irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $20KEDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES - TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK REGION. APPROXIMATELY 35,000 PEOPLE WERE SERVED BY THIS PROGRAM.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Animal Encounters
Interactive experiences where visitors meet "animal ambassador" species up close, including tortoises, porcupines, and camels, led by trained zoo educators.
Conservation Education
Programs designed to inspire conservation actions through exhibits, signage, and keeper talks that highlight wildlife protection and environmental stewardship.
Educational Activities
Provides conservation education and learning opportunities to the general public, particularly school groups and families in the Central New York region.
Special Events
Hosts recurring community events such as Wine in the Wilderness, Brewfest, and Spooktacular to engage visitors and raise funds.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
- Offering visitor amenities and accessibility servicesProvides a range of visitor services including daily stroller rentals ($7.50/day), free manual wheelchair rentals, motorized ScooterPal rentals ($5 activation + $0.35/min), snowshoe rentals ($4/hour), a designated snowshoe trail, a bounce pillow attraction ($5/12 minutes), and a concession stand (Polly’s) operating seasonally. Free parking is available in two on-site lots.
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Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
- Providing educational programming and animal encountersDelivers educational activities to tens of thousands annually through keeper talks, school programs, birthday parties with animal presentations, and ambassador animal experiences. Uses over 55 education animals in outreach efforts including Zoomobiles and classes, and offers specialized behind-the-scenes experiences such as feeding red pandas, gibbons, camels, goats, and participating in enrichment creation with African painted dogs.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Conducting exhibit development and facility improvementsEngages in ongoing construction and renovation of zoo facilities and animal habitats, including completion of a new visitor center (April 2023), otter habitat (June 2023), repurposed Pallas's cat habitat (May 2023), red fox upgrades (2022), and previous additions such as the White-Handed Gibbon Living Rainforest (2018) and Striped Hyena/Mexican Spider Monkey exhibit (2020).
- Operating public zoo for visitation and animal exhibitsOperates a public zoo on over 40 acres in Roscoe-Conkling Park, maintaining habitats for over 200 animals across 99 species. The zoo is open 363 days per year, closing only on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and features permanent and seasonal exhibits including river otters, white-handed gibbons, red pandas, African painted dogs, ostriches, and mountain zebras.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.69M
Contributions & grants$1.70M63%
Program service revenue$645K24%
Investment income$6910%
Other revenue$345K
expenses
Total expenses$3.05M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$1.85M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.57M
Cash$223K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.44M
Net assets$5.13M
Liquid reserves0.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -30.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 11
- ADAM MCLAIN PHD — DIRECTOR
- BEN SALTZMAN — DIRECTOR
- DAN BROCKWAY — DIRECTOR
- DON REESE — DIRECTOR
- DREW WARD — SECRETARY
- GREGORY ROGERS — DIRECTOR
- HEATHER SWEET — PRESIDENT
- JACK SPAETH — DIRECTOR
- JAMES VIGGIANO — EMERITUS MEMBER
- LANAE KLINGENSMITH — DIRECTOR
- SOLACE HUMMEL — TREASURER
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums Government — Accredited by the AZA
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums Network — Member organization that accredits the Utica Zoo, affirming its compliance with high standards in animal care, conservation, and education.
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums Network — Participates in the AZA Species Survival Plan and SAFE programs for species conservation.
- Dock Street Brewery Partner — Partner organization featured in gift card promotion materials
- ELM Environments Partner — Consulting firm hired to help create the Utica Zoo's 2016 master plan using the "return on exhibit" framework.
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Funder — Provided a grant through the Community Health Awards to fund the snowshoe equipment.
- First Source Federal Credit Union Partner — Sponsored the 2016 unveiling event of the Utica Zoo's master plan.
- Martha and Richard Widdicombe Funder — Provided a generous donation that financed the construction of the zoo's entrance sculpture.
- Metal Logix Partner — Local company that built the entrance sculpture for the Utica Zoo.
- Natural Heritage Trust Government — State agency providing annual operating grants to the Utica Zoo.
- Oneida County Partner — Collaborates to promote regional tourism through the distribution of a free Oneida County Destination Guide for visitors.
- Utica College Center for Historical Research Partner — Digitally archived the Utica Zoo's historical newsletters, news articles, and photos from the 1960s onward.
- Volgistics Partner — Uses Volgistics for volunteer management and profile login services.
strategies · 2
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Conservation Education Through Engaging Experiencesmethodology: conservation_education_modelBy combining conservation education with immersive and interactive experiences, the organization fosters deeper public connections to wildlife, increasing engagement and stewardship because experiential learning is more effective than passive instruction.
- Exhibit Prioritization for Conservation and Education Impactmethodology: return_on_exhibitBy using a "return on exhibit" framework to prioritize animal exhibits, the zoo maximizes conservation impact and educational value while maintaining operational sustainability, because strategic resource allocation enhances mission alignment.