Is a presidential library just a fancy bookshelf if the funds aren’t there? Former President Joe Biden is finding out the hard way, as his efforts to build a lasting legacy in Delaware are hitting a financial wall, according to a recent New York Times report.
The crux of the story is that Biden has managed to secure only a tiny portion of the money needed for his envisioned presidential library, facing stagnant donations and internal debates about merging with existing institutions, the New York Post reported.
Let’s start at the beginning: Biden’s library foundation hasn’t seen a single new donation in 2024, relying instead on a $4 million surplus from his 2021 inauguration.
Fast forward to 2025, and the foundation remains tight-lipped about current totals, admitting only that Biden is just now kicking off active fundraising efforts.
Even their projections are grim—they’ve told the IRS they expect to raise a mere $11.3 million by the end of 2027, a far cry from the $200 million goal set by aides.
Compare that to Barack Obama’s Chicago presidential center, which has already amassed a staggering $1.5 billion, or Donald Trump’s ambitious plan to raise over $950 million for his Miami library before leaving office.
Here’s where it gets sticky: some of Biden’s most steadfast supporters haven’t even been approached to contribute, while other Democratic donors are openly uninterested, either distracted by opposition to Trump or disillusioned with Biden’s tenure.
“So far, some of Mr. Biden’s most loyal contributors said they had not been contacted by anyone about giving to the library,” The New York Times reported. Talk about a cold shoulder—how do you build a legacy when your own base hasn’t gotten the memo?
Then there’s John Morgan, a prominent Democratic donor, who didn’t mince words: “The Biden staff, they ruined any type of good library for him. He’ll be lucky to have a bookmobile,” he told The Times. Ouch—that’s not just a critique; it’s a funeral dirge for fundraising hopes.
With funds drying up, there’s talk of merging Biden’s library with existing institutions at the University of Delaware, potentially tapping into millions already earmarked for “Biden Hall.”
Right now, these are separate endeavors competing for the same donor pool, but many loyalists hope that combining them could streamline costs and salvage the project.
Neither the university nor the library foundation is commenting on a potential merger, leaving the idea dangling like a fiscal lifeline nobody wants to grab.
Biden himself has stayed vague, saying only that he wants the library in his home state of Delaware and prefers a smaller, less costly setup than Obama’s sprawling center.
The foundation claims delays stem from “intensive research,” including tours of other presidential libraries, but with a $200 million target looking like a pipe dream, one wonders if they’re just stalling for time.
Ultimately, Biden’s library saga feels like a metaphor for broader challenges—good intentions bogged down by poor outreach and a donor class that’s moved on. While a modest Delaware tribute could still emerge, the contrast with other presidents’ fundraising juggernauts is stark, raising questions about how history will remember this chapter.
