How to Support the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
You can support the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP) in three main ways: make an individual donation, join the Friends of the SEP Society, or—if you represent an academic library—join SEPIA for Libraries. Individual members of the Friends of the SEP Society receive benefits such as nicely formatted PDF versions of SEP entries. SEPIA is the library membership program, funded in part by academic library dues. The SEP is published by Stanford University's Metaphysics Research Lab and has also relied on grants and institutional funding, so support is not limited to a single channel.
Ways to Support the SEP
The SEP's own support pages list several distinct options, each aimed at a different kind of supporter.
1. Make a Donation
The site provides a "Make a Donation" option under its Support SEP section. This is the most direct route for an individual who wants to contribute financially without joining a membership program. The SEP's funding acknowledgements mention that it has received contributions from individual donors through funds such as The John Perry Fund and The SEP Fund.
2. Join the Friends of the SEP Society
The Friends of the SEP Society is an individual membership program. According to the SEP, members pay dues and in return obtain member benefits, including "nicely formatted PDF versions of SEP entries." If your main interest is reading SEP content in a more convenient format, this is the membership tier designed for you.
3. Join SEPIA for Libraries
SEPIA is the academic library membership program. Its funding comes from "the membership dues of academic libraries that have joined SEPIA." If you work at a university or research library, this is the institutional route to supporting the SEP. The SEP also provides a "SEPIA for Libraries" link in its support menu.
How SEP Funding Is Structured
Understanding where the money goes can help you decide which channel fits your situation. The SEP acknowledges support from several sources:
| Source | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of the Provost, Dean of Humanities and Sciences, and Dean of Research, Stanford University | Institutional | Current operations support |
| SEP Library Fund | Fund | Includes National Endowment for the Humanities contributions and SEPIA library dues |
| O.C. Tanner SEP Fund | Fund | Gift from the O.C. Tanner Company |
| The John Perry Fund and The SEP Fund | Fund | Contributions from individual donors |
| Friends of the SEP Society Fund | Membership dues | Individual members; benefits include formatted PDFs |
| Founding support | Grants and associations | NEH, NSF, American Philosophical Association/Pacific Division, Canadian Philosophical Association, Philosophy Documentation Center |
| Fundraising support | Grant | William and Flora Hewlett Foundation |
This mix shows that the SEP is not funded by a single source. Individual donations, individual memberships, library memberships, corporate gifts, and grants all play a role.
Which Option Fits You?
- If you are an individual reader who wants PDFs of entries: Join the Friends of the SEP Society. The dues go to the Friends fund, and the stated benefit is formatted PDF versions of entries.
- If you are an individual who simply wants to give: Use the "Make a Donation" option. This contributes to the individual-donor funds without a membership commitment.
- If you represent an academic library: Join SEPIA for Libraries. Your library's dues support the SEP Library Fund and give your institution a recognized role in sustaining the encyclopedia.
- If you want to support without paying: The SEP also lists "Support the SEP" information and mirror sites. You can help by citing SEP entries properly, which the site explains under "How to Cite the SEP," and by directing others to the official source.
What Your Support Maintains
The SEP describes its mission as organizing scholars from around the world in philosophy and related disciplines "to create and maintain an up-to-date reference work." Support therefore goes toward:
- Commissioning and editing entries
- Maintaining the editorial and archival infrastructure
- Keeping the encyclopedia freely accessible online
- Long-term preservation of the reference work
The SEP is copyright © 2026 by The Metaphysics Research Lab, Department of Philosophy, Stanford University, and carries ISSN 1095-5054. Its co-principal editors are Edward N. Zalta and Uri Nodelman.
Practical Notes
- The SEP site lists "PDFs for SEP Friends" as a member benefit, so if PDF access matters to you, the Friends membership is the relevant option.
- SEPIA is specifically for libraries, not individuals.
- Donation and membership pages are reached through the "Support SEP" section of the site.
- The SEP also maintains mirror sites, with the USA main site hosted at Stanford.
If you are unsure which route to take, start with the option that matches your identity: individual reader, individual donor, or library representative. Each channel has its own stated purpose and, in the case of the Friends of the SEP Society, its own member benefit.