The Toldo Foundation is giving the Windsor Symphony Orchestra's planned endowment fund a big funding boost of $500,000.
WSO Board Chair Stephen Savage says the fund will "not only allow the WSO to develop new programs, but will also better prepare the WSO for any financial challenges it may face."
The gift, along with funds from the federal government, boosts the fund to over $1-million. The Windsor Essex Community Foundation manages the endowment fund that will help pay for outreach and educational programs.
Maestro Robert Franz says it doesn't signal a shift in the organization's fundraising efforts. While the orchestra will receive a small percentage of the annual interest generated by the fund, it will still rely on individual and corporation donations.
The announcement kicks off the start of four days of WSO Intact Insurance Education Concerts, one of the key programs the fund will support.