Cleveland Public Library Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO RAISE PHILANTHROPIC AND ADVOCACY SUPPORT FOR THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY.
- Income
- $594,272
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- 5.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 60
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 32% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 222% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 70% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1596% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 32 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $1.8 million spent. THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION EXISTS TO RAISE PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT FOR CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE FOUNDATION ALLOWS THE LIBRARY TO DO MORE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY GIVEN THE WORK OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF TRADITIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES IS NOT FUNDED BY THE STATE AND LOCAL TAX DOLLARS RECEIVED BY THE LIBRARY. WHEN YOU INVEST IN THE WORK OF THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, YOU INVEST IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. YOUR INVESTMENT IMPACTS THE FOLLOWING AREAS: FOUNDATION GOALS GOAL 1 ACHIEVE FINANCIAL TARGETS IMPLEMENT FMP (FACILITIES MASTER PLAN) CAPITAL ENHANCEMENTS TO AUGMENT THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY TEN-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN TO IMPROVE ALL 27 OF ITS NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES, THE FOUNDATION WILL LEAD FUNDRAISING EFFORTS FOR FMP CAPITAL ENHANCEMENTS TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM'S OUTDOOR SPACES AT EACH BRANCH INCLUSIVE OF NAMING OPPORTUNITIES. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS TO SERVE AS WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE SPACES THAT BRING LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES DIRECTLY INTO THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. EACH SPACE WILL BE DEVELOPED IN TANDEM WITH THE LIBRARY'S CAPITAL PROJECTS TEAM AND WILL REFLECT THE DIVERSE AND DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THEY RESIDE. FMP CAPITAL ENHANCEMENTS WILL ADDRESS THE LIBRARY'S BROADER STRATEGIC GOALS IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: GOAL 2 ENSURE THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FOUNDATION BUILD THE OPERATING RESERVES OF THE FOUNDATION AND DEVELOP RESERVE FUNDING POLICY. GOAL 3 RAISE FUNDING TO SUPPORT READING LITERACY & DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS THE FOUNDATION WILL RAISE FUNDING FOR LIBRARY READING AND DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS TO HELP THE LIBRARY ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS IN THESE AREAS WILL ALLOW THE LIBRARY TO SERVE MORE AUDIENCES IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND AND BEYOND. GOAL 4 PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR LIBRARY PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS REAL- TIME COMMUNITY NEEDS THE FOUNDATION WILL PROVIDE FUNDRAISING DOLLARS TO THE LIBRARY TO SUPPORT OTHER AREAS OF ITS STRATEGIC PLAN THAT ADDRESS REAL-TIME COMMUNITY NEEDS. GOAL 5 BOLSTER THE FOUNDATION'S REPUTATION IN THE REGION THROUGH ENHANCING BOARD INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENGAGE NEW AUDIENCES BUILD THE REPUTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION BY ENGAGING NEW AUDIENCES. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE LENS OF PAR: - PHILANTHROPY: GIVE OR GET NEW FUNDRAISING DOLLARS - ADVOCACY: PARTICIPATE IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT YIELD FINANCIAL, LEGISLATIVE, AND/OR POLICY RESOURCES FOR THE LIBRARY AND ITS MISSION - RELATIONSHIPS: IDENTIFY NEW AUDIENCES TO INTRODUCE THE WORK OF THE LIBRARY & FOUNDATION ENSURE EVERY CHILD READS: CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY PRIORITIZES ITS YOUTH LITERACY EFFORTS. FROM STORY TIME, TUTORING, AND HOMEWORK HELP TO RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS, OUR ROLE IS TO ENSURE CHILDREN HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL READERS. COMMUNITY CONNECTOR: THE LIBRARY SERVES AS A CONNECTOR FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND OTHER BASIC NEED RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY. WHETHER ADULT PATRONS NEED ACCESS TO EDUCATION SERVICES OR CHILDREN NEED ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS, YOU CAN FIND IT AT CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. WORKFORCE READY: THROUGH PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY ENSURES CLEVELANDERS HAVE THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE WORKFORCE. BRIDGE THE CULTURAL DIVIDE: THE LIBRARY OFFERS PEOPLE A PLATFORM TO LEARN FIRST HAND FROM EACH OTHER AND COME TO APPRECIATE THE VARIETY AND RICHNESS OF THE WORLDS CULTURES. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY, OUR FEATURED EXHIBITIONS, AND COLLECTIONS PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO BROADEN THE AVENUES FOR INTERCULTURAL ENGAGEMENT. THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION EXISTS TO RAISE PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT FOR CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE FOUNDATION ALLOWS THE LIBRARY TO DO MORE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY GIVEN THE WORK OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF TRADITIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES IS NOT FUNDED BY THE STATE AND LOCAL TAX DOLLARS RECEIVED BY THE LIBRARY. WHEN YOU INVEST IN THE WORK OF THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, YOU INVEST IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. YOUR INVESTMENT IMPACTS THE FOLLOWING AREAS: FOUNDATION GOALS GOAL 1 ACHIEVE FINANCIAL TARGETS IMPLEMENT FMP (FACILITIES MASTER PLAN) CAPITAL ENHANCEMENTS TO AUGMENT THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY TEN-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN TO IMPROVE ALL 27 OF ITS NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES, THE FOUNDATION WILL LEAD FUNDRAISING EFFORTS FOR FMP CAPITAL ENHANCEMENTS TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM'S OUTDOOR SPACES AT EACH BRANCH INCLUSIVE OF NAMING OPPORTUNITIES. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS TO SERVE AS WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE SPACES THAT BRING LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES DIRECTLY INTO THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. EACH SPACE WILL BE DEVELOPED IN TANDEM WITH THE LIBRARY'S CAPITAL PROJECTS TEAM AND WILL REFLECT THE DIVERSE AND DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THEY RESIDE. FMP CAPITAL ENHANCEMENTS WILL ADDRESS THE LIBRARY'S BROADER STRATEGIC GOALS IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: GOAL 2 ENSURE THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FOUNDATION BUILD THE OPERATING RESERVES OF THE FOUNDATION AND DEVELOP RESERVE FUNDING POLICY. GOAL 3 RAISE FUNDING TO SUPPORT READING LITERACY & DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS THE FOUNDATION WILL RAISE FUNDING FOR LIBRARY READING AND DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS TO HELP THE LIBRARY ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS IN THESE AREAS WILL ALLOW THE LIBRARY TO SERVE MORE AUDIENCES IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND AND BEYOND. GOAL 4 PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR LIBRARY PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS REAL- TIME COMMUNITY NEEDS THE FOUNDATION WILL PROVIDE FUNDRAISING DOLLARS TO THE LIBRARY TO SUPPORT OTHER AREAS OF ITS STRATEGIC PLAN THAT ADDRESS REAL-TIME COMMUNITY NEEDS. GOAL 5 BOLSTER THE FOUNDATION'S REPUTATION IN THE REGION THROUGH ENHANCING BOARD INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENGAGE NEW AUDIENCES BUILD THE REPUTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION BY ENGAGING NEW AUDIENCES. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE LENS OF PAR: - PHILANTHROPY: GIVE OR GET NEW FUNDRAISING DOLLARS - ADVOCACY: PARTICIPATE IN ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT YIELD FINANCIAL, LEGISLATIVE, AND/OR POLICY RESOURCES FOR THE LIBRARY AND ITS MISS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1959.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.