Your Support
Donor Benefits & Levels
Guide to Year-End Giving
Volunteer with Us!
Advertise in our Programs
Support the SJS
San Juan Symphony believes in the transformative power of music. As a regional professional orchestra, we deliver an exceptional musical experience that not only captivates audiences but also fosters a profound sense of connection and belonging within our community.
Your donation is tax deductible under our non-profit 501(c)3 status. Use the DONATE link on this page to make a secure donation online.
Alternatively, you can mail a check made payable to the San Juan Symphony to the address below.
San Juan Symphony
P.O. Box 1073
Durango, CO 81302
We thank you for your donation and continued support!
Creating community through music.
Donor Benefits & Levels
The San Juan Symphony depends heavily on your support! Concerts of the full orchestra can incur more than $30,000 of artistic expenses, our Musician Makers Scholarship Program aims to raise $25,000 each season, and as our Youth Orchestra programs continues to expand, we need more Mentors and Scholarships to support our students. In addition to Concert Sponsorships, we offer advertising and other in-kind giving opportunities as well.
San Juan Symphony giving levels include:
MAESTRO’S CIRCLE
Season Sponsor $20,000+
Take the SJS to the next level! Season Sponsors make a huge impact on the growth and sustainability of the Symphony and receive recognition at every concert event.
Presenting Sponsor $10,000
Presenting Sponsors are acknowledged as headline sponsors for a particular event. Whether a business, individual, or granting organization, Presenting Sponsors are considered responsible for making a particular concert come to life.
Sponsor $5,000
Each of our concerts has a mix of individual Sponsors. We invite you you or your business to consider contributing at the Sponsor level, which comes with complimentary tickets, verbal recognition from the stage, and more.
Benefactor $2,500
The Benefactor level can be an excellent opportunity for a business or individuals to get involved with supporting the Symphony’s concerts and operations. These are significant contributions that often grow into Sponsor-level supporters.
Baton Sponsor $1,500
Our Conductors feels the support of the entire community. Whether onstage in performance, visiting local classrooms, or attending civic gatherings, our Directors give their time and talents to bring music and education to our diverse communities.
Patron: $1,000
All gifts at or above the $1000 level are considered part of the “Maestro’s Circle” of supporters, which comes with invitations to the Champagne Toast after the concerts in Durango, plus complimentary tickets, and invitations to other exclusive, private supporter events.
SYMPHONY CIRCLE
Sustainer $500
Associate $150
Friend $10
No gift is too small for the Symphony! Please consider a gift in any amount, we want to grow the Symphony Circle to be as inclusive and representative of our diverse communities as possible. Thank you for your support!
A Guide to Year-End Giving
As year-end approaches, charitable giving becomes an important task for many clients. We want to do whatever we can to help facilitate your charitable intentions. Since some methods of giving are more time consuming and complicated than others, we have outlined a timetable to help you plan your year-end giving.
In order to take a charitable deduction on your income tax return, you must itemize deductions. However, due to tax law changes which increased the standard deduction, fewer people are likely to itemize. With this change in mind, you may want to consider bunching charitable gifts. For example, rather than giving smaller amounts every year, you may want to give a larger amount once every 2-3 years, depending on the size of the gifts and your circumstances. We encourage you to work with your accountant to determine the best way to approach your charitable giving from a tax perspective.
Cash, Check, Credit Card
To make a cash gift to a charity, you simply need to write a check, set up an electronic funds transfer or donate online by credit card to your intended non-profit. To claim the donation as an income tax deduction (provided you itemize), you must have a record of the gift including the name of the organization, as well as the date and amount of the gift. Be sure that the non-profit is an accredited 501c3 and all documents are up to date with the state government. For gifts over $250, you should obtain acknowledgment from the non-profit. For gifts over $1,000, we generally advise giving appreciated stock.
TIMETABLE: You must mail your check by December 31st.
Appreciated Stock
Donating stocks with a low cost basis is often a very effective tax planning strategy. For those who itemize and are therefore eligible to deduct charitable gifts on their tax returns, the fair market value of the stock is used to calculate the deduction. To transfer stock in-kind, the non-profit must have a brokerage account to receive the securities.
TIMETABLE: If you wish to donate appreciated securities, please provide the name of the non-profit and the amount you wish to give by December 1st. We will then contact the organization to obtain their delivery instructions.
Please note that mutual funds are not as easy to transfer as individual stocks. Some funds may not be eligible for transfer at all and thus not available for donations. Since more time is required to transfer eligible mutual funds, we ask that you let us know by November 15th about any intended mutual fund donations.
Donor Advised Funds
A donor-advised fund (“DAF”) is an account that is part of a public non-profit to which an individual can donate securities and receive a charitable income tax deduction, provided the donor itemizes, even if those funds aren’t immediately distributed to a charitable organization. The donor must establish a DAF account before any cash or securities can be donated. Consequently, more time is required to coordinate this type of gift. We can assist clients in establishing a DAF, although we are not the advisor or the custodian.
TIMETABLE: If you would like assistance in establishing a DAF, please ask us no later than November 15th. If you have already established a DAF, then the December 1st timeline for donating appreciated stock applies.
IRA – Required Minimum Distributions (RMD)
If you have reached age 70 ½ (the required minimum distribution age), you can transfer up to $100,000 per year directly from your IRA to a non-profit (known as a “qualified charitable distribution”). You will not receive an income tax deduction for the gift, but the amount given to charity counts towards your annual RMD requirement and is not included in your taxable income. Furthermore, this strategy is available even if you do not itemize deductions on your tax return.
They may require written authorization by the IRA owner to make the gift. The funds must be transferred directly to the non-profit from the IRA account and not via the IRA owner. Let us know if you need help in preparing a letter for you to sign, but this requires additional time.
TIMETABLE: For those clients who wish to use their RMD for charitable giving, we ask that you provide us with written instructions by December 1st.
For more information on charitable giving, please contact your Accountant or Financial Advisor.
Volunteer with us!
Volunteering is also a valuable way to give to the San Juan Symphony. We rely on volunteer support from our community to manage performances, fundraise, get the word out, and help keep our educational programs running smoothly.
If you are interested in volunteering with the San Juan Symphony, please sign up to be contacted!
Advertise in Our Programs
The San Juan Symphony offers a variety of advertising options in our annual Program Books, which reache upwards of 10,000 residents of Durango and Farmington each season. Our clientele is a mix of ages and backgrounds, and not only would they see your materials, but they would acknowledge your support of a local non-profit.
- Advertising is affordably priced, please inquire about specifications and costs!
We thank you for your business!
