A presidential library sounds like a sure next chapter, until the fund-raising math gets real. Recent filings and donor talk suggest Biden is still far from what a modern site usually costs. Support has not yet arrived at a steady pace, so the timetable feels less certain. Advisers are now testing whether the project can stand alone or needs a partner. Behind the scenes, the next few donor conversations may shape everything that follows.
What filings show about the Biden library money
In Internal Revenue Service filings, the foundation reported no new donations in 2024, the last year in office. It began with one large transfer: $4 million left from the 2021 inaugural committee. The seed money kept Biden in the game, yet it did not show wide new backing.
The foundation declined to say how much it raised in 2025. It also said the former president is only now starting active fund-raising. The first donor event is scheduled for Monday in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood. Those steps suggest real motion, even if totals stay private for now.
In the same filings, the foundation projected just $11.3 million in total receipts overall by the end of 2027. The pace lags behind recent presidents and sits far below a $200 million target aides have discussed. The gap leaves open questions about timing, scale, and costs.
Donor fatigue and blunt talk
Some loyal contributors said nobody had contacted them about giving to the library. Other Democratic donors said they may pass even if asked, since they are focused on fighting President Trump. Others feel burned by the term’s end, which has chilled Biden support in this lane lately.
John Morgan, a longtime Democratic donor and top bundler, said he would not give “a penny” toward the library. He blamed rough treatment by staff. He argued those choices damaged the library’s prospects. He said that treatment undercut goodwill. He added: “He’ll be lucky to have a bookmobile”.
Morgan offered a contrast after a dinner with former President Bill Clinton last week, held to discuss an expansion gift. He said Clinton and former President Barack Obama kept stronger ties with donors and supporters. That relationship work, he argued, helped them build big foundations and large libraries.
Why fund-raisers waited and who runs the foundation
Aides declined to make the former president available for an interview. The library foundation said it waited to hold fund-raisers to allow “intensive research,” including visits to other presidential libraries. The choice, the Biden group said, aimed to inform a clearer plan before asking widely again.
People close to him said he turned 83 this fall and faced distractions beyond planning. He underwent radiation therapy for prostate cancer. He also had skin cancer lesions removed. The treatments limited travel and meetings for stretches. He has also worked with historian Ted Widmer on a memoir.
Rufus Gifford chairs the foundation; board includes aides and appointees. Annie Tomasini and Anthony Bernal are co-executive directors. Tomasini is secretary; Bernal is treasurer. CCS Fundraising was hired in summer. A letter in late September asked for 45-minute meetings and said, “We would be grateful for your participation”.
How libraries became nine-figure projects
Presidential libraries today have become huge campuses, with museums, event spaces, and add-ons. Barack Obama’s still-unfinished presidential center in Chicago includes a vegetable garden, a city library branch, and a basketball gym. It is not a traditional library, since it will not hold hard-copy White House records.
The projects require hundreds of millions, and presidents raise the money themselves. The National Archives can cover some operating costs, but only after construction ends. Public filings now put Obama’s haul at $1.5 billion so far. A video this week said the center opens in June.
Donald Trump plans a library in Miami and wants to raise more than $950 million before leaving office. The former president has said little, seeking a site in Delaware. Aides say it will be smaller and cheaper than Obama’s center. Biden remains far from the $200 million goal.
The Biden Hall merger idea
The library foundation was incorporated in December 2024. Its only fund-raising that year was a $4 million transfer from the inaugural committee. Tax filings and committee president Jeffrey Peck confirm it. The transfer was more than half of the committee’s $6.9 million leftovers, and the rest is undecided.
Four people, speaking anonymously, said a consolidation with the University of Delaware is under discussion. A consolidation could use funds raised for a planned “Biden Hall” in Newark, Del. State documents show at least $22 million raised, including $20 million the state government agreed to pay this summer.
The hall and the library are separate, competing for donors from the same pool. Loyal supporters hope the library could move inside the hall and lower the target. The university said it transferred no money and declined to comment. A spokeswoman said work remains “exploratory and planning”.
How next decisions could reshape the library plan
Donor meetings with CCS Fundraising will test real appetite. A Georgetown reception on Monday adds another signal. Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, a donor and former ambassador to Brazil, is hosting it. Feedback from both steps should show whether a stand-alone build looks realistic. A smaller plan could ease the price, yet it still needs loyal checks. If support stays thin, a university-based home may win. Biden now must turn planning into pledged dollars.