The Leadership Circle

Kepler’s Leadership Circle is a community of philanthropists committed to sustaining one of the Bay Area’s most trusted cultural institutions.

The purpose of the Leadership Circle is to ensure Kepler’s continues to engage, enrich, and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds for many years to come.

The Leadership Circle bolsters the Foundation’s core community programming, including conversations featuring noted authors and thought leaders from around the world. Critically, it also helps to support living wages for our dedicated, professional staff.

We invite you to join as a Founder with a three-year commitment of $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000 per year. Apart from the three-year financial commitment, there are no obligations.

You can read our Case Statement for the Leadership Circle, and our official press announcement.

Interested in joining the Circle?

Kepler’s welcomes contributions from Donor Advised Funds. If you would like to join the campaign, or to learn more, we encourage you to speak with our Development Manager, Evan Karp: write to evan@keplers.org or call 415-967-8376.

We also accept donations by check. Please make your check payable to Kepler’s Literary Foundation and send it to Kepler’s Literary Foundation, 1010 El Camino Real #100, Menlo Park, CA 94025. If sending a check, please be sure to note Leadership Circle in the memo.

Kepler’s Literary Foundation is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax ID: 81-4833778

Benefits for Members of Kepler’s Leadership Circle

Welcome gift to thank donors for joining the Leadership Circle 

Book, thoughtfully selected by Kepler’s book buyer

Two complimentary tickets to any literary event organized by the Foundation

Whether it’s in the store or offsite, if you see an event on our calendar that you’d like to attend, let us know and we’ll happily reserve you a couple of seats. 

If you’re already in the habit of attending our events, we encourage you to take advantage of two complimentary tickets for any of our events to bring friends and family. We want Kepler’s to be a place where you feel at home inviting people over.

Personalized invitations to specific events 

Occasionally, if we’re hosting an author we think you’d especially like to see, we will send you a personalized invitation to join us.

Private shopping at the bookstore, once a year, with concierge service during off-hours

Have the bookstore to yourself! Take advantage of our expert booksellers before the store opens to the public, when they can devote undivided attention to you and your family’s next reads.

Complimentary family-level membership in the bookstore’s Kepler’s Literary Circle membership program 

This includes $10 off every $100 you spend, as well as periodic member appreciation events and sales.

Two complimentary tickets for Kepler’s Annual Fall Benefit 

Each Fall we host a benefit event at the bookstore, featuring a premier author along with wine, hors-d’œuvres and desserts. Last year we hosted Joan Baez; this year, on Nov 16, we’re celebrating Abraham Verghese (Covenant of Water, Cutting for Stone).

We proudly acknowledge the contributions of Kepler’s Leadership Circle members in our annual report and website. 

We also invite Kepler’s Leadership Circle members to sit down with a Foundation Board member periodically for an optional program update.