Donations toward the new Galesburg library will get 2:1 match

Staff reports
·2 min read
This is a redesigned rendering of the south entry of the proposed Galesburg Public Library.
This is a redesigned rendering of the south entry of the proposed Galesburg Public Library.

GALESBURG — Galesburg Community Foundation is offering a challenge to the Galesburg area community in an effort to raise money for the new library.

The Community Foundation, non-profit organization in Galesburg, is offering a 2:1 matching grant for donations to the new library, according to Joshua Gibb, Galesburg Community Foundation’s president and CEO. The Galesburg Public Library Foundation announced the grant in a press release Friday.

More: What to expect with new library - Q&A with Library Director Noelle Thompson

For every $2 donated through Sept. 30, 2022, the Community Foundation will match an additional $1 up to $350,000, giving the Library Foundation an opportunity to raise a total of $1,050,000, the release said. This total amount will provide the much-needed community room in the new library. The community room will be the community’s gathering place, an important multi-purpose room for welcoming everyone to the library.

The Galesburg Community Foundation’s match grant officially launches the “Building a Library – Connecting a Community’ campaign. “Gifts given specifically for the Community Room will be recognized there forever; it is a wonderful way for everyone in the community to come together,” said Heather Sipes, Galesburg Public Library Foundation’s executive director.

To date, the Library Foundation Campaign Committee has raised almost $2,100,000 of the $3,750,000 goal. This includes a grant of $775,000 from the city of Galesburg to fund state-of-the-art technology in the new library.

“We deeply appreciate the City’s commitment to this project which will impact Galesburg’s future,” said Martin Reichel, who has been involved in the library project since it began.

”The board of directors and staff are excited about our ability to assist the library with this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to raise the private funds needed to bring 15.3 million dollars into the community for a new library in Galesburg,” Gibb said.

More: New Galesburg library gets 150K grant for children's room

This matching grant gives the campaign a unique opportunity to approach all segments of the community, the release said.

“We hope that everyone will participate, exemplifying the community spirit intended by this grant,” said Library Director Noelle Thompson.

For additional information, contact Heather Sipes, Galesburg Library Foundation‘s Executive Director heather.sipes@thegplf.org.

This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Galesburg Community Foundation provides matching grant for new Galesburg library