Nashville Zoo Inc
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.
Nashville Zoo Inc at a glance
In short: Nashville Zoo Inc gave $338K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), top state Texas. 60% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $338,226
- +31.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +87.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,548
- -29.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $18,416
- Total assets
- $214,943,951
- +17.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (9 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (30% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Nashville Zoo Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was International Rhino Fdn ($50K). Together the top 10 received $288K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 51 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Nashville Zoo Inc open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 15 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $74K (2020) to $366K (2022). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $338K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| International Rhino Fdn Ft Worth, TX | Rhino Conservation | $50,000 |
| Banovich Wildscapes Foundation Livingston, MT | Support Amur Leopards | $49,970 |
| Save Giraffes Now Dallas, TX | Giraffe Conservation and Travel and Boarding Assistance | $44,389 |
| Minnesota Zoo Foundation Apple Valley, MN | Tiger Conservation | $25,000 |
| Red Panda Network Eugene, OR | Red Panda Conservation | $25,000 |
| University of Washington Seattle, WA | Penguin Tracking | $25,000 |
| Wildlife Conservation Network New York, NY | Spectacled Bear Conservation | $20,000 |
| Banding Coalition of the Americas Orange Beach, FL | Support Migratory Bird Research | $18,416 |
| Duke Lemur Center Durham, NC | Lemur Conservation | $16,050 |
| Orianne Society Tiger, GA | Bird Banding Research | $14,526 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $214,943,951 | $69,968,685 | $37,045,229 | $338,226 | 15 | $6,001,963 |
| 2024 | $182,691,024 | $35,907,046 | $31,947,473 | $257,083 | 8 | $4,191,143 |
| 2023 | $178,231,426 | $47,398,988 | $29,504,935 | $276,052 | 9 | $-1,089,705 |
| 2022 | $155,796,059 | $34,976,521 | $26,363,992 | $366,453 | 10 | $118,532 |
| 2021 | $146,729,311 | $49,123,264 | $20,787,550 | $300,000 | 9 | $2,801,797 |
| 2020 | $116,578,850 | $19,366,460 | $18,304,904 | $73,771 | 4 | $1,719,056 |
| 2019 | $113,401,380 | $28,762,869 | $20,128,077 | $182,509 | 11 | $1,364,087 |
About Nashville Zoo Inc
Based on IRS filings
Nashville Zoo Inc is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Nashville, TN. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $214.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 15 grants totaling $338K. Net investment income was $6.0M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Nashville Zoo Inc is led by Rick Schwartz, President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 12 of 45 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rick Schwartz
President
President → President & CEO, 2024
President & CEO → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
60 hrs/week
$524K (2019) → $753K (2025)
Butch Spyridon
Chairman
Ex-Officio → Director, 2024
Director → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2019
2.7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris McBride
Director of It
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$107K (2023) → $131K (2025)
James Bartoo
Director of Marketing
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$114K (2024) → $129K (2025)
Ed Goodrich
Director
Vice Chairman & Treasurer → Chairman, 2021
Chairman → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Curry
Director
Legal Counsel → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Eskind
Director
On filings since 2019
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Holloway
Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Weisenseel
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Seabury
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rhonda Scott Kinslow
Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Trish Munro
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alice Goldberg
Director
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry Wieck
Director
On filings since 2021
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tony Giarratana
Director
On filings since 2021
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lee Beaman
Director
On filings since 2022
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Meg Crofton
Director
On filings since 2022
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Peacock
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Hamilton
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Wilson Patton
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Adam Dretler
Director
On filings since 2023
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Johnson
Director
On filings since 2023
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Baier
Director
On filings since 2024
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katie Crumbo
Director
On filings since 2024
0.7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vandana Abramson
Director
On filings since 2024
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brent Allred
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Govic
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ken Levitan
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pam Martin
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Randy Fagin
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacey Nickens
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wesley Belden
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andy Tillman
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer → Chief Operating Offier, 2021
Chief Operating Offier → Chief Operating Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$138K (2019) → $191K (2025)
David Oehler
Vice President
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$150K (2019) → $236K (2025)
Jamie Geselle
Chief Human Resourses Officer
Human Resource Officer → Chief Human Resourses Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$92K (2019) → $52K (2025)
Kim Pridgen
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2019
50 hrs/week
$132K (2019) → $250K (2025)
Heather Schwartz
Veterinarian
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$109K (2021) → $174K (2025)
Beth Bush
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$160K (2024) → $235K (2025)
James Degraauw
Avian Curator
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$105K (2024) → $117K (2025)
Louden Wright
Veterinarian
On filings since 2024
50 hrs/week
$107K (2024) → $122K (2025)
Heather Thompson
Chief Human Resourses Officer
New on the 2025 filing
50 hrs/week
$65K (2025)
Terry Bruggeman
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Monique Horton Odom
Ex-Officio
On filings since 2022
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Flury
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deana Ivey
Ex-Officio
On filings since 2024
0 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (36)
- Former: Allie Hall (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Clara Belden (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Jimmy Granbery (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Karen Moore (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Mike Bracken (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Sandra Morgan (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Tim Schoettle (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Alexandra Sollberger (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Barbara Hagood (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Barbara Turner (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Jr Greene (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Samantha Boyd (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Suzanne Iler (2019–2023) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Colin Reed (2023) — Director
- Former: John Lueken (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Will Fitzgibbon (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Alex Sadler (2022) — Ex-Officio
- Former: Alex Marks (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Anne Davis (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Beth Courtney (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Brian Smallwood (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Julie W. Walker (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: McArthur Vanosdale (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Tara Scarlett (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Alex Sollberger (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: David Manning (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Drew Crawford (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Heather Robertson (2019–2020) — Veterinarian
- Former: Kent Kirby (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Kimberly Williams-Paisley (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Carl Haley Jr. (2019) — Director
- Former: Chris Holmes (2019) — Director
- Former: Cynthia Arnholt (2019) — Director
- Former: Jimmy Webb (2019) — Vice Chairman
- Former: John Howard (2019) — Director
- Former: Lily Followill (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $753K, to Rick Schwartz (President). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Nashville Zoo Inc
How much does Nashville Zoo Inc give each year?
Nashville Zoo Inc gave $338K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $257K across 8 grants.
What is Nashville Zoo Inc's typical grant size?
Nashville Zoo Inc's median grant in 2025 was $18,416, and its average grant was $22,548, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Nashville Zoo Inc that year got $18K on average.
Where does Nashville Zoo Inc give grants?
Nashville Zoo Inc's top state is Texas, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Montana (15%) and Florida (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Worth, TX (2 grants).
Does Nashville Zoo Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Nashville Zoo Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Nashville Zoo Inc's largest grantees?
Nashville Zoo Inc's largest 2025 grantees include International Rhino Fdn ($50,000), Banovich Wildscapes Foundation ($49,970) and Save Giraffes Now ($44,389), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Nashville Zoo Inc?
Nashville Zoo Inc reported $214.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $70.0M.
What is Nashville Zoo Inc?
Nashville Zoo Inc is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Nashville, TN. It holds $214.9M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Nashville Zoo Inc's EIN?
Nashville Zoo Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1411210. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 16, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 16, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 19, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Nashville Zoo Inc funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Nashville Zoo Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Nashville Zoo Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?