Cleveland Zoological Society Receives $750,000 Grant from PNC Foundation
Posted: March 31, 2026
Grant will furnish indoor play space in Primate Forest, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s current capital improvement project
Cleveland, March 31, 2026
The Cleveland Zoological Society today announced a $750,000 grant from the PNC Foundation that will make possible Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s first indoor play space. The PNC Adventure Playspace will elevate the guest experience in Primate Forest, the Zoo’s largest-ever capital improvement project currently under construction. Primate Forest will transform and significantly expand the Zoo’s former RainForest building and reimagine the Zoo experience with a unified campus and streamlined visitor entrance.
PNC has supported the Zoo Society for more than 30 years in many ways, including funding for educational programs, and sponsoring the Zoo’s popular membership program since 2018, providing members with exclusive perks and benefits.
“For decades, PNC has been proud to support the Zoo for its ability to serve as a treasured community space, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds.” said Pat Pastore, PNC regional president for Cleveland. “The Zoo is a vital economic engine for our region, and we’re dedicated to ensuring it remains a destination that attracts visitors and benefits everyone. That’s why we’re excited to support the Cleveland Zoological Society’s work to create the PNC Adventure Playspace. It will create a welcoming and joyful space for families while strengthening one of our region’s true community gems.”
The play space will feature a naturalistic design that draws inspiration from the new facility’s focus on forests and integrates accessible components that welcome children to engage in a range of sensory, tactile, and imaginative play. The space will look out over the outdoor orangutan habitat, so as children play they may see the great apes moving and exercising as well. Primate Forest aims to illustrate the interconnectedness of healthy environments, animal populations and human communities, and in doing so will create opportunities for people to support their own well-being by exploring the physical and mental health benefits of nature.
“We are so very grateful for PNC’s legacy of support for the programs, people and projects at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo,” said Sarah Crupi, CEO of the Cleveland Zoological Society. “PNC Adventure Playspace is a continuation of the company’s meaningful philanthropic support. The gift will bring joy to members and guests and will ensure Primate Forest is a year-round destination for the more than one million people who visit the Zoo each year.”
A state-of-the-art destination, Primate Forest initiative marks a new era for the Zoo. Expected to generate an estimated $131 million in economic impact, Primate Forest will reimagine the experience for guests and strengthen and showcase the Zoo’s impact as a world-class leader in global conservation, animal wellbeing and management, as well as science education and research.
The Cleveland Zoological Society, founded in 1957, is the nonprofit fundraising partner of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Each year, the Zoo Society provides Cleveland Metroparks Zoo with $4 million for programs and operating support through a blend of membership revenue and philanthropic gifts. Over the last ten years, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Cleveland Zoological Society have collaborated to invest in larger and more complex animal habitats that also enhance visitor experience, including Rosebrough Tiger Passage, Asian Highlands, the Daniel Maltz Rhino Reserve, and Susie’s Bear Hollow.
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The Foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit PNC Foundation.
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Media Contact:
Emily Baber, Cleveland Zoological Society
baber@clevelandzoosociety.org | 216-635-3347
