About Zoo Miami Foundation
The Zoo Miami Foundation fosters community pride and involvement with Zoo Miami and secures financial support to save wildlife, support conservation research, and educate future generations.
Focus Areas
wildlife conservationconservation researchenvironmental educationspecies recoveryhabitat restoration
Who They Fund
endangered and threatened wildlife specieswildlife rehabilitation centers and programson-the-ground conservation teams and practitionersresearch institutions and scientists involved in species monitoringconservation coalitions and conference organizers
Funding Style
direct conservation implementation
About Zoo Miami Foundation
A $100,000 grant to the Wildlife Conservation Society for protection of the Sumatran tiger is the clearest signal in Zoo Miami Foundation Inc’s recent giving: this is a conservation funder that backs species-specific work alongside education, research, and habitat support. The foundation’s largest recent awards also include $40,000 to Audubon Florida for ongoing conservation work and a swamp buggy purchase, and $32,451 to Florida International University Board of Trustees for an agreement tied to the Tortoise Project. Those grants point to a mix of direct wildlife protection, field capability, and research partnerships. Zoo Miami Foundation Inc also supports rehabilitation and species recovery. Recent examples include $27,154 to Pelican Harbor Seabird Station for its rehab and release program, $15,000 to Save the Manatee Club for operational costs linked to monitoring rehab manatees, and $6,985 to Cheetah Conservation Fund for cheetah conservation. The foundation’s portfolio includes scholarships, conservation endowments, and event support, showing a broad but still conservation-centered approach. Across the recent grants list, it appears to fund both named projects and general program or operating needs when they advance wildlife outcomes.
What Zoo Miami Foundation Funds
Wading bird conservation is one defined line of work. Zoo Miami Foundation Inc operates the James A. Kushlan Wading Bird Research & Conservation Fund, and its grantmaking includes support for conservation, research, and management actions for wading birds and their habitats. That emphasis fits a broader pattern of field-based species work. The foundation also funds species-focused conservation beyond birds. It gave $9,300 to International Iguana Foundation for iguana research and conservation and $32,451 to Florida International University Board of Trustees for a tortoise project. A separate grant of $100,000 to Wildlife Conservation Society supported protection of the Sumatran tiger. Education and public engagement are another thread. Zoo Miami Foundation Inc awarded $25,000 to Florida International University Foundation for title sponsorship of An Evening with Jane Goodall, and it maintains scholarship programs such as the UF Ron Magill Scholarship and Ron Magill Conservation Scholarship.
How Zoo Miami Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster in the low five figures: p25 is $7,297, the median is $9,650, and p75 is $22,500. That makes the $100,000 tiger grant an outlier above the core pattern. The recent record shows both one-time project support and repeated funding themes, especially around conservation, research, and species recovery. The foundation also makes direct program support, operating support, sponsorships, and equipment-related awards. Its portfolio includes active grant programs, scholarships, and named endowments, and some programs accept unsolicited proposals while others use published guidelines or are non-open to unsolicited requests.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$345K
Total Assets
$36.4M
Total Revenue
$7.9M
Total Expenses
$7.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $7K and $23K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$23K
Geographic Reach
Regional7 states funded
About 53% of grants go to recipients in FL.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Jose Romano
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