Foundation Gifts

Financial support from private and family foundations is vital to addressing the needs of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival’s continued growth and development. We welcome and appreciate grants of various kinds – from general operating support to those designated to fund special programs. The festival is privileged to work with a variety of foundations that share our commitment to broadening audiences and increasing arts participation.

Planned & Deferred Gifts

Planned giving is a meaningful way to create a legacy at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival while advancing your financial and estate-planning objectives. No matter the size, your gift will help us fulfill our mission.

Your gift, or bequest, may include property, securities, or cash. It may be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of the estate, or a remainder after other distributions have been made. Bequests are distributed at an estate’s settlement, have no impact on your current assets, and are often fully deductible for estate tax purposes.

We deeply appreciate your considering the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in your financial, estate, and philanthropic plans. To learn more about planned giving options, please contact the festival office at (734) 994-5999. All inquiries are kept strictly confidential.

Legacy Circle

We invite you to become a partner with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival through a planned gift, and join our Legacy Circle. The Circle is our newest giving category for those people who generously remember the festival in their wills or other estate planning.

Becoming a member of the Legacy Circle is quite simple. In fact, if you have named the festival in your will or have otherwise included our organization in your estate plans, you are a member. If you have not yet notified us of your bequest, we ask you to inform us of your decision, so that we can thank you personally and add your name to this select roster. We also ask that you sign a Declaration of Intent. The Declaration of Intent is non-binding and creates no legal obligation to you or your estate.

There is no minimum commitment required for membership in the Legacy Circle, nor is proof of a commitment necessary. Members of the Legacy Circle may remain anonymous; all information will be kept strictly confidential.

Endowment Fund

In 2005, longtime festival supporter Connie Kinnear established an endowment fund for the festival at the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, in the hopes that it will become a long-term, secure source of funding for the organization. This added security allows the festival to grow and to support its many programs and activities.

To make a gift to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival Endowment Fund, please send a check to the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, specifying that you would like the funds to go to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival Endowment Fund.  

For more information on the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, please click here.  

The information provided here is intended only to provide an overview of gift options. Ann Arbor Summer Festival cannot render tax or legal advice. There are special rules, exceptions and limitations that govern the above areas. You should consult with your legal or financial advisors to see how the above techniques will affect your personal financial and tax situation.

Give. Happiness. 

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is a non-profit organization that relies on the generous support of contributors. The income generated from the sale of tickets and other earned revenue cannot cover the festival’s annual operating costs alone. Financial contributions from individuals sustain a spectacular array of artistic and public service programs, including admission free concerts and movies at Top of the Park, special outdoor attractions, education and outreach events, and other community engagement activities. Our funding priorities can be found in our case statement.

Ways to Give

There are many ways to provide support to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, all of which allow you to make a meaningful philanthropic gift while receiving tax benefits, including:

•  Donations made by cash, check, or credit cards
•  Gifts of stock
•  Tribute gifts made in honor or memory of loved ones
•  Matching gifts from employers that double or triple the effect of individual contributions
•  Planned gifts, including gifts of life insurance, bequests, annuities, trust arrangements and endowments

To make a donation, download and print the donation form below to send your gift by mail, or call the festival office at (734) 994-5999 to donate by phone. Or, if you prefer, simply click below and make your contribution online. 

Donor Recognition

We have a number of ways that we recognize our generous donors of all levels. For details about the different recognition levels, please click here.

Align your brand

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival offers many involvement opportunities for the business community including sponsorship, advertising, hospitality, and ticket packages. In addition, the festival welcomes corporate donations in any amount and in-kind contributions that support our programs and operations.

Partnering with the festival aligns businesses with one of the leading multi-disciplinary performing arts festivals in the country while also demonstrating your company’s commitment to the community and quality of life in Ann Arbor.

Sponsorship

Festival sponsorships are uniquely designed to work as part of each partner's integrated marketing communications efforts. Our program is divided into four investment categories, each with multiple opportunities featuring different festival properties.

   •  Series Sponsor            $15,000+
   •  Lead Sponsor              $7,500+
   •  Presenting Sponsor    $2,500+
   •  Supporting Sponsor    $750+

We invite you to browse our sponsorship opportunities to review available properties and associated benefits within each investment level, or contact us to create a customized package designed to meet your marketing objectives and budget.

Advertising

For maximum exposure for your business, choose a four-color advertisement in the annual Festival Guide. This publication contains a comprehensive listing of all festival activities, and is distributed free of charge to all festival attendees and in high-traffic locations throughout Washtenaw County. Circulation is 40,000, and space is limited.

Hospitality & Ticket Packages

For companies wishing to entertain clients or employees, the festival provides a variety of hospitality options to enhance the festival-going experience. Special event locations at Top of the Park include: two private party tents; the wooded space, known as The Grove; and roped-off VIP seating areas directly in front of the Rackham Stage. From caterer recommendations to event set-up, the festival staff works closely with supporters to create a spectacular event.

In addition, the festival offers corporate ticket packages and group discounts to all of its Mainstage attractions. Often combined with pre-show hospitality, these blocks of prime seats are available only by contacting the Group Sales Coordinator at (734) 763-3100.

Corporate Donations

In addition to the programs listed above, donations to the festival’s general operating fund support ongoing growth and development of the organization.

In-Kind Contributions

The festival receives significant support in the form of donated products, services, and promotions that help supplement programs. Businesses providing in-kind support of $250 or more are recognized in the annual Festival Guide.

For more information on any of the above opportunities, please call (734) 994-5999.

Give 3, Keep TOP Free!

Admission to Top of the Park is free, although a suggested donation per visit of $3 per individual or $5 per family is asked to help defray costs of the event. We are urging you, our patrons, to be as generous as you can and support this Ann Arbor tradition.

Top of the Park is produced by the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, an independent non-profit organization that relies on contributions and support from the University of Michigan, the City of Ann Arbor, local businesses, individual donors, and you, our patrons. Each year it costs nearly $300,000 to produce Top of the Park activities, so donations of any amount are appreciated.

By donating as little as $3 per visit, we can continue to offer nearly a month’s worth of quality musical performances, film screenings, and outdoor special attractions to the public without charging admissions. Your active participation helps us keep Top of the Park accessible to everyone.

We thank you for your nightly support and look forward to seeing you, your friends, family and neighbors at Top of the Park.

To make a donation, download and print the donation form below to send your gift by mail, or call the festival office at (734) 994-5999 to donate by phone. Or, if you prefer, simply click the orange button below and make your contribution online.

To learn more about our individual and corporate giving programs, please click here. 

Partners, Advocates & Friends

In an effort to involve the community comprehensively in our mission, the Ann Arbor Summer Festival frequently collaborates with local artists and organizations offering culturally relevant programming, services, and support. These community-based alliances foster diversity, inclusion, and growth.

When looking to establish community partnerships, the festival uses the following criteria:

  • Reciprocal:  To the extent possible, it should be a mutual sharing of time, resources, skills, and knowledge.

  • Mutually Beneficial:  It should contribute to each partner’s respective mission, goals, and objectives.

  • Sustainable:  It should be developed with the intent of maintaining an ongoing and sustainable relationship through collaborative exchange.

Past festival partners include arts and cultural organizations, academic institutions, human service agencies, youth and teen groups, and other community networks.  Activities have included artist workshops, music and dance demonstrations, hands-on craft projects, storytelling and creative play, science education, games for all ages, special interest presentations, and community resource areas.

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival welcomes inquiries from organizations wishing to discuss partnership opportunities.  Please contact the festival at (734) 994-5999.

We are proud of our associations with the following community partners:

A2 Tango
Ann Arbor Art Center
Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living
Ann Arbor Cohousing
Ann Arbor College of Martial Arts
Ann Arbor District Library
Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority
Ann Arbor Film Festival
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
Ann Arbor Juggling Arts Club
Ann Arbor Music Center
Ann Arbor Music Center's Rock Band School
Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra
Arts Alliance
Bichini Bia Congo
Blockbuster Video, South Main St., Ann Arbor
BollyFit Dance
Brain Monkeys
Community Milonga
Detroit Institute of Indian Music
Dexter Ann Arbor Run
Fuller Park Day Camp
Hiral Henna
Kirk Lignell
Lamaze Family Center
Leslie Science and Nature Center
Main Street Area Association
Planet Rock
Robinsongs for Kids
Rocks and Robots
State Street Area Association
Tango Folias
The Michigan Theater
The Neutral Zone
Think Local First
University of Michigan Center for Korean Studies
University of Michigan Center for South Asian Studies
University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History
University of Michigan Museum of Art
University of Michigan, Office of Institutional Equity
University of Michigan School of Art & Design
University of Michigan School of Music
University Musical Society
University Productions
Women's Exchange of Washtenaw

Thanks to our supporters

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is deeply grateful to the many contributors whose gifts provide vital resources for our programs. Listed below are the businesses, media organizations, foundations, government agencies, and individual donors whose support is indispensable to the ongoing success of the festival.

If you would like information on sponsorship and funding opportunities, please click here.

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SERIES SPONSORS

         

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LEAD SPONSORS

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PRESENTING SPONSORS

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SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Allergy & Immunology Associates of Ann Arbor • Arch Realty • 
Columbia Asset Management • ECO PHYSICS, INC. • Compendia Bioscience • 
Enlighten • Enspire Dental • Huron Valley Chapter of Credit Unions •
Kapnick Insurance Group  • Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor  • Jean and Jim Libs • 
Michigan Oral Surgeons • Planet Rock • ProAssurance • 
Think Local First & Members: Arcadian Antiques, Collected Works, and Gretchen's House •
Charles Reinhart Co. • University of Michigan Credit Union

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FOUNDING PARTNERS

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MEDIA PARTNERS

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GOVERNMENT, FOUNDATION, AND CORPORATE GRANTS 

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority
Arbor Research Collaborative for Health
AT&T Foundation Matching Gifts Program
Benard L. Maas Foundation
Bill and Molly Dobson Fund
Bonnie and James Reece Charitable Fund
Booth Plumbing & Heating Co.
City of Ann Arbor
Chisbetts Foundation
Columbia Asset Management
Gelman Educational Foundation
Google Matching Gifts
Howard J. Cooper Fund
Johnson Controls Foundation
JPMorgan Chase Matching Gift Program
Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor Foundation
Martin Family Foundation
Molloy Foundation
THE MOSAIC FOUNDATION (of R. & P. Heydon)
National Endowment for the Arts
Nine Tuna Foundation
Pfizer Foundation Matching Gift Program
Regina and Merton Allen Memorial Fund
Renaissance Charitable Foundation for the Visa Giving Gateway
Schwab Charitable Fund
SPL Foundation
The Seattle Foundation
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation
Thompson Reuters Foundation Matching Gift Program
UBS Employee Giving Program
University of Michigan
Vibrant Ann Arbor Fund of Rosalie Edwards

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INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS

Click here to download a list of Festival 5000 donors (PDF)

Click here to download a list of Annual Fund donors (PDF)

Click here to download a list of Festival 400 members (PDF)

Click here to download a list of Festival Society members (PDF)

Eugene B. Power Circle

In honor of our founder, the Eugene B. Power Circle was created to recognize our most dedicated and inspirational donors who give $1,000 or more annually to support the mission of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival.  

Visionary | $5,000+
  • Opportunity to be recognized as an individual underwriter for a Mainstage performance.
  • Four complimentary VIP tickets to the underwritten performance
  • Opportunity to meet featured artist(s) in underwritten performance, as available
  • Plus, all benefits listed below

Advocate | $2,500 – 4,999
  • Invitation to a private lunch or dinner with the Festival Director
  • Complimentary merchandise and signed memorabilia, as available
  • A season parking pass
  • Plus, all benefits listed below

Leader | $1,000 – 2,499
  • Invitation to annual Power Circle dinner
  • Priority seating anytime, as available
  • Recognition in lobby signage during Festival
  • Access to the donor concierge service
  • Artist meet and greets, as available
  • Six parking passes (total)
  • Plus, all benefits listed below

Friends of the Festival

Enthusiast | $500 – 999
  • Invitation to opening night party at Top of the Park
  • Access to VIP Donor Green Room at Power Center
  • Four parking passes (total)
  • Plus, all benefits listed below

Patron | $250 – 499
  • Invitation to season announcement party
  • Mini pack of “I Gave” stickers to wear during the Festival
  • Two parking passes (total)
  • Plus, all benefits listed below

Supporter | $100 – 249
  • Advance ticket purchase opportunities
  • Priority seating for ticket orders received before June 1, as available
  • One parking pass
  • Plus, all benefits listed below

Fan | $50 – 99
  • Recognition in the Festival Guide and on Festival website