FAQs
Architects and Location
The Obama Presidential Center will be designed by award-winning firm Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners, with Chicago firm Interactive Design Architects (IDEA). Learn more about the team here (Opens in a new tab).
The Obama Presidential Center will be located on Chicago’s South Side in Jackson Park.
Foundation Activities
The campus will include a free observation deck; a branch of the Chicago Public Library; an auditorium; children’s recreation areas and a sledding hill; new walking and biking trails; a public plaza for community gatherings, performances and celebrations; and a program, activity, and athletic center.
The Obama Presidential Center will be paid for and managed by the Foundation. A substantial number of the records and artifacts on display will be on loan to the Foundation by NARA, allowing visitors to engage with presidential items as they do at other NARA-run presidential museums.
The Foundation is humbled by the community’s enthusiasm and support for the Presidential Center. The Foundation has already engaged community leaders and looks forward to expanding the conversation. In the meantime, you can submit thoughts and ideas by filling out the form on our homepage or emailing info@obamapresidentialfoundation.org.
The Obama Foundation will be responsible for all aspects of the building, construction, design, and planning processes for the Obama Presidential Center. The University of Chicago first proposed locating the future Center on the South Side. As a future neighbor and collaborator on the Center, the University has pledged staff time and expertise to the Foundation for its planning work and will provide temporary office space off campus for the Foundation.
The Foundation is at the beginning of a process to identify academic institutions, thought leaders, community partners, and other organizations with which the Foundation will partner to advance its mission.
The Foundation intends to maintain a presence at Columbia University for the purpose of exploring and developing opportunities for a long-term association. In addition, the Foundation will work with the state of Hawaii to establish a lasting presence in Honolulu. Within Chicago, in addition to its association with the University of Chicago, the Foundation also plans to collaborate with the University of Illinois – Chicago.
Fundraising
The Obama Foundation will raise all of the funds needed for construction of the project; neither taxpayer funds nor university funds will be used in the construction of the Obama Presidential Center. Once completed, the Foundation will provide NARA with an endowment equivalent to 60% of the total cost of all portions of the facility transferred to NARA. The Foundation will be responsible for funding and operating the rest of the Center.
The Barack Obama Foundation has been recognized as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service; donations are deductible as charitable contributions.
In addition, the Foundation discloses all donors and donations over $200 on a quarterly basis. The disclosures are made public on this website.
Yes. When accepting payments The Barack Obama Foundation and its vendors adhere to the standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover to protect cardholder data through encryption and strict access controls. The Foundation and its vendors perform regularly scheduled reviews to confirm adherence to these standards.
Contributions to The Barack Obama Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Upon completion of your donation, we will send an email donation receipt and a thank-you letter as your official record. Please save or print the emailed receipt or your thank-you letter for your financial records, as it may be useful when completing your tax return. The Barack Obama Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization: # 46-4950751.
In February, sustainers making ongoing monthly contributions will receive a letter summarizing their prior year of donations if they reside in the United States and provided a mailing address. Please email donate@obama.org (Opens in a new tab)or call (844)-310-0900 for all other donation receipt inquiries.
A donation receipt will be sent to you at the email address you provide with your contribution. You will also receive a thank-you letter with your gift details. Please be sure to keep a copy of your receipt or thank-you letter for your financial records, as it may be useful to you for tax purposes. In February, sustainers making ongoing monthly contributions will receive a letter summarizing their prior year of donations if they reside in the United States and provided a mailing address. Please email donate@obama.org (Opens in a new tab) or call (844)-310-0900 for all other donation receipt inquiries.
To cancel your recurring donation, send a written request to donate@obama.org (Opens in a new tab). Please be prepared to provide the following information to locate your donation: your full name, mailing address, date of donation, and how you contributed (mail, door, online, phone, etc.).
If the recurring contribution was made in error or due to fraud, we will refund up to the previous three months' donations. Please note that initial recurring gifts are non-refundable.
To modify your monthly contribution or update your contact information, please:
Visit your donor portal at donor.obama.org/login (Opens in a new tab). Please note that if you're a first-time supporter, it may take up to a week for your portal profile to be created.
Call us at 844-310-0900
Email us at donate@obama.org (Opens in a new tab)
The Obama Foundation relies on donations to sustain the next generation of changemakers and inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. We are grateful for the individuals who share our passion for a better tomorrow and financially support the Foundation.
Donations to the Obama Foundation are only refunded in exceptional circumstances, such as administrative error or fraud. In the case where the Obama Foundation determines a refund is appropriate, we will refund your donation to the original payment method. If you believe the Foundation has made an error in processing your donation, please contact us at donate@obama.org (Opens in a new tab) with the following information:
Your full name
The email address you provided when making your gift
Mailing Address
Date and amount of your gift
The payment method of gift.
If a recurring contribution was made in error or created due to fraud, we will refund up to the previous three months' donations. Please note that initial recurring gifts are non-refundable
Please direct any questions or concerns regarding your donation to donate@obama.org (Opens in a new tab) or (844)-310-0900.
See the State Fundraising Disclosure Statement