Endowment & Planned Giving
By making a leadership gift to the Endowment, you allow our Symphony to attract the very finest guest artists and musicians to the Triad, provide outstanding musical offerings of a diverse nature, create increased music education opportunities for young audiences, and bring vibrancy and quality of life to our citizens.
History
In 1985, the seeds of the Greensboro Symphony Endowment Fund (GSEF) were planted by Symphony Guild President, Rachel Hull Galyon. Under her leadership, the Guild raised an additional $50,000 during the 1985-1986 season to contribute toward endowing the $250,000 Concertmaster’s Chair, completed in 1995, marking the official launch of the GSEF. The leadership torch was passed to Guild member, Caroline M. Lee, who devoted more than twenty years to the development and growth of the fund.
In 1995, Guild member Kay Edwards and GSO Board Member, Maurice Jennings, launched a successful campaign to surpass the GSEF’s $1 million milestone. During the 2001-2002 season, the fund surpassed $2.5 million with a special initiative spearheaded by Caroline Lee. In 2001, Barbara Cone led a secret campaign undertaken by Endowment donors to establish the Associate Concertmaster’s Chair in honor of Caroline M. Lee. Since 2006, Cathy and Garson Rice have served as co-chairs of the Endowment Committee which surpassed $3.8 million in 2008. Each year, a gift is made to the Symphony for its annual operating budget. The Fund recently surpassed $4.5 million and provides an annual gift to the Symphony to help support its operating budget.
Leave Your Legacy
By investing in the Greensboro Symphony’s Endowment Fund, you leave a lasting, personal legacy, ensuring that future generations may experience the same joy and wonder of orchestral music as you. Investing in the Endowment allows you to enhance our mission of world-class music and music education programs in an enduring way.
To download the full Greensboro Symphony Endowment Fund document previewed above, click here.
Giving Today
Endowed Chairs
Endowing a Chair permanently ties your name to a specific seat and instrument within the orchestra. Gifts can range from $40,000 – $500,000 depending on the type of Chair and perpetuity. Chairs can be upgraded over time.
Named Funds
Ranging from $10,000- $39,999, these funds serve as an excellent entry to Endowment giving. Named Funds can later be upgraded to Endowed Chairs.
Planned Giving
Bequests
One of the simplest ways to give! When the Greensboro Symphony is listed as a beneficiary from your estate, your estate avoids costly taxes by receiving a charitable estate tax deduction when the gift is made. Anyone in any tax bracket can leave bequests.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Throughout your trust’s term, you receive payouts annually and avoid capital gains tax. The remainder of the trust is given to us at the end of the term. Charitable remainder trusts are beneficial for donors who have valuable, appreciated assets and want to turn them into income on which to live on.
Life Insurance Policies
If a life insurance policy is no longer needed for your family, you can name the Greensboro Symphony as a beneficiary. The premium becomes an annual gift to us and is eligible for an income tax deduction.
No matter how you decide to make a donation, first consult a professional about how you can meet both your financial and your philanthropic goals. Please call Lisa Crawford at (336) 335-5456, ext. 222 to discuss the Endowment Fund and Planned Giving with the Greensboro Symphony.