Despite launching his presidential library foundation a year ago, former President Joe Biden has struggled to raise substantial funds for the project, casting serious doubt on its future as a standalone institution.
According to a New York Times report, 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—a fraction of what is typically needed to construct a modern presidential library. No new donations were received in 2024, and the foundation’s seed money came from $4 million in leftover funds from Biden’s 2021 inauguration.
As of late 2025, Biden has yet to hold any major fundraising events for the library, with the first donor reception scheduled for this coming Monday in Washington DC’s Georgetown neighborhood. The foundation has not disclosed what it raised in 2025, only stating that Biden is now beginning to fundraise more actively.
The New York Times notes that Biden’s projected total of $11.3 million lags far behind the efforts of other recent presidents. The Obama Foundation, in comparison, has raised over $1.5 billion for its sprawling Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The center, despite cost overruns and criticism from Chicago residents, is slated to open in 2026 with more than $850 million already committed to construction. However, filings and financial disclosures have prompted concerns about the foundation’s limited endowment funding and the potential for taxpayer liability, along with rising operating costs.
President Donald Trump, who plans to build his library in Miami, is aiming to raise nearly $1 billion and has already secured land and funding from legal settlements and private donations. Trump’s project was formally approved in September 2025 by the Florida Cabinet and is being promoted as a major civic attraction in Miami.
The Biden library foundation’s difficulties appear compounded by donor fatigue and intra-party discontent. Several top Democrat donors, including longtime bundler John Morgan, have expressed disinterest or outright refusal to contribute, citing poor treatment by Biden’s staff. “He’ll be lucky to have a bookmobile,” Morgan told the New York Times. Some donors have said they are more focused on defeating Donald Trump or are reluctant to contribute due to frustrations with Biden’s presidency. Separately, Axios revealed that Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter further alienated some Democrats, with a number of donors threatening to withhold support for the library effort.
The Biden library foundation is currently chaired by Rufus Gifford, a Democrat 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 group hired a consulting firm, CCS Fundraising, to assess financial prospects. In September, the Bidens sent letters inviting prospective supporters to participate in 45-minute interviews to gauge donation potential.
Given the fundraising shortfall, some of President Biden’s donors have suggested merging the future library with existing Biden institutions at the University of Delaware. The university has raised at least $22 million—including $20 million from the Delaware state government—to construct “Biden Hall.” While such a merger might allow the library project to share resources and reduce costs, both the university and the Biden foundation declined to comment on whether consolidation is being considered.
At present, the Biden library exists only on the National Archives website and as a corporate entity incorporated in December 2024. It has not selected a specific site in Delaware, though locations in Wilmington have been discussed. The library’s stated $200 million fundraising goal remains far out of reach.
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