American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

What American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra does

American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (AFIPO) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 23-7183563, founded formally in 1980 and headquartered at 122 East 42nd Street, Suite 4507, New York. Its sole function is to raise philanthropic funds from American donors—individuals, corporations, and foundations—to support the operations, education programs, and international touring of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO), which itself was founded by Bronislaw Huberman in 1936. AFIPO operates no commercial product technology platform; its core 'product' is a fundraising and donor-cultivation stack built on a QGIV online donation page, Blackbaud Luminate / Feathr / Zeta Global for email, Google Analytics for web traffic, Google Ads / Bing Ads / Facebook / Pinterest / AdRoll for remarketing, and a reCAPTCHA security layer.

AFIPO's revenue model is purely donation- and sponsorship-driven across eleven named giving programs with tiered prices ranging from $2,500 for an endowed seat plaque to $25,000,000 for multi-year U.S. tour sponsorship. Donation vehicles include one-time endowed gifts (seats, musician chairs, concert dedications, commissioning fund, capital improvements with named-auditorium rights) and annual programs (free concert tickets for displaced civilians and IDF soldiers, community healing concerts, KeyNote education outreach reaching 22,500+ K-12 children, Sulamot social-change instruction for 10,000+ underserved children, Arab-Jewish Shesh-Besh ensemble, and U.S. tour support). Distribution is organized across seven regional chapters—New York City and Los Angeles with quarterly signature galas, Orange County/San Francisco/Palm Springs/Palm Beach with biannual events, and Miami annually—managed by a National Philanthropy Director and regional leadership employing a sales-led, direct-solicitation model. Sub-brands include KeyNote, Sulamot: Music for Social Change, and Shesh-Besh (Arab-Jewish Ensemble).

Name

American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Legal name

American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Website

https://afipo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AFIPO is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraising organization that cultivates American donors across 39 states and seven regional chapters to financially support the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's performances, U.S. tours, and education programs (KeyNote and Sulamot).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Nonprofit Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAE

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Arts philanthropy
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Orchestra support
• Music education programs
• Cultural philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: AFIPO raises funds from individual donors, corporations, and foundations to support the Israel Philharmonic. Donors contribute at various levels from annual fund gifts to major endowed seats and concert dedications. The organization holds GuideStar Gold certification and Charity Navigator 3-star rating.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (AFIPO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises philanthropic funds from individual donors, corporations, and foundations across the United States to support the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO). The organization facilitates donations via endowed seats, named musician chairs, concert dedications, capital improvements, educational programs (KeyNote and Sulamot), U.S. touring, and community healing concerts, connecting American supporters to the IPO through regional events, galas, and direct donor cultivation.

Product overview

AFIPO is a nonprofit charitable organization (501(c)(3)) that supports the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Rather than a commercial product company, AFIPO operates programs including educational initiatives (KeyNote and Sulamot music programs), US touring facilitation, regional events, and a digital donation platform. The organization connects American supporters to the IPO through fundraising, events, and educational outreach across seven US regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KeyNote: The Israel Philharmonic's classical music education and community-building programs reaching more than 22,500 children every year in Jewish, Arab-Israeli, immigrant, religious, and secular K-12 Israeli schools.
• Sulamot: Music for Social Change
• Shesh-Besh (Arab-Jewish Ensemble)

Products and services

• KeyNote Program Classical music education and community-building program reaching more than 22,500 children every year in Jewish, Arab-Israeli, immigrant, religious, and secular K-12 Israeli schools. Promotes openness, tolerance, and mutual respect through music.
• Sulamot: Music for Social Change Music outreach program founded in 2010 providing free private and group instruction to more than 10,000 children from underserved communities. Offers instruction on instruments including trumpet, flute, violin, cello, guitar, oud, and darbuka.
• Shesh-Besh (Arab-Jewish Ensemble) Award-winning ensemble comprised of outstanding Arab musicians from northern Israel and IPO members, performing worldwide and showcasing the power of music to build bridges between communities.
• U.S. Tour Program Facilitates Israel Philharmonic performances throughout the United States, including at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Kennedy Center.
• Regional Events Program Quarterly or biannual fundraising events held across seven U.S. regions (New York City, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Palm Beach, and Miami), including signature galas, private dinners, and exclusive concerts.
• Named Sponsorship Opportunities Sponsorship and giving opportunities ranging from $2,500 to $25,000,000, including endowed seats in the Lowy Concert Hall ($2,500-$10,000), IPO Musicians' Chairs ($25,000-$800,000), concert dedications ($150,000-$300,000), commissioning fund ($25,000), capital improvements ($50,000-$1,000,000), and U.S. touring support ($500,000-$25,000,000).
• Community Healing Concerts Outdoor community concerts held in the gardens of Tel Aviv bringing music and solace to the community. Sponsorship levels from $2,500 to $25,000 annually.
• Free Concert Tickets Program Program providing complimentary concert tickets to displaced civilians and active duty IDF soldiers. Annual support levels from $4,000 to $250,000.
• Global Hatikvah Initiative Global musical initiative uniting Jewish communities and friends of Israel through music, creating a global virtual choir with IPO musicians. Reached millions of viewers in over 95 countries on six continents.
• Online Donation Platform Online donation processing system integrated with QGIV payment processing, enabling supporters to make financial contributions to the Israel Philharmonic.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,500+ children reached annually through KeyNote program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Canadian Friends of the Israel Philharmonic (CFIPO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational sister organization supporting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. CFIPO operates separately to raise funds and awareness for the IPO among Canadian supporters.
• Israel Philharmonic Foundation UKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK-based foundation supporting the Israel Philharmonic. The foundation has helped facilitate performances at Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall since 1955.
• Israel Philharmonic FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCore international foundation supporting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra globally, facilitating touring and fundraising across multiple regions.
• Philharmonic Society of Orange CountyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal partner in Orange County, California for collaborative events. AFIPO holds events in collaboration with this organization, including exclusive evenings featuring IPO musicians.
• Kirshbaum AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPR firm handling press inquiries for AFIPO's major events, particularly the 2025 Carnegie Hall performances. Contacts: Shirley Kirshbaum and Beverly Greenfield.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Metropolitan Opera (The Met): One of the largest US performing arts institutions with a similarly gala-driven, major-gift fundraising model. Comparable donor profile (high-net-worth arts patrons) but operates as a US presenting institution rather than a 'friends of' foreign orchestra.
• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts: Large US nonprofit arts umbrella with comparable educational outreach programs, gala fundraising, and major-gift development infrastructure. Differs as a multi-tenant presenting organization rather than a single-orchestra supporter.
• New York Philharmonic: Major US orchestra with an analogous education/outreach mission, gala fundraising structure, and high-net-worth donor base. Different geography (US-based orchestra) but closely comparable fundraising mechanics and program portfolio.
• Carnegie Hall: Premier US concert venue and presenting organization that AFIPO partners with for IPO US tours. Comparable in donor cultivation, gala-driven development, and educational programming scale.

Direct peers

• American Friends of the Israel Museum: Closely analogous 'American Friends of' nonprofit supporting an Israeli cultural institution. Shares AFIPO's US donor base, Israeli cultural-diplomacy framing, and similar gala/event-driven development approach.
• American Friends of the Royal Academy of Music: A parallel 'American Friends of' nonprofit raising funds in the US to support a leading international classical music institution. Mirrors AFIPO's transatlantic fundraising model, donor stewardship, and event-driven development approach.
• Israel Philharmonic Foundation UK: UK-based sister foundation supporting the IPO since 1955 with the same mission, donor tiers, and event-driven fundraising. Highly comparable in mission, governance, and supported programs (Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall tours).
• American Friends of the Louvre: Transatlantic 'American Friends of' nonprofit supporting a major international cultural institution. Mirrors AFIPO's structure of raising US philanthropic dollars to support programming, exhibitions, and education abroad.
• Canadian Friends of the Israel Philharmonic (CFIPO): Direct sister organization of AFIPO supporting the same Israel Philharmonic Orchestra from Canada. Operates an analogous fundraising model with regional events and donor cultivation, making it the closest structural peer.
• American Friends of Covent Garden and the Royal Opera: US-based nonprofit supporting London's Royal Opera House. Closely comparable as a transatlantic 'friends of' cultural institution with gala-based major-gift fundraising and high-net-worth donor cultivation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubem.youtube.com/user/AmericanFriendsIPO
• Facebookfacebook.com/afipo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-friends-of-the-israel-philharmonic-orchestra
• Instagraminstagram.com/amfriendsipo/?hl=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles30 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra