Donor FAQ

What does my gift support at the ISO when I make a charitable contribution?  

Your gift helps provide for the following: 

• Hire and retain our full-time, professional musicians. 

• Host talented guest artists, soloists, and conductors.  

• Support excellent artistic programming and visionary performances through the ISO’s classical, Pops, and films series, Yuletide Celebration, Symphony on the Prairie, Sphinx performances, and other special concerts. 

• Develop innovative educational programs including the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Teddy Bear Series, and Discovery Concerts, to create life-long relationships with music.  

• Maintain the ISO as one of downtown Indianapolis’s leading economic and cultural community assets.  

• Preserve the ISO’s historic Hilbert Circle Theatre home. 

How do I make a gift to the ISO? 

A gift of cash, check, or by credit card is the quickest and simplest way to support the ISO and receive a full charitable deduction. And if your employer has a matching gift program, your personal gift can be doubled!  

Make your donation here to support the mission of the ISO. 

The ISO also can receive gifts through stock, donor-advised funds (DAF), qualified charitable donations (QCD), individual retirement accounts required minimum distribution (IRA-RMD), charitable annuities, bequests, and so much more. Click here to see all the ways to give!
 

Is my online donation secure? 

Online donations are secured through our website. The ISO is PCI compliant. If you would prefer another form of donation, please see the options available here. 

How can I be acknowledged for my gift? 

The IRS requires written acknowledgment to substantiate a charitable contribution of $250 or more. The ISO provides thank you letters for gifts above $20. If you need a letter or more information, please contact our development department for details at 317.572.1589 or donations@indianapolissymphony.org. Gifts of $100 or more are eligible for donor benefits. 

How can I see what my gift is being used for? 

The ISO’s Platinum Transparency Rating on Candid allows you to see the financial and programming details for the ISO. You can also see the ISO’s Audited Financial Statements, Annual Reports and 990 Tax Filings for the Indiana Symphony Society, Inc., as well as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Foundation, by visiting here. 

For details regarding your donations, please contact the development team at 317.572.1589 or donations@indianapolissymphony.org. 

What donor benefits are available at the ISO? 

Donor benefits vary based on the gift level. Some examples of donor benefits include tickets to an open rehearsal, presale ticket access to Symphony on the Prairie and Yuletide Celebration, private meet and greets with guest artists, parking passes, private VIP receptions, and more. Donors of a certain level are eligible for personalized perks and customization. Visit here to learn more about donor benefits!
 

I am a business owner/working for a company that would like to sponsor the ISO, who should I contact about sponsorship opportunities? 

Please contact Maggie Leemhuis, Director of Corporate and Foundation Giving, at 317.229.7094 or mleemhuis@indianapolissymphony.org.  

What is the EIN number of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra? What is the Indiana Symphony Society, Inc? 

The EIN number of the ISO Society, Inc. is 35-0998627. The Indiana Symphony Society, Inc is the ISO’s tax filing entity with the IRS. We also do business as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Your gifts can be made out to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra or the Indiana Symphony Society, Inc.  

What is the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Foundation, and is it different from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra? 

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Foundation is a supporting organization to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The EIN number of the ISO Foundation, Inc. is 35-1812636. 

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Inc. (ISO Foundation) was formed in September 1990 to educate the public and provide financial and other support to the Indiana Symphony Society, Inc. (the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra). 

The Indiana Symphony Society, Inc. is the ISO Foundation’s supported organization. The main activity of the ISO Foundation is to manage the investments, including real estate, derived from long-term contributions. The ISO foundation is responsive to the ISO as it provides an operating grant each year and is willing to hear requests from the ISO for special grants when the needs arise that are in addition to the yearly operating grant.  

The ISO Foundation 990s are listed here. 

Is the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra a registered charity by Candid and Charity Navigator? 

Yes, the ISO has the highest ratings – a platinum organization credited by Candid and a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator.
 

Do you have a donor privacy policy? 

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is committed to respecting the privacy of our donors. We will not sell, share, or trade our donors’ names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations. 

This policy applies to all information received by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, both online and offline, on any platform, and any electronic, written, or oral communications. 

To the extent any donations are processed through a third-party service provider, our donors’ information will only be used for purposes necessary to process the donation. 

All private information is protected through a secure database. 

How do I find out how much I’ve donated to the ISO this year, or since I began donating? 

For updated information regarding your donations, please contact the development team at 317.572.1589 or donations@indianapolissymphony.org.