Annual Fund
The Annual Fund is a critical source of funding the zoo uses wherever it is needed most. Your gift allows us implement best practices in animal husbandry and veterinary care, and helps us inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature.
The Chicago Zoological Society can accept donations through PayPal. If you would like to donate via PayPal, please click here. Please note, you will be taken off the website managed by the Chicago Zoological Society to the charity page for the Society on the PayPal website. When donating, you have the option to make your donation anonymous. We would prefer you do not, so we can properly thank you for your gift. Also, anonymous donations will not be considered if you are attempting to attain an Elite Status. If you have any specifics around the gift you make via PayPal (i.e. honor or memorial gift, or a gift to a specific fund), please contact us at SafariCircle@CZS.org or 708-688-8560.
General guidelines for non-cash donations
For electronics to generally be accepted, the value of the electronic item typically must have a fair market value greater than the cost of shipping the item to the donation facility.
The Chicago Zoological Society will from time to time accept donations of animals from the public, however, the Society does not accept domestic animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, ferrets, cats, dogs, parakeets, and farm animals. Other animal such as captive bred reptiles, exotic birds and mammals may be accepted only on a limited case by case basis.
The Society will not accept wild native species, those possessing such animals should contact your nearest rehabilitation organization or the Illinois Department of Natural Resources who can provide information on the location of rehabilitation organizations.
Annual Fund
YOU are instrumental in making Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Zoological Society, a world-class institution. We share your passion for animals by caring for exotic and endangered species from around the globe. Being a nonprofit organization, we rely on contributions from dedicated partners like you.
The animals at Brookfield Zoo are ambassadors to those in the wild. Through care and breeding and, in some cases, reintroduction to their natural habitat, we replenish nature many times over, and you can be a part of that. The Chicago Zoological Society is proud to tell their story here at Brookfield Zoo.
This day-to-day animal care is only possible through your continuous support, regardless of the amount. We at the Chicago Zoological Society are proud to serve as a model to other zoos and aquariums on conservation and animal welfare issues, as can be seen here at Brookfield Zoo. Our exhibits are the result of rigorous research and development of rich environments best suited for the animals.
A gift of $100, $50, or even $25 can make an impact on the daily lives of our animals – for example:
A $25 donation can…
Feed a grizzly bear for a day
Feed a lemur for a month
Provide a set of vaccinations for a newborn animal
A $50 donation can…
Cover the cost of vaccinating our seals from West Nile virus
Purchase a device called a spool, which is a small puzzle to hide food in, providing hours of enrichment for our otters, birds, and meerkats
A $150 donation can…
Feed one of our bison for a month
Provide cold and flu vaccinations for our primate collection
A $250 donation can…
Feed a black rhino for four months
Feed a tamandua for a year
We thank you for your generosity and continued partnership with us!
For more information about the Chicago Zoological Society’s Annual Fund, please call
(708) 688-8667.
If you would prefer to send in a donation by mail please send to:
Chicago Zoological Society
Brookfield Zoo
3300 Golf Road
Brookfield, IL 60513