Who We Are
The mission of the Fort Dodge Public Library Foundation is to develop charitable donations and gifts to provide supplementary funding to strengthen and enrich the Library. Created in 1991, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides prudent management and oversight of donated funds to the Foundation. The Foundation advances the Fort Dodge Public Library and its impact on our community by mobilizing community resources that help our library deliver fun and innovative programs and services while building a culture of literacy.
All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. The charitable support the Foundation receives is used to purchase materials for the collection, fund our technology and online resources, pay for adult, teen and children’s programming, and finance special projects or needs that are not funded by the city. These services would not be possible without donor support.
Our Collections
Technology
Online Resources
FAQs
The Library is a department of the City and while public funds make libraries possible, donations and community support allow libraries to flourish. The Foundation is not a city entity. It is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization led by a board of directors and funded by community members to support technologies, materials, programs, and community needs that are beyond the Library’s operating budget. Donations help make our library a special place.
The Foundation has a board made up of local volunteers from the community. Elected positions on the board include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The library director, a member from both the Library Board and the Friends of the Library Board, and seven to eleven additional members make up the rest of the board. The Fort Dodge Community Foundation supports the Library Foundation by providing investment management and accounting services.
Library trustees are appointed by the mayor and approved by the city council. The Trustee Board makes administrative, policy, and budget decisions for the Library. The Library Foundation Board is responsible for raising, investing, and overseeing the private funds that are donated to support Library programs and services.
Donations can be made by check or credit card. Please use the attached Donation Form on our website. For questions/assistance, contact Rita Schmidt, Library Director at 515-302-8928 or rschmidt@fortdodgeiowa.org.
Yes – the Foundation can assist you in donating securities, real estate, life insurance or other sophisticated gifts. For questions/assistance, contact Randy Kuhlman, C.E.O. of the Fort Dodge Community Foundation at 515-573-3171.
