Individual Giving
Individual Giving
Individual giving is the fuel that runs SpeakEasy Stage. Your donations directly support our mission of producing Boston premieres of new plays and musicals and nurturing over 125 theatre artists annually. Because ticket sales only account for about 50% of our income, we depend on your generosity to ensure the stability and longevity of our productions and programming. Your donations of any size really do make a difference for SpeakEasy Stage!
Stock Gifts
SpeakEasy Stage Company gratefully accepts gifts of appreciated stock. When making a stock transfer, please notify the SpeakEasy Development Office at 617-480-3279 to ensure proper recognition of your gift.
Tribute and Memorial Gifts
Donations made in honor of or in memory of a friend or loved one are lovely gestures in lieu of a more traditional gift. SpeakEasy Stage Company will send a card on your behalf notifying the honoree or family of the honoree that a donation has been made in his/her name, and you will receive a receipt for a tax deduction. Simply mention the name and address of your honoree in the notes section of your donation.
Planned Giving
SpeakEasy Stage Company was founded and is sustained by a unique mix of earned revenue and contributions from you, our audience, and we could not continue our mission of bringing new plays and musicals to Boston audiences without your generous support. Whether through Individual Giving or participation in one of our annual fundraising events, your support is essential to our sustainability and growth.
Legacy gifts can go even further to ensure the steadfast pursuit of this mission, and a legacy gift is easier to make than you might think. If you have a will or estate plan, please consider including SpeakEasy Stage Company as a beneficiary. There are a variety of easy vehicles for making a legacy gift, including:
Bequests
A bequest is a gift through a will. Affordable for everyone no matter what the size of the estate, this gift option can save estate taxes for your
heirs. It can be easily accomplished through either a new will or by adding a codicil, an addition which changes or adds provisions to an existing
will.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
A charitable remainder trust is an individually managed trust that pays the beneficiary (ies) an income for life. It can be funded with cash,
appreciated securities or real estate, providing significant current tax benefits as well as reducing probate and estate costs for your heirs.
Life Insurance
An existing policy or a new policy can be a convenient vehicle for providing a meaningful gift. Insurance can also be used to replace assets that have
been earmarked for a charitable gift.
Gifts of Appreciated Securities
Gifts of appreciated securities by-pass the capital gains tax and provide a current year income tax deduction which the donor can carry forward for
five years.
Individual Retirement Accounts
Recent legislation has provided additional incentives for gifting IRAs. Current regulations allow the transfer of certain IRA assets to SpeakEasy Stage
Company.
If you have already included SpeakEasy Stage as a beneficiary of a legacy gift, please let us know so that we may recognize your thoughtful generosity and include you in programs designed exclusively for you.
Corporate Matching Gifts
Corporate Matching Gifts double the value and impact of your donation. Please check with your company about their matching gift program. Here is a sample list of companies that participate:
- Ameriprise
- Advanced Micro Devices
- Bank New York Mellon
- Bank of America
- Berstein Wealth Management
- The Boeing Company
- Exxon Corporation
- IBM
- ING
- John Hancock
- Johnson & Johnson
- Kempter Insurance
- Microsoft
- Mobil
- Starbucks
- UBS
- UPS
Donor Benefits
Donors ensure SpeakEasy’s continued growth and future success. We applaud these visionary individuals and are happy to offer these benefits created to enhance your theater-going experience:
ANGELS $25,000 +
- Benefits in all lower levels, plus
- A private post-show party with the cast for you and 20 guests.
STARS of the SHOW $10,000 +
- Benefits in all lower levels, plus
- Dinner with Producing Artistic Director Paul Daigneault
PRODUCERS $5,000 +
- Benefits in all lower levels, plus
- A private backstage tour for you and six guests to see behind the scenes.
- An invitation for two to attend an opening night performance and post-show celebration with the cast and crew.
DIRECTORS $2,500 +
- Benefits in all lower levels, plus
- A gift certificate for two free tickets to any show in the current season.
- A copy of all requested performance scripts
LEADERS $1,000 +
- Benefits in all lower levels, plus
- Five valet parking passes for your visit to SpeakEasy.
- An invitation to get an early look at a production by attending a private rehearsal.
BENEFACTORS: $500 +
- Benefits in all lower levels, plus
- A SpeakEasy show poster autographed by the cast.
- A SpeakEasy souvenir as a token of our appreciation for your SpeakEasy spirit.
PATRONS: $250 +
- Benefits in all lower levels, plus
- Four more concession vouchers.
FRIENDS: $100 +
- Two concession vouchers good for wine, beer, soft drinks, or sweet treats during pre-show or intermission of any SpeakEasy show.
- Acknowledgement in all mainstage show playbills throughout the season.
To take advantage of any of your donor benefits, please call SpeakEasy’s Development office at 617-482-3279.
All donations to SpeakEasy Stage are tax-deductible less the value of any goods or services. To begin enjoying these benefits, make a donation today!
SpeakEasy Stage Company's Donor's Bill of Rights
Philanthropy is a voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that our donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in SpeakEasy Stage Company and the causes we ask them to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:
I. To be informed of the SpeakEasy's mission, of the way we intend to use donated resources, and of our capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on SpeakEasy's governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
III. To have access to the SpeakEasy’s most recent financial statements.
IV. To be assured your gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
V. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
VI. To be assured that information about your donations are handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing SpeakEasy will be professional in nature.
VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations for SpeakEasy are volunteers, employees of the organization, or hired solicitors.
IX. To have the opportunity for your name(s) to be deleted from mailing lists that SpeakEasy may intend to share.
X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.
Many thanks to the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel, the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the National Society of Fund Raising Executives for developing this donor bill of rights. We believe, as they do, that all quality charities should subscribe to the beliefs espoused here.
