

BETSY SOBRALDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1939
Location: 4250 CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO ROAD, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80906
County: El Paso
In care of: ROBERT L CHASTAIN III
Primary officer: ROBERT L CHASTAIN III, PRESIDENT & CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailtickets@cmzoo.org Phone(719) 633-9925 Officer phone(071) 963-3992

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: May 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: KUNDINGER CORDER & MONTOYA PC
NTEE classification: Animal-Related (D500)
IRS tax category: Zoos and Botanical Gardens
Grant-giving organization: Yes