Chester Zoo
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Chester Zoo's giving is aimed at conservation, so your work should fall within field conservation, zoo conservation or conservation research and connect to its Conservation Plan.
- It makes institutional grants on a partnership basis, co-developing projects with like-minded organisations rather than giving one-off grants, so a small charity is best off opening a conversation first and showing how its work could form part of a joint project.
- Its annual giving is around £615,000 according to the annual report, and it prioritises projects with significant positive conservation impact, so your request should set out expected conservation outcomes, qualified project personnel and benefits to local communities.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis using its standard grant application forms and are reviewed against standardised criteria, so there is no deadline to meet, but the process is relationship-led.
- Its published material does not give a typical size of grant, so ask before setting a figure, and charities without a conservation focus are unlikely to fit.
Overview
Chester Zoo is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 306077).
Chester Zoo is a charity whose purposes include promoting the conservation of the physical and natural environment through biodiversity, and advancing public education on conservation, including the maintenance of endangered animals, plants and habitats. The zoo was founded by the Mottershead family and welcomed its first visitors on 10 June. It works in partnership with like-minded organisations rather than giving one-off grants, and its annual giving is around £615,000 according to the annual report. Its giving is organised under three themes: field conservation, zoo conservation and conservation research.
What they fund
Profile based on the charity's Charity Commission register entry and annual report (year to 31 December 2024) only. Every statement is checked against them. Sources read on 30 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Society makes institutional grants for field and zoo conservation and research. It works in partnership with like-minded organisations, co-developing projects in line with its mission and Conservation Plan rather than providing one-off grants. It assesses projects against standardised criteria including alignment with the Conservation Plan, feasibility, expected conservation outcomes, qualified project personnel, capacity building, community benefits, and relevance to conservation initiatives and regions where the zoo already has field conservation work. It primarily supports projects judged to have potential for significant positive conservation impact and contribution to one or more Conservation Plan targets. Opportunities for technical support from zoo employees are also considered.
Themes
- Field conservation
- Zoo conservation
- Conservation research
How to apply
Applications are made on the standard grant application forms and reviewed internally against standardised criteria before a funding decision is made.
What to send:
- Standard grant application forms
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Projects should align with the Chester Zoo Conservation Plan.
- Projects should be feasible and have expected conservation outcomes.
- Project personnel should be qualified.
- Projects should support capacity building and benefit local communities.
- Projects should be relevant to the zoo’s conservation initiatives and to regions or countries where it already has a field conservation focus.
- Projects should link to species in the collection plan and offer opportunities for technical support from zoo employees.
- The Society prioritises projects with significant positive conservation impact that contribute to one or more Conservation Plan targets.
- Projects are co-developed in partnership with like-minded organisations.
Where they fund
Registered area of operation (Charity Commission)
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Chester Zoo.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2020 | £36,095,000 | £36,006,000 | £609,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2020 |
| year to 31 December 2021 | £45,226,000 | £44,280,000 | £858,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £50,680,000 | £49,248,000 | £858,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £57,388,000 | £57,711,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £63,134,000 | £60,920,000 | £615,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 4 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2020; year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2024: grants awarded in the year, as reported in the accounts.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- chesterzoo.org
- chesterzoo.org/support-our-charity/trusts-foundations · read on 30 October 2026
- chesterzoo.org/footer/about-chester-zoo · read on 30 October 2026
- chesterzoo.org/footer/contact-us · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2024)
This profile rests on the charity’s filed accounts and register entry only, so check with the funder directly before applying.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to Chester Zoo?
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Applying to Chester Zoo?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required