The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is supported by the Kennedy Library Foundation which provides financial resources and programmatic initiatives.
While the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum receives an annual federal appropriation for building maintenance and a portion of its personnel costs, the appropriation from Congress amounts to less than 40 percent of the Library’s annual operating budget.
The balance is provided by income generated from admission fees to the Museum, Museum Store sales, usage fees for the Library’s meeting facilities; and through the generosity of thousands of private individuals, corporations and foundations who donate money and in-kind services to the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. In the most recent fiscal year, the Kennedy Library Foundation contributed approximately 37 percent or $4.8 million of the Library's projected $12.8 million annual operating budget.
Through its financial support of Library programs, and through its own sponsorship of programs such as the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award, the Profile in Courage Essay Contest for High School Students, the Distinguished Visitors Series, and the Kennedy Library Forums, the Kennedy Library Foundation is united with the Library in a common mission to promote the ideal of public service and political participation and to perpetuate President Kennedy's own belief that one person can make a difference and that every person should try.
The Kennedy Library Foundation currently employs 22 full and part-time staff whose support enables the federal government to expand the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum’s research and archival capacity, to undertake marketing and public information projects, to offer intern and research fellowship programs, to enhance its museum and exhibits, and to offer nationally recognized educational and public programming.
Programs funded wholly or in part by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation include:
Profile in Courage Award
New Frontier Awards
Profile in Courage Essay Contest for HS Students
Kennedy Library Forums
Web Development and Management
Digital Archives Development
Press and Communications
Advertising
Docent Program
Tourism Marketing
Distinguished Foreign Visitors Program
Distinguished American Series
Student Internship Program
Research Grants and Fellowships
Development and Fundraising
Museum Exhibit Design
Ernest Hemingway Collection
Museum Collection Preservation
Museum and Civic Education Programs
Immigration & Naturalization Ceremonies
Celebrate! Children's Programs