Endowment

Play A Part, Leave A Legacy
To provide world-class theatre for generations to come, Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Board of Trustees established the Seattle Repertory Theatre Foundation to receive and responsibly steward Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Endowment. 

An endowment fund serves as an investment in the future, providing ongoing financial security while enabling continued artistic excellence and innovation. The principal of the fund is carefully invested in perpetuity, while the investment income generated supports Seattle Rep's artistic and educational programs on an annual basis. An endowment yields income to help cushion Seattle Rep against economic downturns, allow us to take calculated artistic risks, and provides a measure of financial security.

Seattle Rep’s Endowment now stands at more than $17 million. National Arts Stabilization recommends that an organization possess a permanent endowment of a minimum of three times its operating budget.  To reach this goal, Seattle Rep’s Endowment would need to be $33 million.  Going forward, Seattle Rep anticipates being able to meet 50% of its operating expenses through earned income (ticket sales, etc) and 40% through contributions. The Endowment investment return provides the final 10% of our annual operating budget--supplying a crucial piece of our financial puzzle and long-term financial stability.

What does Seattle Rep’s Endowment mean for you as an audience member?
Seattle Repertory Theatre's Endowment Fund:

• Provides critical support for staging Seattle Rep's World Classics Initiative - classics and major productions of scale such as The Three Musketeers and You Can’t Take It With You - which have been a hallmark of Seattle Rep's programming for 46 years.
• Enhances Seattle Rep's investment in creating and developing innovative new works - the classics of tomorrow. Rep world premieres include: August Wilson’s King Hedley II; Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles; Neil Simon's London Suite; Bill Irwin's Largely/New York; Charlayne Woodard's The Night Watcher and In Real Life; and Daniel Sullivan and the acting company's Inspecting Carol.
• Enables Seattle Rep to produce the work of leading national and international artists such as Edward Albee, Tina Landau, Ping Chong, Peter Brook, Lily Tomlin, Mary Zimmerman, and Bill Irwin.
• Allows us to continue serving 7,000 students each year, with the most comprehensive arts education programs among our peers. Seattle Rep is an acknowledged national leader in creating effective partnerships with schools.

What can you do?
You can help ensure that Seattle Repertory Theatre continues to produce world-class theatre for generations to come by contributing an outright gift of cash or securities or a planned gift to Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Endowment Fund. If you would like more information on Seattle Rep’s Endowment, please contact Alex Harris, Director of Individual Gifts, at or 206-443-2210, ext. 1121.

What about Planned Giving?
For those who find now is not the right time to contribute, please consider Planned Giving as an alternative means of supporting the future of Seattle Rep. The Planned Giving program enables you to make strategic contributions through a bequest in your will, living trust or gifts that provide benefits during your life and the life of a loved one.  For more information, please contact Alex Harris, Director of Individual Gifts, email or call 206-443-2210, ext. 1121.