The mission of The American Association of Zoo Keepers is to advance excellence in the animal keeping profession, foster effective communication beneficial to animal care, support deserving conservation projects, and promote the preservation of our natural resources and animal life.
The American Association of Zoo Keepers channels much of its giving into conservation work tied to rhinos and other wildlife, with repeated support to the International Rhino Foundation and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy across multiple years. Those grants sit alongside smaller awards to groups working on cheetahs, red pandas, and zoo-keeper-led conservation efforts, showing a pattern that combines species conservation with practitioner support. The foundation’s recent record includes both large project grants and smaller operationally focused awards. Its typical grant size centers at a median of $130,207, but the distribution also includes lower-dollar grants under $10,000. That spread suggests a mix of major conservation commitments and targeted support for specific projects or chapters. The grants also point to a strong preference for recurring relationships. International Rhino Foundation appears in three recent years, and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy appears in three recent years as well. AAZK’s giving is aligned with its mission to advance animal keeping, support conservation projects, and promote preservation of natural resources and animal life.
Rhino conservation is a clear throughline in the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $155,848 to International Rhino Foundation in 2024, and the same grantee received $136,957 in 2023 and $136,799 in 2025, all marked for conservation. Big-cat conservation also appears in the record. Action for Cheetahs in Kenya received $25,040 in 2024, $24,348 in 2023, and $24,320 in 2025, again for conservation. The portfolio also includes other wildlife-focused work. Red Panda Network received $9,498 in 2023 for conservation, while Zoo Outreach Organization USA received $9,279 in 2025 for conservation. AAZK’s grants therefore support multiple species and conservation programs rather than a single project type.
Typical grant size is shaped by a wide spread: p25 is $24,694, median is $130,207, and p75 is $135,528. The pattern shows a cluster of large awards near the upper end, with a smaller set of grants around the mid-$20,000 range and below. Recent grants also show repeat funding to the same organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is a public charity and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Several of its named grant programs allow unsolicited applications, including restoration, research, professional development, and conference-related grants.
$324K
$678K
$634K
$633K
Most grants fall between $25K and $136K, with a median of $130K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$130K
75th Percentile
$136K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MI.
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AAZK gives nationally, and every recent grant in the sample went to a U.S. recipient. The most frequent recipient location is New York, which appears with Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in New York, NY. Other repeated recipient cities include Fort Worth, TX, for International Rhino Foundation and Hudsonville, MI, for Action for Cheetahs in Kenya. Smaller recent grants also reached Eugene, OR, High Springs, FL, and Omaha, NE. No recent grants in the sample went to recipients in Arizona.
Its grants support conservation projects, rhino habitat protection, reforestation and climate mitigation, zookeeper professional development, non-invasive research, education, and capacity building. The recent grant list also shows awards marked for conservation across multiple wildlife groups and conservation organizations.
The grant-size distribution is centered at a median of $130,207, with p25 at $24,694 and p75 at $135,528. That indicates a mix of mid-size and larger project grants, plus some smaller awards below the 25th percentile.
Yes. The grant program descriptions include international geography for several programs, including wildlife conservation, restoration, research, and professional development. The recipient data provided here shows U.S. organizations, but the programs themselves are described as open to international applicants in several cases.
Yes. It has a Professional Development Grant for AAZK members to help with costs for conferences, workshops, and field research, and a National Conference — Professional Member Grant for conference attendance. The mission statement also emphasizes advancing excellence in the animal keeping profession.
The recent record shows recurring support. International Rhino Foundation appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy also appears in all three years. Action for Cheetahs in Kenya appears in each of those years as well.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from American Association of Zoo Keepers that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants must be employees of a facility that is an AAZK Institutional Member and must conduct non-invasive research. The principal investigator for AAZK-funded studies must be a keeper or aquarist. Invasive biological studies and studies causing undue or prolonged animal discomfort or harm are not eligible.
Deadline: Not specified in the provided content
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEWA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $147,692 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION | FORT WORTH, TX | $136,799 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| ACTION FOR CHEETAHS IN KENYA | HUDSONVILLE, MI | $24,320 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| ZOO OUTREACH ORGANIZATION USA | HIGH SPRINGS, FL | $9,279 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| AAZK OMAHA CHAPTER | OMAHA, NE | $6,260 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION | FORT WORTH, TX | $155,848 | 2024 | CONSERVATION |
| LEWA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $134,098 | 2024 | CONSERVATION |
| ACTION FOR CHEETAHS IN KENYA | HUDSONVILLE, MI | $25,040 | 2024 | CONSERVATION |
| INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION | FORT WORTH, TX | $136,957 | 2023 | CONSERVATION |
| LEWA WILDLIFE CONSERVANCY | NEW YORK, NY | $130,207 | 2023 | CONSERVATION |
| ACTION FOR CHEETAHS IN KENYA | HUDSONVILLE, MI | $24,348 | 2023 | CONSERVATION |
| RED PANDA NETWORK | EUGENE, OR | $9,498 | 2023 | CONSERVATION |
INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION
$136,799CONSERVATION
ACTION FOR CHEETAHS IN KENYA
$24,320CONSERVATION
ZOO OUTREACH ORGANIZATION USA
$9,279CONSERVATION
INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION
$155,848CONSERVATION
ACTION FOR CHEETAHS IN KENYA
$25,040CONSERVATION
INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION
$136,957CONSERVATION
ACTION FOR CHEETAHS IN KENYA
$24,348CONSERVATION
RED PANDA NETWORK
$9,498CONSERVATION
