Keep the music playing
For 81 seasons, the Greater Bridgeport Symphony has brought live orchestral music to our community. Ticket sales cover only part of what it takes. The rest comes from people like you: neighbors, businesses, foundations, and friends who believe great music belongs in Bridgeport. Find the way to give that fits you.
The Annual Fund: our top funding priority
The Annual Fund is our top funding priority and the heart of everything we do. It pays our musicians, brings soloists to Bridgeport, and keeps tickets free for kids under 19. This year's fund runs from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027.
Goal: $125,000 · Raised: $26,164 · As of September 25, 2026
Double your gift. Many employers match their employees' gifts to GBS, some dollar for dollar, and some also match retirees and spouses. Ask your HR team or search your company's giving portal for "Greater Bridgeport Symphony" (EIN 06-6012460). Send us the form and we'll take care of the rest.
Tickets pay for less than a third of the music
A GBS concert costs far more to stage than a ticket brings in. In our last fiscal year, ticket sales paid for about 28 cents of every dollar we raised. The rest came from people who give: neighbors, members, foundations, businesses and public partners.
That gap is what the Annual Fund closes. Your gift keeps the music playing.
“Every concert is a promise to Bridgeport: world-class music, close to home, open to everyone. A ticket covers one night. Your gift keeps the music playing all season.”
— Mark Halstead, President, Board of Trustees
More ways to give
Membership
Eight giving levels, from Contributor to Sustaining Member. Give $1,000 or more and become a Member-Donor, with invitations to post-concert receptions, VIP events, and our Annual Meeting.
Smart giving
IRA distributions at 70½, appreciated stock, donor-advised funds, employer matches, and gifts in honor or memory. Some gifts can do more for the orchestra and for you.
Sponsorship & partners
Sponsor a concert or a chair in the orchestra, dedicate a pre-concert talk, or partner with us as a business or foundation. We'll shape the recognition around you.
Leave a legacy of music
GBS has played for Bridgeport since 1946 because generations of music lovers made sure it would. A gift in your will, a beneficiary designation on your IRA or life insurance, or a gift that pays you income for life can keep live orchestral music here for the next generation. Many legacy gifts cost nothing today.
Give where it matters now
250 for 250
This season GBS celebrates America's 250th birthday with America: Portraits in Sound, five concerts of American music. We're looking for 250 donors to give $250 each to bring this once-in-a-generation season to the stage. Every 250-for-250 donor is recognized in our program journal.
The Jean Halaby Moffitt Memorial Fund
Jean Moffitt served as a GBS trustee for about 30 years and as Board President for five. When the pandemic left the Board without leaders in June 2020, Jean stepped back in and championed our Covid-safe concert at Indian Ledge on September 5, 2020, one of the only live orchestral performances in the Northeast that year. Many of us believe GBS might not be here today without her. Gifts to her memorial fund carry her work forward.
Questions about giving
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Yes, to the extent allowed by law. Greater Bridgeport Symphony Society Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 06-6012460. If you receive something of value in return, such as a gala dinner, only the amount above its fair market value is deductible; we'll note that on your receipt.
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Possibly. Starting in 2026, people who take the standard deduction can deduct up to $1,000 in cash gifts to charities like GBS ($2,000 for married couples filing jointly). Gifts through a donor-advised fund don't qualify. If you're 70½ or older, a gift from your IRA (a QCD) keeps the money out of your taxable income altogether. Please check with your tax advisor.
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Yes, gladly. Recommend a grant to Greater Bridgeport Symphony Society Inc., EIN 06-6012460, or ask your IRA custodian to send a Qualified Charitable Distribution directly to us (up to $111,000 in 2026 if you're 70½ or older). IRS rules don't allow either to pay for tickets, gala seats, or other benefits, so please pay for those separately.
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Yes. Tell us the person's name and who should be notified, and we'll let them know about your gift without sharing the amount. Gifts of $1,000 or more can also carry a dedication in the program journal.
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Ask your HR department for a matching gift form and send it to phyllis@gbs.org or to 2385 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604. We'll confirm your gift with your employer.
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Email phyllis@gbs.org for transfer instructions. Please tell us your name and the shares you're sending, since brokerage transfers often arrive without the donor's name.
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It's our yearly operating fund, and it pays for our concerts, musicians, and community programs. Our fiscal year runs from May 1 to April 30, and gifts of any size count toward it.
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Please do. We'd love to thank you, and knowing your plans helps us prepare for the future. You can stay anonymous if you prefer. Email phyllis@gbs.org or call (203) 576-0263.
You don't need to be a musician to make a difference
Give your time
We're looking for volunteers and community leaders with experience or interest in fundraising, social media and marketing, public relations, special events, and community outreach. We're also looking for people to consider serving as Trustees on our Board of Directors, helping shape the Symphony's vision and strengthen its future.
Let's talk
Whether you're thinking about your first gift or your legacy, we're glad to help you find the right way to give.
Phyllis Rhodes Cortese, Executive Director
phyllis@gbs.org · (203) 576-0263
Greater Bridgeport Symphony Society Inc. · 2385 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604 · EIN 06-6012460