Your support is needed to help the Dallas Zoo continue to develop and grow, provide a sanctuary for endangered animals, be a world leader in conservation and research, and offer the largest zoological experience in Texas!

The Development Department is happy to answer questions and assist you with your donation. Please call: 214-943-2771, ext. 320

Annual Fund
Private contributions to the annual fund help provide needed funding for daily operations, major exhibits and renovations, capital improvements, expanding the animal collection, and supporting quality education and wildlife conservation and research programs. Your contribution is fully tax-deductible.

Bequests and Wills
A bequest to the Dallas Zoological Society may allow you to make a significant gift that commemorates your lifetime. There are many ways to make a bequest including a specific dollar amount, property or percentage of your total estate. Naming the Dallas Zoological Society in your will may also save on inheritance and estate taxes while helping to assure the future of wildlife. For information, call 214-943-2771, ext. 320.

Eco-Cell Cell Phone Recycling
Help save gorilla habitat!  Recycle your old cell phones at the Dallas Zoo.

The Dallas Zoo is now recycling cell phones through a program called ECO-CELL. So, the next time you come to the zoo, bring all your old cell phones with you.  You can drop them off at collection boxes located in the Zoofari gift shop, the Gorilla Research Station or the Discovery House in the Lacerte Family Children’s Zoo.  For each phone recycled through ECO-CELL the Dallas Zoo receives a payment which is deposited in the Dallas Zoo’s conservation fund.

By recycling your old cell phone you’re not only keeping hazardous chemicals out of landfills, you’re also helping preserve gorilla habitat.  Coltan, a raw material essential in the manufacture of cell phones, is mined almost exclusively in the Congo—in the middle of endangered gorilla, elephant and okapi habitats. Mining results in a loss of habitat for these animals and many others.  By recycling and reusing old cell phones we are reducing the demand for new ones, which in turn reduces the need for coltan mining. Reducing the demand for coltan will help save endangered animals and their habitat.

Help the Dallas Zoo help the environment!

Foundation Gifts
The Dallas Zoological Society, a 501(c)3 organization, seeks to create and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships with corporations, foundations, family foundations and other philanthropic organizations interested in supporting projects and programs ranging from major capital projects to small equipment, in addition to local and global wildlife conservation efforts.

Gifts In-Kind
Donating valuable collections such as works of art, rare books, paintings or antiques during your lifetime can reduce taxable income in the year the gift is made and your taxable estate at death. Additionally, donors and corporate partners can enhance educational programs through in-kind gifts such as microscopes, computers, and equipment vital to state-of-the-art educational experiences. (All in-kind gifts are subject to review and acceptance by the Dallas Zoological Society and the Dallas Zoo.)

Gifts of Life Insurance
Naming the Dallas Zoological Society as the owner and/or beneficiary, or successor beneficiary of a life insurance policy permits a donor to make a substantial gift for a relatively modest annual outlay. Donating ownership of the policy to DZS allows a charitable income tax deduction for the present value or future premium payments. Naming the DZS a beneficiary of any monetary donation is deductible by the insured estate as a charitable contribution, thus reducing your estate tax. For more information, call: 214-943-2771, ext. 336.

Matching Gifts
Many corporations provide matching funds for gifts made to nonprofit organizations by their employees. Ask for a matching gifts form from your company's human resource department, fill out the pertinent information, and forward it to the Membership Department. We will confirm your gift and file the funding request with your company. These additional funds increase the value of your gift!

Memorial Gifts and Living Tributes
Gifts made in memory of or as living tributes to honor individuals and family help sustain a legacy enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people every year. There is no minimum dollar amount for the gift. When the gift is received, the Society sends an acknowledgement card to both the family and the contributor.

Zoo To Do
The Zoo’s annual fundraising gala is a fun way to show your support. The 2006 gala hosted about 650 guests and featured over 20 top restaurants, live entertainment and fabulous live and silent auctions - all in a casual outdoor setting. Patrons can participate by purchasing tickets or tables, or by event underwriting. For more information, please e-mail zootodo@dalzoo.org.