Major Gifts Funding for Academic Libraries, 2003 to 2007

摘要

Academic library operating budgets are complex. The cumulative result of allocations provided from theirparent institutions should be derived from the institutions’revenues, monies accumulated from the earnings of theirinstitutional endowments accounts, funds raised annuallyfrom government agencies (national, state, and local),individual donors’ gifts, and grants from corporate givingprograms and private and public philanthropic foundations. The recent economic downturn being experiencedthroughout the world has had far-reaching effects on boththe private and government grant-giving sectors. Thissituation has created a dangerous position for the flowof financial support to academic libraries, placing a strainon services and programs that they offer to their users.Understanding these changes in the philanthropic environment, it is imperative for grant-seeking library administrators in their quest for money to support their programsand initiatives. This article presents a report of the trendsin grant-awarding by private philanthropic foundations toacademic libraries in the five-year period between 2003and 2007 and explores how private philanthropic foundations distributed their major grant awards to academiclibraries right before the country went into deep economicrecession. This article also provides information on privatephilanthropic foundation grant-making activities and theirgrant-awarding trends, by project targeted for funding andby geographical area. The report covers only foundationsthat awarded grants to academic libraries in the amount of$10,000 or more. Grants for special libraries, law libraries,and medical libraries are not included. Also excluded aregrant awards for public and school libraries.