The Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra has already raised more than $150,000 after announcing its Save Our Symphony campaign in November.
The SMSO launched the campaign in response to what it called a “perfect storm” of key personnel and board members retiring and a fundraising slowdown in 2024. SMSO President Jessica Ishmael tells us they’d been relying on reserves to get by.
“We were looking at a potential early closure within the season if we could not cover the deficit that we were looking at for the current season, let alone making it into our 75th season, for 25-26,” Ishmael said.
Ishmael says a lot of relationships had to be reestablished for the SMSO to get back on track, something it’s continuing to work on. The fact that it met its campaign fundraising goal so quickly is a testament to the organization’s role in the community.
“The quick community response, the dialogue that opened up was just unbelievably encouraging. It really heartened us and so we met [the goal], I think, in a month and a half, tops.”
Ishmael says the SMSO is now working to live within its means in a post-COVID environment.
The $150,000 Save Our Symphony campaign received a match from the Frederick S. Upton Foundation, the Schalon Foundation, and Carolyn Hanson. Another significant donation came in from the Corewell Health Foundation.
Ishmael says the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra is now back on solid ground, although it needs to continue cultivating donor relationships to remain strong moving into the future.
The SMSO is also looking for volunteers to serve on the board and help out in the office. Anyone interested in helping can just call.
