The Ann Arbor Summer Festival — which annually offers three weeks of free, nightly outdoor movies and concerts in the Ingalls Mall area, plus ticketed main-stage events at the Power Center and Hill Auditorium — is close to meeting the $25,000 fundraising challenge goal that its board and staff issued to the community last month.

With less than three weeks remaining, the festival has attained 80 percent of its goal, with approximately $5,000 more needed in donations before the end of the year.

The issued challenge promised that the AASF board would match — on a one-to-one basis until the end of this year — the following types of cash donations (up to $25,000) from individuals: the total amount of a gift from new individual donors; and the increased amount of a gift from current individual donors. During the challenge, these types of gifts have been doubled, thereby creating a more stable funding base to support festival operations and program costs.

As announced in November, the challenge was initiated by current and former trustees, along with the staff, to help sustain the festival for the short-term and achieve higher levels of giving for years to come. After a financially difficult 2009 season — which included a $115,000 deficit in cash operations — this fundraising effort was also designed as a way to help the organization increase its operating reserve and meet cash flow challenges as it prepared for the 2010 festival.

To make an online gift, learn more about the campaign, read the organization’s case for support, or find out about additional ways to get involved with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, visit the AASF web site, or mail donations directly to: Ann Arbor Summer Festival, 310 Depot Street, Suite 3, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.