Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Friends of Toronto Public Library

Friends of Toronto Public Library is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening and enhancing the programs and services of Toronto Public Library (TPL) through fundraising and community engagement. Operating through two chapters — the North Chapter based at North York Central Library and the South Chapter based at Toronto Reference Library — the Friends convert memberships and revenue from their BOOKEnds used bookstores and special book sales into direct financial support for TPL initiatives.

Since the early 1990s, the Friends have raised and donated millions of dollars to the library. The North Chapter has contributed over $1.5 million, primarily to the Leading to Reading children’s literacy program and related literacy initiatives. The South Chapter has donated more than $2 million to a range of priorities, including the purchase of a Home Library Service Van, expansion of Home Library Service collections, enhancement of literacy and literary programming at Toronto Reference Library, and full funding of the Elementary School Outreach Program for children.

Funding from Friends of Toronto Public Library is directed to TPL rather than to individual external applicants. Their support helps sustain and expand programs that might otherwise not exist, particularly in the areas of early and children’s literacy, school outreach, and inclusive access to library materials for people who rely on home delivery services. By channeling community donations and volunteer energy into concrete financial contributions, the Friends help TPL pilot, extend and improve services across the city of Toronto.

The Friends operate as a membership-based organization. Community members can become Friends with an annual donation, which provides membership in the organization, a newsletter, voting rights at the annual general meeting and a tax receipt for eligible amounts. In addition to financial contributions, volunteers support bookstore operations, special events and administrative tasks, contributing thousands of volunteer hours each year. This model allows the Friends to maintain low administrative overhead while maximizing the funds available for TPL programs and projects.

Friends of Toronto Public Library works in close partnership with Toronto Public Library and its foundation, which processes some online payments. The membership form clearly identifies the Friends as the donor organization and explains that funds are used to support various TPL programs. While they do not run open-call grant competitions, they function as a focused funding partner that channels community philanthropy into targeted program support for Canada’s largest public library system.