Your gifts benefit the Zoo by providing ongoing financial support that ensures the health and well-being of all the animals at the Zoo and provides for education and outreach, conservation, animal welfare programs, and capital improvement projects.
Financial support for Potter Park Zoo can be provided in a variety of ways. We invite you to review some of the many programs available — and remember that gifts of any size make a big difference. The Potter Park Zoological Society is a private, 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization that supports Potter Park Zoo. 38-2153808. On behalf of the animals who call Potter Park Zoo their home, thank you for your generous contribution to the Zoo!
Donations can be made online, by phone, or by mail.
To make a general donation online, please click the button below
Other Ways to Support the Zoo
Planned Giving
Including the Potter Park Zoological Society into your estate plan allows you to leave a legacy that helps ensure a positive and secure future for the zoo beyond your lifetime. Your gift will provide sustained funding for excellence in animal welfare, impactful conservation-education, valuing diversity, and inspiring conservation of animals and the natural world to all who visit. To learn more, visit here.
Employer Matching
Many companies support charitable giving by matching employee donations—are you making the most of this benefit to increase the impact of your contribution?
Donations are directed to the zoo’s general fund, allowing us to allocate resources where they are needed most. If you’d like your gift to support a specific area of the zoo, please contact us with your preferences. If your employer offers a matching gift program but the zoo isn’t currently included, let us know! We’d be happy to collaborate with your company to become an eligible organization.
Requesting a Matching Gift is Simple
1. Check with HR – Start by contacting your Human Resources department to confirm if you’re eligible and to learn about your employer’s matching gift process.
2. Complete the Requirements – Follow your employer’s steps, which may include filling out a matching gift form or submitting details through an online portal.
3. We’ll Handle the Rest – Once the Potter Park Zoological Society has verified receipt of your gift, your employer will initiate their match.
You may need the following information for your request:
EIN: 38-2153808
Address: 1301 S Pennsylvania Ave Lansing, MI 48912
Contact info: amorris@ingham.org
Donate Fresh Browse and Help Feed the Animals
Every day Potter Park Zoo feeds browse (non-toxic branches and leaves from specific species of trees and shrubs) to many of our animals – including the rhinos, bongo, lemurs and many birds.
By feeding browse, the animals can mimic natural foraging behaviors – such as nibbling leaves, stripping bark, and chewing on stems. Click here to learn all about our Fresh Browse Donation Program!
Help Enrich and Care for Animals by Donating Items from our Wish Lists
Help purchase special enrichment items for the zoo’s animals from our Otto Environmental Wish List.
You can also purchase an item for our animals and staff on our Amazon Wish List.
Participate in our “Adopt an Animal” Program!
Do you have a favorite furry, feathered or scaly friend at the zoo? Adopt it! You can make a very special donation to the zoo by adopting one of our animals for yourself or as a gift to a friend or loved one.
