Primate Sanctuary Break-Even Revenue: About $123K Per Month

Fixed costs $102.8K/mo Launch monthly base

Contribution margin 97% After variable costs

Break-even revenue $106.0K/mo Monthly revenue goal

Break-even timing Month 3 Launch ramp point

Break-even calculator

Test whether monthly revenue covers the variable costs that move with sales and the fixed cost base that stays on the books.

Lean Base Full

Monthly revenue Use total monthly income from admissions, memberships, retail, concessions, donations, grants, and sponsorships. $ Low sales High sales Variable expenses Use direct costs that rise with revenue, like payment fees, sales commissions, and supply costs. $ Low costs High costs

Money available to cover fixed costs $103,833 $124,333 revenue - $20,500 variable expenses

Margin ratio

84%

Covers fixed costs

Yes

Fixed monthly costs Use monthly overhead that must be covered even when visitor volume drops. $ Low overhead High overhead

Break-even chart Revenue Total costs

Which primate sanctuary expenses are fixed, and which move with visits and sales?

Cost classification

Clean break-even math depends on separating monthly operating spend from sales-linked spend. Keep the $2.05M launch buildout out of monthly care costs, or the model will overstate the visitor volume needed to break even.

Expense	Cost	Break-Even Treatment	Common Mistake
Insurance Premiums	Fixed	Use $8,000 per month from Month 1 through Month 60.	Tying insurance to ticket sales instead of facility risk.
Security Services	Fixed	Use $5,000 per month within the current operating plan.	Reducing security during slow visitor months in the model.
Payroll	Semi-fixed	Model salary in staffing steps as full-time equivalent headcount rises after the first year.	Spreading payroll as a simple percent of revenue.
Utilities	Semi-variable	Start with the $12,000 monthly base, then test higher use as animal load or visitor hours rise.	Treating all utilities as fixed when habitats drive usage.
Habitat Maintenance	Semi-variable	Use the $15,000 monthly base and flex the usage-linked portion with animal care intensity.	Modeling habitat work as one flat admin line.
Retail Merchandise	Variable	Apply 3.0% against retail sales in each forecast year.	Using total sanctuary revenue instead of retail sales.
Concession Supplies	Variable	Apply 4.0% against concession sales in each forecast year.	Forgetting that food and drink supplies move with transactions.
Payment Fees	Variable	Apply 1.5% to card-based revenue volume in the break-even model.	Entering payment fees as a fixed monthly bank charge.

How does break-even change from lean launch to full sanctuary scale?

Scenario table

Contribution margin is what’s left after variable costs. As the sanctuary scales, fixed payroll and habitat costs get spread across more revenue, so break-even coverage improves and profit can widen fast.

Planning assumptions only; actual results will move with visitor demand, donor support, and staffing needs.

Scenario	Monthly Revenue	Variable Costs	Fixed Costs	CM Ratio	Operating Profit	Break-Even Signal
Lean launch sanctuary	$1.243M	$205K	$1.028M	83.5%	$11K	Break-even sits at about $1.231M, so cushion is thin.
Base Year 3 sanctuary	$2.262M	$370K	$1.153M	83.6%	$739K	Break-even is about $1.379M, so the model has room above it.
Full Year 5 sanctuary	$3.453M	$534K	$1.153M	84.5%	$1.766M	Break-even is about $1.364M, so scale adds a strong cushion.

What breaks the sanctuary's break-even cushion?

Stress test

Year 1 is only a little above break-even, so a small miss in admissions or donations can flip the model to loss. Higher insurance, utilities, or staffing would widen the gap fast.

Stress Case	Changed Assumption	Break-Even Revenue	Revenue Gap	Risk Signal
Current plan	No change.	$1.479M	$13K cushion	Year 1 has a very thin cushion.
Revenue shortfall	Total revenue falls 10%.	$1.479M	$136K gap	A small miss in visits or donations erases the cushion.
Fixed-cost pressure	Fixed overhead rises 10%.	$1.582M	$90K gap	Insurance, utilities, or staffing inflation pushes the model below break-even.
Margin pressure	Variable and other spend rises 20%.	$1.520M	$28K gap	Higher care spend leaves almost no room.
Combined pressure	Revenue falls 10%, fixed overhead rises 10%, and variable spend rises 20%.	$1.623M	$280K gap	The downside stack turns Year 1 into a real loss.

What should you verify before you accept rescued primates or commit the $2.05M buildout?

Founder checklist

Treat this as a go/no-go gate. Do not accept primates or start major spend until the buildout is funded separately, the site is controlled, quarantine and vet coverage are ready, and the model can carry the $102.8K monthly fixed load.

1Launch capital$2.05M

Verify the habitat, clinic, visitor center, fencing, and other capex are funded separately from operations before intake starts.

2Site controlLease locked

Confirm land or lease control before habitat work and permits so you do not sink money into a site you cannot use.

3Vet coveragePre-intake

Lock veterinary coverage and quarantine readiness before rescue commitments, because intake without care coverage creates an immediate stop.

4Staffing ramp7.0 FTE

Open with the Year 1 core team, then add the extra caregiver and maintenance FTE only when rescue and visitor volume support them.

5Visitor demand25,000 / 1,000

Test whether Year 1 can really hit 25,000 day tickets and 1,000 annual passes, plus $450K in donations, grants, and sponsorships.

6Burn cushion-$1.078M

Hold enough reserve to absorb the Month 12 cash low and cover the $102.8K monthly fixed load; Year 1 EBITDA is only $13K on $1.492M of revenue, so the margin is thin.