About Our Endowment
Planned gifts help to secure the future of the Houston Symphony and allow donors to express their personal values in a highly meaningful way, by taking into account philanthropic, financial and family goals. Generally, the revenue from planned gifts are placed in the Houston Symphony Endowment. The contributions made to the Houston Symphony Endowment are invested, and a portion of the interest is distributed to the Symphony on an annual basis. So a strong, healthy Endowment benefits the Symphony in a variety of ways.
Currently, the Houston Symphony Endowment has a market value of approximately $70 million. The Endowment contributes nearly $4 million annual-13% of the Houston Symphony's operating budget. The leadership of the Houston Symphony has set a goal of growing the Endowment to three times the orchestra's current operating budget, approximately $90 million, by identifying planned gift commitments in the next two years that will allow this future growth.
"I believe growing the Houston Symphony Endowment is a high priority for the Symphony family. Making a planned gift to the Houston Symphony will help ensure that fine classical music, performed by our wonderfully talented musicians, and let by the world's leading conductors, will secure the future of this great institution."
Mike Stude, Chairman Emeritus, Houston Symphony Society
The Houston Symphony Endowment:
- Provides a significant amount of the Houston Symphony's annual operating budget, thus helping to ensure that the quality and quantity of the orchestra's work remains outstanding.
- Provides a source of consistent income during difficult economic times.
- Provides a foundation for growth in the Houston Symphony's second century.
- Helps to keep ticket costs from rising too high, thus ensuring that our artistically excellent orchestral performances remain affordable for the widest possible audience.
- Supports the Symphony's education and community activities, allowing the Symphony to serve Houstonians from every walk of life.
- Ensures the permanence of Houston's oldest and most-established performing arts organization.
You may choose to direct your planned gift as you see fit. If you make an unrestricted gift, you need only indicate that your gift is directed to the Houston Symphony Endowment. Our federal tax identification number is 20-8350227. Unrestricted gifts are particularly helpful since they provide maximum financial flexibility.
If there is a particular activity of the Houston Symphony that you would like to support in perpetuity, you may ask that your planned gift be designated for specific activities. Designated gifts should be discussed with Houston Symphony staff and your own advisers to craft a plan that successfully achieves your intentions.
For more information on creating a planned gift, please contact Hadia Mawlawi, Director, Planned Giving, at 713.337.8532 or Hadia.Mawlawi@HoustonSymphony.org.