Connecting kids and animals, strengthening families, and inspiring people to care.
A one-time $3,000 scholarship for college-bound high school seniors pursuing animal-related careers shows how Fort Wayne Zoological Society Inc blends conservation giving with a local pipeline into animal stewardship. The scholarship program, established in 1992 in honor of Dr. Larry Ackerman, sits alongside grant support for wildlife organizations and conservation projects across the country. Recent awards include a $50,000 grant to Red Panda Network and repeated support for Lion Guardians, Turtle Survival Alliance, and World Parrot Trust, indicating sustained interest in species-focused work. The foundation also funds zoo-related and land-based conservation efforts. Recent recipients include Omaha Zoological Society, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Acres Land Trust, Little River Wetlands Project, and The Leatherback Trust. Its public summary points to a mix of education, conservation, animal care, community outreach, scholarships, and events or fundraising, with a philosophy that emphasizes programmatic support and project-based grants. That combination makes the funder relevant to researchers tracking both animal-focused education and conservation organizations serving wildlife and ecosystems.
In conservation programming, Fort Wayne Zoological Society Inc supported Red Panda Network with $50,000 in 2024 and $15,000 in 2023, then gave $8,271 in 2025 to Minnesota Zoo Foundation and $8,189 to Turtle Survival Alliance. Those awards suggest a recurring emphasis on species and biodiversity conservation. The foundation also backed organizations tied to zoo work and wildlife care. It gave $10,000 to Omaha Zoological Society and $10,000 to Pacific Marine Mammal Rescue Center in 2023, then $7,862 to Omaha Zoological Society and $6,306 to Nashville Zoo in 2025. Land and habitat work appears as well: Acres Land Trust received $8,840 in 2023, $7,500 in 2024, and $7,206 in 2025, while Little River Wetlands Project received $7,452 in 2025.
Typical grants cluster tightly around a $10,000 center point, with p25 at $8,755, median at $10,000, and p75 at $11,250. The recent record shows repeat awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including Red Panda Network, Lion Guardians, Turtle Survival Alliance, World Parrot Trust, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Acres Land Trust, Omaha Zoological Society, and Nashville Zoo. That pattern points to ongoing project-based support rather than one-off gifts. The foundation does not fund individuals, and the active scholarship program is a set $3,000 award separate from its conservation grants.
$96K
$40.1M
$18.2M
$18.1M
Most grants fall between $9K and $11K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$11K
About 17% of grants go to recipients in SC.
TOM ACKMANN
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Giving is national, and every recent grant in the dataset went to a U.S. recipient. Minnesota appears most often by recipient location, with Minnesota Zoo Foundation in Apple Valley receiving multiple grants. Other repeated recipient cities include Washington, DC; Travelers Rest, South Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. Indiana recipients account for 12% of grants, including Huntertown, Fort Wayne, and other nearby counties tied to the scholarship program.
Its recent grants go to conservation organizations, zoos, wildlife groups, and land trusts. Examples in the record include Red Panda Network, Lion Guardians, Turtle Survival Alliance, Omaha Zoological Society, Acres Land Trust, Little River Wetlands Project, and The Leatherback Trust.
Yes. The record shows multiple-year support for several organizations, including Red Panda Network, Lion Guardians, Turtle Survival Alliance, World Parrot Trust, Minnesota Zoo Foundation, Acres Land Trust, Omaha Zoological Society, and Nashville Zoo.
The grant-size distribution is tightly grouped around $10,000. The p25 is $8,755, the median is $10,000, and the p75 is $11,250.
Yes. The Lawrence A. Ackerman Scholarship is a one-time $3,000 award for college-bound high school seniors pursuing animal-related careers in Adams, Allen, and DeKalb counties in Indiana. The Zoo For All program provides free admission tickets to area nonprofits serving children and families facing barriers to visiting the zoo.
Its giving is national, but recipient locations cluster in Minnesota more than any other state. Indiana recipients account for 12% of grants, while the recent grants list also includes recipients in Washington, DC; South Carolina; Nebraska; California; Tennessee; Arizona; New York; Ohio; Florida; and Oregon.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Fort Wayne Zoological Society that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: School, PTC, nonprofit, or other community group working with children and families that may face barriers to visiting the zoo; organizations in the local service area.
Deadline: Applications for this year's grants will open on February 1 (annual cycle).
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION | APPLE VALLEY, MN | $8,271 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE | CHARLESTON, SC | $8,189 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| THE WILDS | POWELL, OH | $8,107 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| WCS GLOBAL RESOURCES | BRONX, NY | $8,107 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| OMAHA ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | OMAHA, NE | $7,862 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| GIRAFFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION - USA | ORLANDO, FL | $7,500 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| LION GUARDIANS | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,452 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| LITTLE RIVER WETLANDS PROJECT | FORT WAYNE, IN | $7,452 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| ACRES LAND TRUST | HUNTERTOWN, IN | $7,206 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| WORLD PARROT TRUST | TRAVELERS REST, SC | $7,125 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| THE LEATHERBACK TRUST | FORT WAYNE, IN | $7,125 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| NASHVILLE ZOO | NASHVILLE, TN | $6,306 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| PACIFIC MARINE ANIMAL | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $5,500 | 2025 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| RED PANDA NETWORK | EUGENE, OR | $50,000 | 2024 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| LION GUARDIANS | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| WORLD PARROT TRUST | TRAVELERS REST, SC | $8,500 | 2024 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE | CHARLESTON, SC | $7,500 | 2024 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| MINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION | APPLE VALLEY, MN | $7,500 | 2024 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| ACRES LAND TRUST | HUNTERTOWN, IN | $7,500 | 2024 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| TURTLE SURVIVAL ALLIANCE | CHARLESTON, SC | $15,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| RED PANDA NETWORK | EUGENE, OR | $15,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| LION GUARDIANS | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| MINNESOTA ZOO FOUNDATION | APPLE VALLEY, MN | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| SAHARA CONSERVATION FUND | MARINA, AZ | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| OMAHA ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | OMAHA, NE | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| WORLD PARROT TRUST | TRAVELERS REST, SC | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| NASHVILLE ZOO | NASHVILLE, TN | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE CENTER | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
| ACRES LAND TRUST | HUNTERTOWN, IN | $8,840 | 2023 | CONSERVATION PROGRAM |
LITTLE RIVER WETLANDS PROJECT
$7,452CONSERVATION PROGRAM
THE LEATHERBACK TRUST
$7,125CONSERVATION PROGRAM
RED PANDA NETWORK
$50,000CONSERVATION PROGRAM
RED PANDA NETWORK
$15,000CONSERVATION PROGRAM
SAHARA CONSERVATION FUND
$10,000CONSERVATION PROGRAM
