Former President Joe Biden has chosen Delaware as the site for his presidential library and has enlisted a team of former aides, friends, and political allies to spearhead fundraising and select a location for the museum and archives.
The Joe and Jill Biden Foundation recently approved a 13-member governance board to oversee the project. The board includes high-profile figures such as former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, longtime adviser, Steve Ricchetti, and prominent Democratic fundraiser Rufus Gifford, among others closely connected to the Bidens.
Biden’s library team faces the significant challenge of raising funds for the 46th president’s legacy project amid a fragmented Democratic Party and a slowdown in contributions from major donors. Corporate and institutional support, traditionally a reliable source of funding for presidential libraries, could also be uncertain, as President Donald Trump continues to criticize Biden and organizations he perceives as left-leaning.
The cost of presidential libraries has grown substantially over time. The George H.W. Bush Library, which opened in 1997, cost about $43 million, while Bill Clinton’s library came in at roughly $165 million.
The George W. Bush Library raised $500 million before its dedication. The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago has set an ambitious $1.6 billion fundraising goal to cover construction, global programming, and an endowment, with the center scheduled to open next year.
Like other presidential libraries, construction and programming will be financed with private donations to nonprofit organizations established by the former president.
The initial vision for the Biden library includes an immersive museum chronicling his four years in office, as well as a hub for leadership, service, and civic engagement. The facility is expected to feature educational and event spaces to host policy discussions, conferences, and public programs.
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