ISO races to reach $5 million in funding

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - One more week: that's how much time the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has to reach a $5 million dollar fundraising goal that keeps musicians working and triggers improvements at Hilbert Circle theater. 
   
"There's so much activity behind the scenes right now. Everything from our board members, to our staff members, to even our musicians are helping in this effort," says Jessica DiSanto, spokeswoman for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. 

Behind the scenes and with television and radio ads on the air. The ISO has asked you to dig deep and help it reach a goal of raising $5 million dollars in fewer than four months. 

"Anytime you want to raise money, you've got to spend a little money to do it.  So yes, we had to invest.  We took some resources, took them out of some things and moved them into this because it was important," says DiSanto. 

The response has been significant, and not just in big donations like the $750-thousand dollars each from Jim Irsay and Herb Simon. 

"We have more than 1,400 new people to the system that have given gifts," says DiSanto. 

With a February 3 deadline looming, the symphony has raised $4.1 million.  The push is on to get another $900,000.  If successful, a five year contract with the musicians union, which gave $11.5 million in concessions, kicks in. Success also triggers another $2 million dollars for the orchestra.

"The Lilly grant that we were awarded a couple of weeks ago, that kicks in, and so the seats we're sitting in right now, will be replaced next year, next season," says DiSanto. 

ISO plans to spend about $1 million of the Lilly grant to put in new seats with better upholstery and more legroom.  But success is only the start. Long term, the orchestra needs to pay its bills without dipping into its endowment.   

"We have to rely on the community to support us.  And I have never seen the outpouring as I have now. Fourteen hundred new people to our database is unprecedented," says DiSanto

DiSanto says she is optimistic the orchestra will reach it's $5 million dollar goal by this time next week.  If they get close, but don't quite make it, the symphony board can still move forward with the musicians contract. 

For more information on the fundraising effort, visit the