ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY ZOO INC
Learn how to support this organization
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Community Access Programs
Zoo Atlanta is a community resource and being accessible to all citizens is an integral part of the Zoo's mission. As a dynamic contributor to the cultural landscape of Atlanta, Zoo Atlanta maintains several key community access programs and partnerships to ensure all Georgia community members can enjoy the Zoo. During the 2022-2023 school year, the Sponsored Admissions Program provided free admission for 17,358 students from 178 Title I schools in Georgia. In 2023, the Zoo ACCESS Program distributed free admission tickets to 3,710 disadvantaged Georgians through partnerships with local government agencies and community organizations. Partnering with the Georgia Public Library Service, the Zoo offered free admission through the Library Pass Program presented by PNC Bank and served 35,624 Georgia residents. In 2023, 13,801 active-duty, reserves, veterans, and retired members of the Armed Forces received free admission.
Education Programs
The Zoo creates fun and engaging experiences to connect visitors to wildlife, provide and support curricula to improve students' understanding of the natural world, and empower individuals to take action. In 2023, Zoo Atlanta education programs served 877,365 individuals through public programs on Zoo grounds, 106,004 through instructor-led programs, and 2,960 through offsite instruction programs. Zoo Atlanta helps students master the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. The Zoo Education team works closely with the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia Public Library Service, and school systems throughout the state to design programming to serve the community and support all state education standards. Examples of unique Zoo Atlanta education programs include ZooMobile Outreach, Safari Day Camps, Stroller and Adventure Cubs Programs, Teacher Training Workshops, Wild Encounters, Keeper for a Day, and NightCrawlers Overnight Program.
Conservation Programs
Zoo Atlanta guides conservation action, both locally and globally, using its expertise and position within the community. The Zoo is directly involved in field work, community outreach, research, and education programs worldwide, including in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, as well as locally in Georgia and the Southeastern U.S. The Zoo also contributes to other established conservation for greater total impact in the field. The Mabel Dorn Reeder Conservation Endowment Fund allows Zoo Atlanta to support conservation to reverse species decline. Significantly, Zoo Atlanta has contributed more than $10 million for the conservation of wild giant pandas in China. Examples of current conservation projects include Conservation South Luangwa, Quarters for Conservation, 96 Elephants, Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Project, Chilean Flamingo Banding Project, Asian Turtle Crisis, Guatemalan Beaded Lizards Conservation Project, Bog Restoration in Georgia, and Species Survival Plans.
Research Programs
Research is another integral part of Zoo Atlanta’s mission, and the Zoo contributes to the body of scientific knowledge by using the diversity of its animal populations and the expertise of its staff. The Zoo has more than 410 peer-reviewed publications, with an emphasis on primates, giant pandas and herpetology, focusing on animal biology, behavior, cognition and conservation. Not only does research help staff better understand and care for the animals at the Zoo, but it also provides staff with valuable insights that enables the protection of species’ counterparts in the wild. Experts at Zoo Atlanta participate in ongoing research programs in Georgia and around the world. A few examples of current research projects include the Great Ape Heart Project, Giant Panda Research, Kori Bustard Ethotrak Project and the Orangutan Learning Tree Project.
Where we work
Awards
Atlanta's Most Admired Nonprofit CEO 2014
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Atlanta's Most Admired Nonprofit CEO 2015
Atlanta Business Chronicle
World's First LEED Gold-Certified amphibian and reptile exhibit 2015
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council
Atlanta's Most Admired Nonprofit CEO 2016
Atlanta Business Chronicle
International Conservation Award 2017
Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA)
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of fields trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Education Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of free admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Community Access Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of clients participating in educational programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Students
Related Program
Education Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Education Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of guests who visited Zoo Atlanta
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of species in collection
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Conservation Programs
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planHow we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY ZOO INC
Board of directorsas of 02/08/2024
Mr. R. Scott Taylor, Jr.
Carter & Associates
Term: 2021 - 2024
Bill Cary
Georgia Division of Investment Services
James Cheeks
Fortas Homes and Fortas Realty
Tye Darland
Georgia-Pacific
Cindy Davis
Greenberg Traurig
Mike Dickerson
ClickDimensions
Andrew W. Evans
Southern Company
Nick Franz
Ernst & Young LLP
Kathleen Goddard
Community Leader
Dr. Duane Jackson
Morehouse College
Sonji Jacobs
Advisor/Consultant
Beth Kytle Chandler
Cresset
Lisa Laube
Floor & Decor
Nathan Lewis
Security Capital Brokerage, Inc.
William Nemetz
Primerica, Inc.
Deepak Raghavan
Manhattan Associates/Georgia State University
Mark Roberts
Bentley Holdings
Gigi Rouland
Community Leader
Matthew Simon-Schumann
Community Leader
R. Scott Taylor, Jr.
Carter & Associates
Tim Wilkerson
The Home Depot
Todd Ellis
KPMG
Fran Forehand
Georgia Power
Jerry Gahlhoff
Rollins, Inc.
Robert Holder
Holder Properties
Suzanne Mitchell
SynergyGPS, LLC
David Moody
Moody Construction
Sunny Park
Global Sun Investments, Inc.
Mary Clancy Peak
Chick-fil-A
M. Caroline Reddington
PNC
DeRetta Cole Rhodes, PhD
Atlanta Braves
Carli Huband
Aprio
Jewelle Johnson
Graphic Packaging
Kim Lyman
Norfolk Southern
Vijay Pinto
Deloitte
Sarah Greenberg Sachs
The Coca-Cola Company
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/29/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.