Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation Turning Aspirations into Achievements Private donor support drives growth with purpose and innovation, allowing the Library to enhance services and programming, grow our branches to meet community need, and engage with our Library customers in meaningful and life-changing ways.
Major Initiatives Grant for New Strategic Development
Flight Fund was established by the Foundation in FY2023 to provide microgrant opportunities exclusively for Library staff to develop programming based on community need. With 100% donor support, Flight Fund has launched 30 new and enhanced programs for the Library including: participants this year and champion a lifelong love of reading. New event PuppetPalooza was supported by a Flight Fund grant and is slated to become an annual attraction. Flight Fund Grants for Library Staff The Foundation received a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to fund the development of a new strategic direction for the Library. The areas of focus were developed via internal and public surveys and expert analysis, were unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, and will guide the work of the Library for FY2026-2028. The plan will be shared in early 2025. Funding for Popular Programming Donor gifts funded popular Library programs and launched new ideas. Community Read, Summer Break and EpicFest attracted thousands of
$165M
$151,484,978
raised to $165M goal 92%
Author Roxane Gay
June 30, 2024
We are in the final stages of the CommonSpark. The new Main Library construction is proceeding on schedule as foundational elements are being finalized for a 2026 opening. During FY2024, more than $5.2 million was raised toward the comprehensive goal of $165 million for a total raised-to-date of $151,484,978 for the CommonSpark, a public-private partnership that addresses an integrated set of needs including: a new Main Library with an innovative combination of resources, collaborative spaces, technology, and cultural experiences; Library Administration Center; systemwide technology, innovation and programming; an endowment for future needs; and annual operating support.
Over 800 participants from 150 book clubs across Mecklenburg County competed in Book Club Madness, a free month-long game to win a table at Verse & Vino. Four weekly challenges focused on increasing an understanding of the immense scope of Library services and gaining new supporters. Book Club Madness Engages Charlotte’s Most Prolific Readers Verse & Vino Celebrates its 10th Anniversary with A-list Authors Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation celebrated our tenth year of literature, libations, and libraries in the Charlotte Convention Center at Verse & Vino on November 2, 2023, sponsored by PNC. With a sell-out crowd of 1,300 people in attendance, the event raised over $630,000. We were joined by emcee Sheri Lynch and five outstanding New York Times bestselling authors: Melanie Benjamin, Roxane Gay, Sadeqa Johnson, Etaf Rum, and Brad Taylor.
$114,660,064 November 2021
$97,993,639 October 2020
$78,452,329 October 2018
$60M
• Women’s Health in the Second Half of Life Program Series • Neurodiverse Sensory Storytime • Loft Leaders Academy • Black Families Swimming Together with McCrory YMCA • WelcomeCLT Naturalization Ceremony • Edible Landscapes
As of June 30, 2024
Notable Gifts include: second gifts from The Leon Levine Foundation and Gambrell Foundation, Sally and Bob Miller, Marsh Foundation, Fifth Third, Crandall and Erskine Bowles, and U.S. Federal and N.C. State Funding.
The Carnegie Circle recognizes Library supporters who contribute $1,000 or more in annual support and honors the legacy of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who built libraries around the world, including ours in Charlotte in 1903. Marking a Milestone 300 Carnegie Circle Members
To learn more about these and other Flight Fund programs, scan the QR code.
Library CEO Marcellus Turner at Carnegie Circle appreciation event sponsored by the Gambrell Foundation featuring acclaimed social scientist Dacher Keltner
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