named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Business Partnerships
Collaborative sponsorship program inviting local businesses to support library events, programming, and facilities through financial contributions, in-kind donations, and joint promotions.
Endowed Funds Program
Enables donors to establish permanent funds starting at $25,000, supporting specific library needs like children's programming, staff development, or collections in designated subject areas.
READATHON
Annual community fundraising event where participants collect pledges to support library programs, later adapted to a virtual format during the pandemic.
Team TCPL
Peer-to-peer fundraising initiative that empowers individuals to create personalized campaigns for the library, such as birthday fundraisers or creative challenges, with support and promotion from the Foundation.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Free Expression Defense & Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocacy network support and public awareness campaignsSupports a network of library advocates (Team TCPL) who organize petitions, raise awareness about threats to libraries, and conduct independent fundraising. Also promotes library events through matching air time and public outreach.
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Fundraising for Community and Charitable Initiatives 1 activity
- Community fundraising and donor engagementRaises funds through donor solicitations, fundraising events, peer-to-peer campaigns, and online, mailed, and in-person donation methods. Provides logistical and promotional support for individual fundraisers, including donation forms, tax receipts, and public recognition.
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Endowment and Gift Fund Management 1 activity
- Establishment and management of endowed and memorial fundsEstablishes and manages endowed funds (minimum $25,000) and one-time memorial or tribute book funds (starting at $500) to support the long-term sustainability of the library and specific collection areas, including memorial bookplates and annual income generation.
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Literacy Program Funding 1 activity
- Funding for other libraries, literacy organizations, and library student scholarshipsProvides grants to other area libraries, literacy organizations, and scholarships for library students, expanding support beyond the Tompkins County Public Library to broader library and literacy initiatives.
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Municipal and Community General Support 1 activity
- Funding support for Tompkins County Public LibraryProvides financial support to the Tompkins County Public Library through recurring donations, endowment distributions, and grantmaking to enhance the library's growth, collections, programming, and community service capacity. This includes directing donor and grantor funds to designated library initiatives and matching available funding to identified needs.
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Library Operations and Program Support 1 activity
- Support for specialized library collections and programmingSupports the acquisition of specific library materials through dedicated funds, including mystery fiction, non-fiction adult books in science and history, children's books about India, and socio-political thought in the U.S. and India. Also supports arts programming for preschoolers through endowed funds.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$732K
Contributions & grants$297K41%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$434K59%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$367K
Program expenses57%
Admin / overhead33%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$200K
Grants paid out$54K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.91M
Cash$72K
Investments$3.83M
Liabilities$57K
Net assets$3.85M
Liquid reserves127.7 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +144.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KERRY BARNES | Executive Director | 40 | $92K |
board members · 14
- BARBARA PAGE — BOARD MEMBER
- DALE JOHNSON — SECRETARYTREASURER
- DEREK BURROWS — BOARD MEMBER
- Heather Furnas — Board Member
- LAURA LARSON — Board Member
- MELISA CRUMRINE — President
- MELISSA VANDERHOOF — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHELLE MILLET — BOARD MEMBER
- Mary Holland-Bavis — Board Member
- STEVE HEADRICK — VICE PRESIDENT
- Samantha Hillson — Board Member
- Shaunessy Bordas — Board Member
- Spencer Freeman — Board Member
- Tom Schloegel — Board Member
relationships · 25
Who they work with
- American Library Association Partner — Offers national advocacy tools, data on banned books, and letter templates for engaging elected officials, which the Foundation shares with advocates.
- Arnold Printing Corporation Partner — Donated printing services for programs related to the Library After Dark event
- Canopy by Hilton Partner — Donated lodging for a visiting author
- Carol Bushberg Real Estate Broker Partner — Sponsored Library Lovers Month activities
- Crossfit Vertical - Ithaca NY Partner — Held a Team TCPL fundraising event and donated the proceeds
- Friends of TCPL Partner — Collaborates with the Foundation to provide financial support to TCPL, with complementary fundraising activities.
- Friends of TCPL Board of Directors Partner — Works alongside the Foundation Board to engage library supporters and generate community support.
- Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library Partner — Collaborates with the Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library for book donations, directing donors to them when books are offered.
- Liquid State Brewing Company Partner — Provided space for the Silent Reading Party and donated proceeds from selected menu item sales
- New York Library Association Partner — Provides state-level advocacy tools for engaging with New York legislators on library funding issues.
- Odyssey Bookstore Partner — Donated gift cards for raffles and incentives for the Summer Reading Program
- Park Foundation Funder — Provided a $2.5 million grant to enable the purchase of the library's new location at 101 East Green Street.
- TCPL Board of Trustees Partner — Collaborates with the Foundation Board to generate support for the library.
- Team TCPL Partner — Network of individual library supporters who advocate and fundraise for TCPL with Foundation support.
- Tomkins County Public Library Partner — Receives annual income from endowed and tribute funds established by the Foundation to support library materials, programming, and operations.
- Tompkins County Legislature Government — Responsible for directing public funds to TCPL and is a key target for library advocacy efforts supported by the Foundation.
- Tompkins County Public Library Government — TCPL Foundation supports the Tompkins County Public Library, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
- Tompkins County Public Library Partner — Primary beneficiary of foundation donations and supported institution.
- Tompkins County Public Library Partner — Primary recipient of financial support and benefits from the foundation
- Tompkins County Public Library Partner — Receives stable, predictable funding from the Foundation through recurring donations.
- Tompkins County Public Library Partner — Works in partnership with the library to support its programs and services.
- Tompkins Financial Partner — Manages the Foundation's endowments in accordance with its Investment Policy.
- United Against Book Bans Partner — Provides resources for defending books from censorship and tracking attempted book bans, which the Foundation promotes to support advocacy efforts.
- WSKG PBS NPR Partner — Provided matching air time to promote the Library After Dark event
- Wegmans Partner — Sponsored the READATHON event
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-as-Owner Funding Modelmethodology: community_ownership_modelBy positioning the community as co-owners of the library, the foundation increases private support and sustained engagement, because a sense of ownership fosters deeper commitment and broader advocacy beyond public funding.
- Peer-Powered Community Fundraisingmethodology: peer_to_peer_fundraisingBy empowering individuals to lead personalized fundraising campaigns within their networks, the foundation amplifies reach and donor engagement, because peer-to-peer advocacy leverages trust and social connections to generate broader support.
- Responsive Needs-Based Grantmakingmethodology: responsive_grantmakingBy directing targeted grants to the library in response to emerging needs, the foundation enhances service quality and adaptability, because flexible, timely funding allows the library to maintain relevance and meet evolving community demands.
- Sustainable Endowment-Driven Fundingmethodology: sustainable_funding_modelBy building endowed funds and using ESG-aligned investment strategies, the foundation generates reliable annual income for the library, because long-term financial sustainability enables strategic planning and resilience against public funding fluctuations.