Connecting, Caring, Advocating for Wildlife, People, and Wild Places.
Tulsa Zoo Management Inc. centers its giving on support for the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum, with three of the largest recent grants all going to the City of Tulsa’s zoo operation. Those awards total more than $10 million across 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing a steady pattern of institutional support rather than one-off project funding. The foundation’s work connects closely to its own zoo mission, which emphasizes wildlife, people, and wild places, and its stated focus areas include wildlife conservation, animal welfare and husbandry, environmental education, scientific research, community programming and events, and planned giving or legacy gifts. Beyond operating support, the organization also runs two active grant programs: one that provides gate admission tickets to nonprofit organizations for fundraising, and another that supports conservation projects through partnerships and field work. Together, those activities show a funder that combines local institutional backing with direct conservation and community-oriented support.
The foundation’s giving aligns closely with zoo operations and animal care. In 2024, it awarded $6,214,526 to City of Tulsa - Tulsa Zoo for support for the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum, and made another large award in 2023 for the same purpose. Its broader taxonomy also points to living museum exhibits and interpretation, public visitor engagement, and cultural-institution support. Conservation is another clear thread. Tulsa Zoo Management Inc. has an active Conservation Project Support program that funds species conservation, scientific advancement, and field projects, with examples that include Asian songbirds, Asian elephants, rhino, snow leopards, and penguins. Environmental education and community programming also appear in the stated focus areas, linking animal care and conservation work to public learning.
Typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $3,368,109, the median is $4,316,914, and the 75th percentile is $5,265,720. The recent record shows recurring support rather than isolated awards, with the same Tulsa recipient appearing in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation does not make grants to individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its program structure includes both direct conservation funding partnerships and an in-kind ticket donation program for nonprofit fundraising. The ticket program accepts unsolicited requests, while conservation partnerships are pursued through the zoo’s own project framework.
$1.4M
$38.5M
$22.8M
$18.4M
Most grants fall between $3.4M and $5.3M, with a median of $4.3M.
25th Percentile
$3.4M
Median
$4.3M
75th Percentile
$5.3M
LINDSAY HUTCHISON
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Giving is local and entirely concentrated in Oklahoma, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and Oklahoma also ranking first by grant count. The recent grant list places the awards in Tulsa, OK, all tied to the City of Tulsa - Tulsa Zoo. Outside that local pattern, the conservation program is global in scope and includes international field partnerships, but the grant data provided here shows U.S. recipients only.
Its stated focus areas include wildlife conservation, animal welfare and husbandry, environmental education, scientific research, community programming and events, and planned giving or legacy gifts. The recent grants also show repeated support for the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum.
Yes. The active Conservation Project Support program funds conservation projects around the globe and partners on species conservation, scientific advancement, habitat protection, and field conservation work. The examples named include Asian songbirds, Asian elephants, rhino, snow leopards, and penguins.
Typical grants are in the millions. The 25th percentile is $3,368,109, the median is $4,316,914, and the 75th percentile is $5,265,720.
Yes, for gate admission tickets used in nonprofit fundraising such as auctions and raffles. The zoo accepts unsolicited requests for that in-kind program, which is limited to gate admission tickets rather than memberships or cash donations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Tulsa Zoo Management that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations requesting gate admission tickets for fundraising purposes (auctions, raffles). Organizations perceived to have political ties may be denied. The zoo does not provide memberships or cash donations.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY OF TULSA - TULSA ZOO | TULSA, OK | $1,439,623 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE TULSA ZOO AND LIVING MUSEUM |
| CITY OF TULSA - TULSA ZOO | TULSA, OK | $6,214,526 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR THE TULSA ZOO AND LIVING MUSEUM |
| CITY OF TULSA - TULSA ZOO | TULSA, OK | $2,419,303 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR THE TULSA ZOO AND LIVING MUSEUM |
CITY OF TULSA - TULSA ZOO
$1,439,623SUPPORT FOR THE TULSA ZOO AND LIVING MUSEUM
CITY OF TULSA - TULSA ZOO
$6,214,526SUPPORT FOR THE TULSA ZOO AND LIVING MUSEUM
CITY OF TULSA - TULSA ZOO
$2,419,303SUPPORT FOR THE TULSA ZOO AND LIVING MUSEUM
