DONOR OPPORTUNITIES

Become a part of our family!
The Gulf Coast Symphony is Southwest Florida’s premier community orchestra. Your support helps us succeed in our educational mission: to provide symphonic playing opportunities for musicians of all ages, to promote the arts in Lee County and to provide music education opportunities as a means of creating a life-long love of the arts.

Or Click here to print your donor form and to mail your contribution today.
Your support ensures that we will be able to:
• Perform Pops, Classical and Family concerts annually in the Fort Myers community
• Encourage a love of music and the arts through our expanding community.
• Provide an opportunity for all non-professional musicians who live in our community to perform and participate in a symphonic experience.
• Train the musicians of tomorrow and help educate music lovers of today.
• Reach diverse audiences that exist throughout Lee County.

Levels of sponsorship have been created that comfortably bridge the abilities of all to contribute within their means. All donors receive recognition in the Concert Program books, and other benefits for higher levels of giving. Gifts of all sizes are important and welcome!

The GCS is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non~profit organization.
All contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law.

$25 Friend
$50 Patron
$100 Music Lover
$250 Orchestra Circle
$500 Director’s Corner
$1000 Angel

Please make checks payable to the GULF COAST SYMPHONY.
For complete information on our Business Partners Program, or sponsorships, contact our Development Director at (239) 489-1800. Our mailing address is Gulf Coast Symphony, PO Box 60878, Fort Myers, FL 33906. Help nourish the spirit of our community and support the health and vitality of the arts in Lee County.
Click here to print your accompanying donor form so that we may properly credit your donation. We thank you for your generosity.

Gifts That Give Back to You
There are many excellent ways you can provide a significant future gift to the symphony while retaining or increasing the income you receive from the asset used to make the gift. The format used for determining payouts and exact charitable contribution deductions are beyond the scope of this brochure. We encourage you to discuss any of the following opportunities with your attorney or financial adviser.

• Charitable Gift Annuity
• Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust
• Charitable Remainder Unitrust

Gifts of cash. Nothing could be easier than making a gift of cash. It is the most common gift, and the one you probably think of first. Your cash donation is deductible, provided you itemize in the year the contribution is made, up to a limit of 50% of your adjusted gross income. Plus, any excess deductions can be carried forward for five years.

Bequests. The most popular route for planned gifting is through your will or trust. Everything you leave to the symphony reduces the size of your taxable estate while helping our orchestra. You can leave a specific bequest of an exact sum of money or property. Another option is to leave a percentage of the remainder after making provisions for family and loved ones.

Bank accounts and CDs. You can name the Gulf Coast Symphony as the “payable on death” beneficiary of any of your checking or savings bank accounts and on certificates of deposits. You retain the accounts for your lifetime and have them available for your use. Upon your death, the assets pass directly to the symphony thus avoiding probate.

Retirement plan assets. Tax laws can subject retirement plan assets to high income and estate taxes. Techniques can be used to create significant charitable gifts, usually at your death, that will reduce tax rates and enable you to pass more tax-favored assets to your family and the symphony. It is best to consult an attorney or tax specialist for a strategy most beneficial to your wishes.

Stocks and securities. These assets are simple to give and offer excellent tax advantages. You can transfer the stock to the symphony electronically through your broker or give the stock certificate to us with a signed stock power for each certificate. You can also require stocks and securities to be “transferred on death” to the Gulf Coast Symphony.

Life insurance. Do you have a life insurance policy? You may donate it to the symphony or simply name the symphony as the beneficiary. For the gift of a paid-up policy, you will receive an income tax deduction equal to the lesser of the cash value of the policy or the total premiums paid.

Real estate. There are several ways for you and the symphony to benefit through a donation of real estate. An outright gift of property that is completely paid off, has appreciated value and you no longer need or use is the easiest way to gift real estate. You can deduct the fair market value of your gift and avoid all capital gains taxes. You can also transfer the deed of your property to the symphony now and keep the right to live in and use the property for you and your spouse’s lifetime while continuing to receive your full homestead exemption. You will receive a charitable deduction in an amount based upon your life expectancy and the value of the property.

For More Information
The multitude of gift giving options and the way you can incorporate them into your estate plan are varied. The symphony staff is available to provide you with additional suggestions on gifts that fit your philanthropic and lifestyle goals. Give us a call and we will be happy to meet with you (and your advisor). Your support is music to our ears.

Gulf Coast Symphony
PO Box 60878
Fort Myers, FL 33906
(239) 277-1700