StageCoach Theatre School is celebrating its 25th anniversary this spring, with a six-show run of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR., a gala event on April 28 and the launching of a legacy fund.
According to StageCoach artistic director Christina Penhale, the aim is to raise at least $5,000 and hopefully closer to $25,000 for an endowed fund through the Salt Spring Island Foundation (SSIF), which will provide a steady source of income for the Salt Spring organization currently serving 150 youth in musical theatre, dance, improv and camp programs.
“Our sort of tagline is ‘If 500 people gave $50, we’d have the $25,000,’ so that’s what we’re going for,” said Penhale.
Stagecoach has been able to create the fund with as little as $5,000 due to a recent SSIF policy change. The “Donor Advised” fund entry level for organizations has been lowered to $5,000 from $25,000, making it easier for small organizations to create an endowment.
“The foundation is keen to make Donor Advised funds more accessible to the community,” said SSIF communications and marketing manager Mary Kastle. “StageCoach is the first organization that has been able to start one at this lower threshold and take advantage of the policy change.”
Other local Donor Advised funds are Transition Salt Spring’s Climate Action Fund, the Salt Spring Arts Council Fund, Salt Spring National Art Prize (SSNAP) Endowment Fund, SSNAP Operating Fund and the Rotary Club Fund.
Kastle noted that while annual foundation grants are project-based — so not used for operations purposes — income created by legacy funds has no strings attached.
“For an organization to come and start their own fund and build up that capital to then have a continuous stream of income every year that they can draw from is really powerful,” said Kastle.
Penhale said foundation team members have been extremely helpful and supportive.
“They’ve been really really great in developing what is the right path for our organization,” said Penhale.
“The foundation’s mission is to make creating a fund accessible and also to work with each donor individually — whether it’s an organization or an individual — to try and help them realize their vision,” said Kastle.
As with so many charitable organizations on Salt Spring, there was already a relationship between the foundation and StageCoach, with grants provided for specific projects at various times since 2001.
But Penhale said the long-term viability of the school became a concern after it suffered a big financial blow due to the pandemic. When she became artistic director in 2023, how to secure StageCoach for the future became an important question, with the SSIF endowed fund providing an answer.
Connecting it to 25th anniversary celebrations just made sense.
“I think a great way to commemorate the anniversary is to go, ‘Okay, let’s secure the future for the next 25 years.’”
The StageCoach Legacy Fund drive will continue until May 3 (although donations will be accepted at any time after that as well). To donate, find the link on stagecoachtheatre.ca.
See next week’s Driftwood for more on the Matilda show and anniversary event.