SUPPORT YOUR ZOO

You make our mission possible

AREAS YOU CAN SUPPORT

A group of children and adults, most wearing matching yellow shirts, play and walk on a wooden boardwalk surrounded by trees and rocky cliffs on a bright day. One child in front is jumping enthusiastically.

Animal Care

Woodland Park Zoo is a premier facility for providing exceptional care for its animals as well as pioneering new procedures and techniques for animal care in zoos throughout the world.

Two children sitting on a rock, watching a peacock display its colorful, fanned tail feathers. The children are seen from behind, wearing bright clothing, and the scene is outdoors.

Education

Education is the key to promoting our mission of conserving animals and habitat. Our innovative and far-reaching programs teach toddlers through adults how nature can be an inspirational springboard for conservation action.

A group of boys gather around a smiling man who is teaching them about soil and plants, with their hands in a clear bin of dirt, outdoors under the shade of trees.

Conservation

Our Field Conservation projects, 38 projects in more than 50 countries, target and reward effective programs that preserve species, protect habitat and build capacity within the areas, and among the people, who are most able to create direct action.

Every day Woodland Park Zoo saves animals and creates lifelong memories that inspire people to conserve the natural world. Every gift of time or money, large or small, helps the zoo build a better community — your community. Thank you for investing in a more sustainable future for wildlife.

DONATE NOW

Additional Ways to Give

Wild at Heart

Invest in the future of conservation and get to know the zoo in intimate ways. Wild at Heart donors are the lifeblood of our work, helping us to create a sustainable future for people and wildlife.

Become Wild at Heart

Become a Member

Enjoy unlimited free admission, fantastic benefits and help save wildlife.

Become a Member

Give Monthly

Every day, 24/7, 365 days a year – animals around the world need our care and protection. Become a monthly donor and give them reliable, consistent support to thrive.

Give Monthly

Planned Giving

Make a lasting impact. Legacy gifts help build Woodland Park Zoo’s endowment, providing resources in perpetuity to inspire people of all ages to learn, care and act on behalf of wildlife for many years to come.

Leave a Legacy

Matching Gifts

Amplify your gift with matching funds to make an even bigger difference for wildlife. To see if your employer will match your gift, please click on the button.

Match Your Gift

ZooFriends

Provide stable support to the zoo with monthly or quarterly gifts. Select the “recurring gift” option on the donation form or contact donations@zoo.org.

Donate Now

SUPPORT YOUR ZOO FAQ

Answers to all your questions about supporting the zoo

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There are many ways to make a gift to Woodland Park Zoo.

  • Click here to make a donation online
  • Mail your gift to Woodland Park Zoo, Attention Donations, 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103
  • Contact us to make a stock transfer or in-kind gift: 206.548.2491 or donations@zoo.org

Gifts fund mission based programs that help save animals and their habitats in the Pacific Northwest and around the world, as well as create new visitor experiences, world-class animal care advancements and STEM education leadership programs for underserved youth. Additionally, gift funds help maintain zoo facilities and our acres of botanical gardens. Gifts are directed to the areas of greatest need unless specified otherwise by our donors.

Woodland Park Zoo is a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, #91-6070005, registered in Washington state. The amount of your charitable contribution for income tax purposes is the amount given less the fair market value of benefits you receive, whether used or not. Please consult with your tax advisor to determine the potential deductibility of your gift.

Wild at Heart

Donors who give $1,000 or more annually join our Wild at Heart donor pack and enjoy benefits, some of which have a fair market value. You can choose to waive these benefits to allow the entire gift amount to be eligible for a tax deduction. To do this, please contact us at donations@zoo.org or call 206.548.2491.

The 2025 fair market value of Wild at Heart benefits is $375.00.
The 2024 fair market value of Wild at Heart benefits is $360.00.
The 2023 fair market value of Wild at Heart benefits is $350.00.
The 2022 fair market value of Wild at Heart benefits is $325.00.
The 2021 fair market value of Wild at Heart benefits is $300.00.
The 2017 – 20 fair market value of Wild at Heart benefits is $295.00.
The 2015 – 16 fair market value of Wild at Heart benefits is $261.80.

Jungle Party

All Jungle Party tickets, merchandise, item purchases and sponsorships have a fair market value. The amount of your charitable contribution for income tax purposes is the amount given less the fair market value of benefits you receive, whether used or not. Please contact us at donations@zoo.org for details about the value of your benefits.  

The fair market value of standard benefits are listed below.

LevelAmount  Fair market value 2025  Fair market value 2024
Reception ticket$150.00$65.00$65.00
General dinner ticket$500.00$294.00$150.00
General dinner table (10 seats)$5,000.00$2,940.00$1,500.00
Patron dinner ticket$750.00$301.00$290.00
Patron table (10 seats)$7,500.00$3,010.00$2,150.00
SponsorshipVariesSee receiptSee receipt
Various merchandise items$50.00-250.00Purchase pricePurchase price
Auction item purchasePurchase priceSee receiptSee receipt
ZooParent

A ZooParent adoption is eligible for a charitable deduction. The amount of your gift that is deductible for federal income tax purposes is the amount given less the fair market value of benefits you receive, whether used or not. IRS rules allow taxpayers to claim charitable deductions if the benefits received are considered token items. The fair market value of benefits received for each ZooParent adoption level is listed below.  Please contact ZooParent@zoo.org for details about the value of your benefits. 

LevelAmountFair market value 2025Fair market value 2024Fair market value 2023Fair market value 2022
Lead Keeper$100.00$69.90$60.90$58.00$52.50
Senior Keeper$250.00$79.90$70.90$68.00$62.50
Associate Curator$500.00$159.80$136.80$476.00$440.00
Curator$1,000.00n/a$491.80$476.00$440.00
Special$69.00$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Digital Adoptions$40.00$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Group AdoptionsVariesn/an/an/aSee receipt
Membership

Woodland Park Zoo is a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, #91-6070005, registered in Washington state. The amount of your charitable contribution for income tax purposes is the amount given less the fair market value of benefits you receive, whether used or not. Woodland Park Zoo determines the benefit of unlimited entry to the zoo to be the full cost of the membership. However, IRS rules allow taxpayers to claim a charitable deduction only if the total membership fees paid is $75.00 or less. Please consult with your advisor to determine the potential deductibility of your membership.

Corporate Membership

A corporate membership is eligible for a charitable deduction. The amount of your charitable contribution for income tax purposes is the amount given less the fair market value of benefits you receive, whether used or not. The fair market value of benefits received for each Corporate Membership is listed below.  Please contact membership@zoo.org for details about the value of your benefits. 

LevelAmountFair market value 2025Fair market value 2024Fair market value 2023Fair market value 2022Fair market value 2021Fair market value 2020
Associate$1,000.00$578.75.00$522.25$495.00$401.25$378.75$348.75
Partner$1,500.00$1,157.50$1,044.50$990.00$802.50$757.50$697.50
Benefactor$2,500.00$2,111.25$1,926.75$1,835.00$1,528.75$1,431.25$1,341.25
Ambassador$5,000.00$3,065.00$2,809.00$2,320.00$2,225.00$2,105.00$1,985.00

Many local companies match their employees’ donations. Look up your company and see if you can double your support, or ask your HR department for more information. Then just fill out the online matching gift request or turn in your matching gift form to your employer to get the match!

Look up your company

A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is a philanthropic vehicle established at a public charity. It allows a donor to make a charitable contribution to that public charity and be eligible for an immediate tax deduction, then recommend grants to qualified charitable organizations over time.

Since the initial contribution to the DAF is eligible for tax deduction, the donor cannot receive any goods or services from Woodland Park Zoo. Event tickets, table sponsorships and zoo memberships are not eligible for DAF grants because they contain benefits that are not tax deductible.

Also, a DAF cannot be used to pay a personal pledge made by the donor. If you plan to make grant recommendation from a DAF, please contact Sarah Valentine to make a non-binding gift agreement instead of a personal pledge.

Donors who give through a private foundation, donor-advised fund, United Way, Benevity and other similar organizations cannot receive any goods or services from Woodland Park Zoo because the initial contribution is eligible for a tax deduction. Event tickets, table sponsorships and zoo memberships are not eligible for directed gifts because they contain benefits that are not tax deductible.

Many employers have moved to utilizing Benevity, a company that facilitates workplace giving and matching gift campaigns and is also a donor-advised fund. Check with your employer to confirm if they are using the Benevity platform.

Wills, trusts and inclusion as a beneficiary in estate plans are all types of planned gifts that help preserve the future of the zoo and ensure your legacy. Learn more.

Businesses and other organizations can get involved with the zoo by sponsoring Jungle Party or a marketing promotion, becoming a corporate member, hosting an event at the zoo or through corporate philanthropy. Contact Susan Bell to learn more.

Woodland Park Zoo recognizes the importance of protecting the privacy of the individuals and organizations maintained in our database. You can view our full privacy statement here.

Yes, to ensure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, Woodland Park Zoo joins many other fundraising organizations in declaring that all donors have the following rights. Read more.

FUNDRAISING CONTACTS

Chief Development Officer
Sarah Valentine, CFRE
206.548.2624

Director of Individual Giving
Christa Farmer
206.548.2621

General Donation Inquiry
Hattie Potter
206.548.2491

Corporate Contacts
Susan Bell
206.548.2439

Events
Madeleine Harris
206.548.2422

Jungle Party
Frances Dinger
206.548.2401

Senior Major Gift Officer
Laura Baumwall
206.548.2444

Major Gift Officer
Elizabeth Larson
206.548.2535

Philanthropy Officer
Sabrina Heise
206.639.7853

Philanthropy Officer
Rebecca Pehle
206.549.7054

Planned Giving Officer
Alex Kerl
206.677.3479

ZooParent Adoption Program
ZooParent customer service
206.548.2493

Make a donation online

Donations may also be mailed to WPZ at 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103

Woodland Park Zoo has adopted and complies with the Donor Bill of Rights. View our Privacy Policy.