Zoological Society of San Diego
Zoological Society of San Diego, based in San Diego, California, is a public charity whose current name is San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Formed in 1916, the organization operates through the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park and supports wildlife care, conservation science, education, and conservation work worldwide.
Zoological Society of San Diego at a glance
In short: Zoological Society of San Diego gave $1.6M across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $68K), top state California. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,632,824
- -1.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- -17.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $68,034
- +19.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $19,775
- Total assets
- $1,046,146,042
- +9.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (10 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (45% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Zoological Society of San Diego
- Contact
Mailing address: Post Office Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112-0551
Phone: (619) 231-1515
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Zoological Society of San Diego funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Nature Conservancy ($500K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
112 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 112 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes conservation work worldwide and reports operating eight conservation hubs around the world. In 2024, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in California (45%), Virginia (32%), Texas (9%), the District of Columbia (6%), and Minnesota (3%). The listed grants also included recipients in Maryland and Idaho.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Zoological Society of San Diego open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 24 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $97K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2020) to $1.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Conservation Support for Black Rhino Translocation | $500,000 |
| Center for Plant Conservation Inc Escondido, CA | Support for Salaries for Plant Conservation Activities | $367,841 |
| Regents of the University of California Davis Davis, CA | Conservation support for pathology residents for research such as wildlife disease investigations and conservation support for mountain lions | $155,820 |
| Rewild Austin, TX | Conservation Support for Iucn SSC | $110,000 |
| Wildlife Conservation Network Inc San Francisco, CA | Conservation Support for Elephants | $104,104 |
| Natural State Ltd Washington, DC | Support for Monitoring Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services | $100,000 |
| The Regents of the University of California Oakland, CA | Conservation support for postdoctoral and graduate research for northern white rhinoceres | $60,000 |
| American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums Inc Baltimore, MD | Support for wildlife trafficking alliance to end illegal wildlife trade | $25,000 |
| International Elephant Foundation Azle, TX | Conservation Support for Elephants | $25,000 |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation Monterey, CA | Conservation Support for Sea Otters | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 filing reports 24 grants; the organization’s filing narrative separately states $445 million in 2024 revenue.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,046,146,042 | $437,607,695 | $391,353,999 | $1,632,824 | 24 | $25,689,245 |
| 2023 | $954,802,422 | $411,019,877 | $365,011,304 | $1,657,883 | 29 | $17,069,273 |
| 2022 | $870,891,979 | $392,443,880 | $352,421,424 | $1,834,583 | 17 | $9,621,224 |
| 2021 | $905,817,884 | $355,513,327 | $305,470,482 | $1,769,060 | 23 | $20,473,941 |
| 2020 | $827,183,810 | $246,948,614 | $289,371,168 | $1,318,821 | 19 | $9,464,165 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to save species worldwide by uniting expertise in wildlife care and conservation science with a commitment to inspiring passion for nature. Its 2024 filing categorizes its activities under one program, “Wildlife Care and Conservation.”
Its 2024 grants included support for rhino translocation, plant conservation, wildlife disease research, mountain lion conservation, elephant conservation, biodiversity monitoring, sea otters, vultures, and efforts to address illegal wildlife trade. Among the grantees, The Nature Conservancy describes its mission as conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends; Re:wild says it protects and restores wild places; and Wildlife Conservation Network says it connects conservationists with supporters and resources. Other grantees describe work on biodiversity restoration, elephant conservation, ocean conservation, zoological information services, and birds of prey.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the organization reported 24 grants totaling $1,632,824. Grants ranged from $5,310 to $500,000, with a median of $19,774.
The largest grants included $500,000 to The Nature Conservancy for black rhino translocation; $367,841 to Center for Plant Conservation for salaries supporting plant conservation activities; $155,820 to the Regents of the University of California, Davis, for pathology residents’ conservation research, including wildlife disease investigations and mountain lion conservation; $110,000 to Re:wild for IUCN SSC support; and $104,104 to Wildlife Conservation Network for elephant conservation.
Other notable grants were $100,000 to Natural State for monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem services; $60,000 to the Regents of the University of California for postdoctoral and graduate research related to northern white rhinoceroses; and $25,000 each to the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums for the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance, the International Elephant Foundation for elephant conservation, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation for sea otter conservation. The filing does not provide application instructions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing were Paul Baribault, president and CEO; Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer; David Franco, chief financial officer; David Gillig, chief philanthropy officer; Lisa Peterson, executive director of the Safari Park; Erika Kohler, executive director of the San Diego Zoo; David Miller, chief marketing officer; Nadine Lamberski, chief conservation/wildlife; Aida Rosa, chief human resources officer; and Wendy Bulger, general counsel.
Zoological Society of San Diego is led by Paul Baribault, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 12 of 26 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paul Baribault
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$800K (2020) → $2M (2024)
Lisa Peterson
Executive Director & Safari Park
Executive Director & San Diego Zoo Safari Park → Executive Director & Safari Park, 2021
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$342K (2020) → $495K (2024)
Erika Kohler
Executive Director & San Diego Zoo
Interim Executive Director & Sd Zoo → Executive Director & San Diego Zoo, 2022
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$204K (2021) → $480K (2024)
Javade Chaudhri
Chair & Trustee
Board Chair → Chairman, 2023
Chairman → Chair & Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Simpson
Treasurer & Chair
Board Vice Chair → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Treasurer & Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Cain Carrithers
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Lowenstine
Trustee
Board Secretary → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rolf Benirschke
Trustee
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aulani Wilhelm
Trustee
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bryan Min
Trustee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jane Finley
Trustee & Secretary
Trustee → Trustee & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Day
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clifford Hague
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenji Price
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Franco
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$203K (2020) → $757K (2024)
Nadine Lamberski
Chief Conservation & Wildlife
Chief Conservation & Wildlife Health Officer → Chf. Conservation & Wildlife, 2022
Chf. Conservation & Wildlife → Chief Conservation & Wildlife, 2024
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$293K (2020) → $478K (2024)
Shawn Dixon
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$473K (2020) → $820K (2024)
Aida Rosa
Chief Human Resources Officer
Chief Human Resources Officer → Chf. Human Resources Officer, 2022
Chf. Human Resources Officer → Chief Human Resources Officer, 2024
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$304K (2021) → $420K (2024)
David Gillig
Chief Philanthropy Officer
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$399K (2021) → $631K (2024)
David Miller
Chief Marketing Officer
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$240K (2021) → $450K (2024)
Wendy Bulger
General Counsel
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$305K (2021) → $457K (2024)
Eamonn Farrell
Vice President, Construction & Architecture
Vice President of Construction → Vice President of Construction & Arch, 2023
Vice President of Construction & Arch → Vice President, Construction & Architecture, 2024
On filings since 2022
50 hrs/week
$220K (2022) → $261K (2024)
Karen Bhatt
Vice President & Human Resources
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$236K (2023) → $266K (2024)
Richard Gulley
Secretary
Trustee → Board Treasurer, 2021
Board Treasurer → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven G. Tappan
Vice Chairman
Board Chairman → Board Secretary, 2022
Board Secretary → Vice Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Knell
Vc & Treasurer
Trustee → Vice Chairman, 2023
Vice Chairman → Vc & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Cliff Hague (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: David Page (2020–2022) — Vice President of Finance
- Former: Judy Wheatley (2020–2022) — Outgoing Trustee
- Former: Robert Horsman (2020–2022) — Outgoing Trustee
- Former: Dhevsivanand Govender (2020–2021) — Chief Technology Officer
- Former: Dwight Scott (2020–2021) — Executive Director & San Diego Zoo
- Former: Joye Blount (2020–2021) — Outgoing Trustee
- Former: Allison Alberts (2020) — Chief Conservation Officer
- Former: Amy Parrott (2020) — Director of Individual & Planned Gifts
- Former: David Wu (2020) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Douglas Myers (2020) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Paula Brock (2020) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Robert Wiese (2020) — Chief Life Sciences Officer
- Former: Ryan Sullivan (2020) — Board Treasurer
- Former: Ted Molter (2020) — Chief Marketing Officer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $2.0M, to Paul Baribault (President/CEO). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Zoological Society of San Diego
How much does Zoological Society of San Diego give each year?
Zoological Society of San Diego gave $1.6M across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 29 grants.
What is Zoological Society of San Diego's typical grant size?
Zoological Society of San Diego's median grant in 2024 was $19,775, and its average grant was $68,034, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Zoological Society of San Diego that year got $27K on average.
Where does Zoological Society of San Diego give grants?
Zoological Society of San Diego's top state is California, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Virginia (32%) and Texas (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Davis, CA (2 grants) and Seattle, WA (2 grants).
Does Zoological Society of San Diego give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on Zoological Society of San Diego's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Zoological Society of San Diego's largest grantees?
Zoological Society of San Diego's largest 2024 grantees include The Nature Conservancy ($500,000), Center for Plant Conservation Inc ($367,841) and Regents of the University of California Davis ($155,820), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Zoological Society of San Diego?
Zoological Society of San Diego reported $1.0B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $437.6M.
What does Zoological Society of San Diego fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to save species worldwide by uniting expertise in wildlife care and conservation science with a commitment to inspiring passion for nature. Its 2024 filing categorizes its activities under one program, “Wildlife Care and Conservation.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Zoological Society of San Diego?
Zoological Society of San Diego has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Zoological Society of San Diego's EIN?
Zoological Society of San Diego's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-1648219. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Zoological Society of San Diego funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Zoological Society of San Diego's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Zoological Society of San Diego funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/zoological-society-of-san-diego-morg_ae4bed110082480bb351bc11ce2e3d60
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_951648219_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Zoological Society of San Diego funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/zoological-society-of-san-diego-morg_ae4bed110082480bb351bc11ce2e3d60},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Zoological Society of San Diego's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Zoological Society of San Diego down — hundreds of funders to go?