The New York Times reports the Biden library foundation has raised little new money, relying on a $4 million inauguration surplus and reporting projected receipts of $11.3 million by 2027 — far below the $200 million goal. Fundraising was dormant in 2024 and some major donors say they have not been asked to contribute. Officials are discussing whether to merge the library with Biden-related projects at the University of Delaware to tap existing funds; the foundation says planning remains exploratory.
NYT: Biden's Presidential Library Fundraising Far Behind $200M Goal
Former President Joe Biden sits in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in Washington.
According to a New York Times investigation, the foundation planning a presidential library for former President Joe Biden has raised only a "small fraction" of the funds it says it ultimately wants. Public filings and interviews with donors indicate the effort received no new donations in 2024 and was initially seeded with $4 million left over from Biden's 2021 inauguration.
Former President Barack Obama is pictured next to construction of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois, a project facing delays, soaring costs and mounting scrutiny over its finances.
Fundraising Shortfall
The foundation told the I.R.S. that it expects to collect just $11.3 million in total by the end of 2027, a pace far below recent post-presidential fundraising efforts and well short of the roughly $200 million aides say they hope to raise. The Times report says the foundation declined to disclose how much, if anything, it had raised in 2025 and that large-scale fundraising only recently became an active priority.
Former President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Donor Response And Comparisons
Some longtime Biden supporters said they had not been contacted about donating. Other Democratic donors told the Times they would be unlikely to give even if asked, citing priorities such as combating President Trump or frustration with Biden's term. John Morgan, a longtime Democratic donor and early Biden supporter, told the Times he would not give "a penny," criticizing Biden staff and saying, "He’ll be lucky to have a bookmobile." The Times noted that stronger donor relationships helped other former presidents raise substantially more — for example, filings indicate Barack Obama’s Chicago center has raised about $1.5 billion, while Donald Trump has publicly said he aims to raise more than $950 million for a planned Miami complex.
Possible Consolidation With University Projects
Because fundraising has lagged, the report says there are internal discussions about consolidating a Biden library with Biden-related projects already underway at the University of Delaware. Tying the library to the university could potentially allow access to funds that have been raised for a separate "Biden Hall," although university officials told the Times they had not transferred money to the library foundation and declined to comment on a merger.
Foundation Response
A Biden library spokeswoman said the foundation delayed large-scale solicitations to allow for "intensive research," including visits to other presidential libraries, and described planning as exploratory. Kelly Scully, a foundation spokeswoman, told the Times: "We continue to be in an exploratory and planning phase."
Key Facts: Seeded With $4M From The 2021 Inauguration; No Reported New Donations In 2024; I.R.S. Filing Projects $11.3M By 2027; Aides Hope To Raise ~ $200M Ultimately.
