Donate

Help Support the Zoo

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 an online donation, please click the Donate button below.
To make a secured donation by phone, please call the Development Department at (517)244-8042.
To make a donation by mail, please make checks payable to Potter Park Zoological Society and mail to:
Potter Park Zoological Society
Attn: Development Department
1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Lansing, MI 48912.
Please be sure to include a return address to receive a letter indicating that this donation is tax-deductible​

An image of three circles with different animals shown in each.

To make a general donation online, please click the button below

Other Ways to Support the Zoo

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!

Tribute Gift

A gift can be made as a tribute or in remembrance of a family member, loved one, or friend.

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.

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.

Program Sponsorships

Potter Park Zoo’s program sponsorships provide individuals and businesses the opportunity to demonstrate their initiatives to thousands of guests annually- on zoo grounds and at outreaches too! These sponsorship opportunities provide brand visibility for your business and demonstrate a strong commitment to the surrounding communities and their residents.

The zoo has extensive education programming offered at the zoo and off-site at community partner locations.

  • Zoo in Your Neighborhood (ZIYN) and FALCONERS are our two community engagement programs here at the zoo. Follow this link to learn more about these programs (https://potterparkzoo.org/family-programs/).
  • BIG Zoo Lesson (BZL) is an innovative, interdisciplinary, problem-based approach to teaching and learning. Teachers bring their students to the zoo for a full week of activities and lessons. BZL offers a variety of learning experiences with visual, auditory, and tactile experiences to help students retain the materials and lessons throughout the week.

We invite you to learn more about our education program sponsorship opportunities. For more information or to set up an appointment, please contact Amy L. Morris-Hall at amorris@ingham.org or at (517) 795-6122

Event Sponsorships

Potter Park Zoo’s event sponsorships provide individuals and businesses the opportunity to demonstrate their initiatives to thousands of guests annually. These sponsorship opportunities provide brand visibility for your business and demonstrate a strong commitment to the surrounding communities and their residents.

Potter Park Zoo has an impressive line-up of Special Events throughout the year. In the spring, Wine & Stein kicks off the year, in the summer we bring you Zoo Days, and in the fall the zoo celebrates with Boo at the Zoo our Halloween event and Wonderland of Lights our annual holiday-lights event.

We invite you to learn more about our special and public event sponsorship opportunities. For more information or to set up an appointment, please contact Amy L. Morris-Hall at amorris@ingham.org or at (517) 795-6122.