9/11 Foundation Looks to Foreign Donors to Fill Financial Gaps

With efforts to secure annual federal money for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum stalled, the foundation that will operate the museum is looking abroad to help plug a potential hole in its budget, The Wall Street Journal writes.

The foundation has secured about $15-million from foreign donors, and its officials have traveled to England, France, Ireland, and Japan to line up support, with a trip to Germany in the offing.

The museum, now in the final stages of construction and due to open next year, is projected to cost $60-million a year to run. Foundation President Joe Daniels said the organization hopes to cover 60 percent of the budget through revenue from admissions, concessions, and merchandise sales. Congress did not act on a 2011 bill to provide $20-million a year for the facility.