More than a year after its launch, former President Joe Biden’s presidential library foundation has raised a modest sum, inviting questions about whether the project can move forward as a standalone institution.
According to a report by The New York Times, public filings and donor interviews reveal that the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Library Foundation expects to raise just $11.3 million by the end of 2027. The foundation received no new donations in 2024, and its initial funding came largely from $4 million leftover from Biden’s 2021 inauguration.
As of late 2025, Biden has not held any major fundraising events for the library. The first donor reception was scheduled for Monday, Dec. 15, in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. The foundation has not disclosed how much it raised in 2025, saying only that Biden has begun fundraising more actively.
The projected fundraising total places Biden far behind other recent presidents. The Obama Foundation has raised more than $1.5 billion for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which is scheduled to open in 2026. Although the project has faced cost overruns and criticism from local residents, more than $850 million has already been committed to construction. Financial filings have nonetheless raised concerns about the center’s limited endowment and the potential for future taxpayer liability due to rising operating costs.
President Donald Trump is also pursuing a far more ambitious library effort. Trump plans to build his presidential library in Miami and is hoping to raise nearly $1 billion. His project has already secured land and funding from private donations and legal settlements and received formal approval from the Florida Cabinet in September 2025, though a lawsuit presents potential issues. The library is being promoted as a major civic attraction.
Biden’s fundraising challenges appear to be compounded by donor fatigue and dissatisfaction within Democratic fundraising circles. Several prominent donors have expressed reluctance to contribute. Longtime Democratic bundler John Morgan told The New York Times, “He’ll be lucky to have a bookmobile,” citing frustration with how Biden’s staff treated donors. Other contributors said they are prioritizing efforts to defeat Trump or were disillusioned with Biden’s presidency.
According to Axios, Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, further alienated some Democrats, with several donors reportedly threatening to withhold support for the library effort.
The Biden library foundation is chaired by Rufus Gifford, a Democratic fundraiser and former U.S. chief of protocol. Its executive directors include two of Biden’s closest aides, Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal. Over the summer, the foundation hired CCS Fundraising to evaluate its financial prospects. In September, Joe and Jill Biden sent letters to prospective donors inviting them to participate in 45-minute interviews to assess their willingness to give.
Given the fundraising shortfall, some donors have suggested merging the future library with existing Biden-related institutions at the University of Delaware. The university has raised at least $22 million, including $20 million from the state of Delaware, to build “Biden Hall.” A merger could allow the library project to share resources and reduce costs, though both the university and the foundation declined to comment on whether such a consolidation is under consideration.
At present, the Biden presidential library exists only as an entity listed on the National Archives website and as a corporate organization incorporated in December 2024. No specific site has been selected, though locations in Wilmington, Delaware, have been discussed. The foundation’s stated fundraising goal of $200 million remains far out of reach.
