Fontana Regional Library
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FONTANA REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM PROVIDES THE PUBLIC OF JACKSON, MACON, AND SWAIN COUNTIES WITH EXCELLENT SERVICE AND CONVENIENT ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL, INFORMATIONAL, AND RECREATIONAL NEEDS.
- Income
- $4.1 million
- Spending
- $3.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 78%
- Employees
- 84
- Volunteers
- 140
- Highest pay
- $99,024, regional dir
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 June 30, 2025, 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)
- $3.3 million spent. FONTANA REGIONAL LIBRARY PROGRAM SERVICE STATEMENT 2024 THE FONTANA REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM (FRL) IS LOCATED IN THE RURAL MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WE SERVE JACKSON, MACON, AND SWAIN COUNTIES, AS WELL AS PEOPLE FROM NEIGHBORING AREAS INCLUDING THE QUALLA BOUNDARY, HOME TO THE EASTERN BAND OF THE CHEROKEE INDIANS. THE SIX FRL LIBRARIES PROVIDE FREE ACCESS TO BOOKS, PERIODICALS, AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS BOTH IN PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC FORMS, PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES, INFORMATION, NOTARY SERVICES, COMPUTERS, INTERNET ACCESS, AND WI-FI. TO SERVE THE STEM EDUCATION NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY FRL OFFERS TELESCOPES, ROBOTICS, AND SEWING MACHINGS. FRL HAS A PORTABLE PLANETARIUM AVAILABLE FOR USE AT SCHOOLS, FESTIVALS, AND SCIENCE PROGRAMMING EVENTS. THE LIBRARY PROVIDES FREE PUBLIC INTERNET COMPUTERS AND FREE WI-FI ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC IN ALL OUR BUILDINGS. THE COMPUTERS WERE USED 14,107 TIMES; THE PUBLIC USED THEIR OWN WI-FI DEVICES ON THE LIBRARY NETWORK 293,629 TIMES. THE LIBRARY PROVIDES INFORMATION RESOURCES BOTH IN THE BUILDINGS AND ONLINE TO ALL PERSONS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE LIBRARY LENT OVER 463,299 ITEMS, INCLUDING BOOKS, MUSIC, VIDEO, TELESCOPES, BACKPACKS, GAMES, AND EQUIPMENT; OR OVER 4.73 ITEMS PER CAPITA IN THE COMMUNITIES. 108,335 OF THESE WERE ELECTRONIC RESOURCES AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH THE WEBSITE WITH A VALID LIBRARY CARD. THERE WERE 315,026 VISITS TO THE LIBRARY DURING THE YEAR, 239,378 VISITS TO THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE, AND THE STAFF ANSWERED OVER 63,084 REFERENCE QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC. THE LIBRARY PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY WITH SAFE, COMFORTABLE PLACES TO GATHER AND SHARE INFORMATION AND IDEAS. THE LIBRARY PRESENTED 2,238 FREE PROGRAMS AND CLASSES TO THE PUBLIC, ATTENDED BY OVER 37,236 PEOPLE. THIS YEAR, LIBRARY MEETING ROOMS WERE USED FOR 7,159 NONLIBRARY MEETINGS, ATTENDED BY 28,180 PEOPLE. FRL OFFERED OUTREACH PROGRAMMING FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE LIBRARY. THERE WERE 169 PROGRAMS WITH 2,577 ATTENDEES AT OUTREACH PROGRAMMING. THE LIBRARY HAD COMMUNICATIVE, COOPERATIVE, OR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OVER 131 LOCAL AREA GROUPS AND AGENCIES INCLUDING SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENT ON AGING, SENIOR SERVICES, HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, SOUTHWESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, CIRCLES OF JACKSON, THE SOUTHWESTERN COMMISSION, AARP, AND UNIDXS TO PROVIDE SERVICE AND INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC. FRL'S MISSION IS "TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC OF JACKSON, MACON, AND SWAIN COUNTIES WITH EXCELLENT SERVICE AND CONVENIENT ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL, INFORMATIONAL, AND RECERATIONAL NEEDS." OUR STATISTICS SHOW THAT USAGE OF LIBRARY RESOURCES IS EVOLVING, AND THE LIBRARY REMAINS A VITAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY. FONTANA REGIONAL LIBRARY PROGRAM SERVICE STATEMENT 2024 THE FONTANA REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM (FRL) IS LOCATED IN THE RURAL MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, WE SERVE JACKSON, MACON, AND SWAIN COUNTIES, AS WELL AS PEOPLE FROM NEIGHBORING AREAS INCLUDING THE QUALLA BOUNDARY, HOME TO THE EASTERN BAND OF THE CHEROKEE INDIANS. THE SIX FRL LIBRARIES PROVIDE FREE ACCESS TO BOOKS, PERIODICALS, AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS BOTH IN PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC FORMS, PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES, INFORMATION, NOTARY SERVICES, COMPUTERS, INTERNET ACCESS, AND WI-FI. TO SERVE THE STEM EDUCATION NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY FRL OFFERS TELESCOPES, ROBOTICS, AND SEWING MACHINGS. FRL HAS A PORTABLE PLANETARIUM AVAILABLE FOR USE AT SCHOOLS, FESTIVALS, AND SCIENCE PROGRAMMING EVENTS. THE LIBRARY PROVIDES FREE PUBLIC INTERNET COMPUTERS AND FREE WI-FI ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC IN ALL OUR BUILDINGS. THE COMPUTERS WERE USED 14,107 TIMES; THE PUBLIC USED THEIR OWN WI-FI DEVICES ON THE LIBRARY NETWORK 293,629 TIMES. THE LIBRARY PROVIDES INFORMATION RESOURCES BOTH IN THE BUILDINGS AND ONLINE TO ALL PERSONS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE LIBRARY LENT OVER 463,299 ITEMS, INCLUDING BOOKS, MUSIC, VIDEO, TELESCOPES, BACKPACKS, GAMES, AND EQUIPMENT; OR OVER 4.73 ITEMS PER CAPITA IN THE COMMUNITIES. 108,335 OF THESE WERE ELECTRONIC RESOURCES AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH THE WEBSITE WITH A VALID LIBRARY CARD. THERE WERE 315,026 VISITS TO THE LIBRARY DURING THE YEAR, 239,378 VISITS TO THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE, AND THE STAFF ANSWERED OVER 63,084 REFERENCE QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC. THE LIBRARY PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY WITH SAFE, COMFORTABLE PLACES TO GATHER AND SHARE INFORMATION AND IDEAS. THE LIBRARY PRESENTED 2,238 FREE PROGRAMS AND CLASSES TO THE PUBLIC, ATTENDED BY OVER 37,236 PEOPLE. THIS YEAR, LIBRARY MEETING ROOMS WERE USED FOR 7,159 NONLIBRARY MEETINGS, ATTENDED BY 28,180 PEOPLE. FRL OFFERED OUTREACH PROGRAMMING FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE LIBRARY. THERE WERE 169 PROGRAMS WITH 2,577 ATTENDEES AT OUTREACH PROGRAMMING. THE LIBRARY HAD COMMUNICATIVE, COOPERATIVE, OR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OVER 131 LOCAL AREA GROUPS AND AGENCIES INCLUDING SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENT ON AGING, SENIOR SERVICES, HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, SOUTHWESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, CIRCLES OF JACKSON, THE SOUTHWESTERN COMMISSION, AARP, AND UNIDXS TO PROVIDE SERVICE AND INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC. FRL'S MISSION IS "TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC OF JACKSON, MACON, AND SWAIN COUNTIES WITH EXCELLENT SERVICE AND CONVENIENT ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL, INFORMATIONAL, AND RECERATIONAL NEEDS." OUR STATISTICS SHOW THAT USAGE OF LIBRARY RESOURCES IS EVOLVING, AND THE LIBRARY REMAINS A VITAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.
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 July 2001.
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.
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