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Saving History

The Museum spends over $100,000 annually to support digital initiatives that continue to grow as online access to resources and programming increases. Learn more about our work and how you can help.

Become a Member

Gifts to the Museum are 100% tax deductible

Make a one-time or recurring gift to the Museum.

All donations are 100% tax-deductible.

Corporate Support

Located on the Museum Square in downtown Bloomington, we are a gateway to McLean County history, culture, and tourism. Partner with us or become a corporate member.

Leave a Legacy

Will the next chapter of your life story include a legacy gift for the McLean County Museum of History? Many donors make their most significant gifts through their wills, estates, trusts, life insurance, and other beneficiary designations. Our mission is timeless, and your support makes a difference. We invite you to become part of the Jesse Fell Legacy Society.

Gifts of Stock

To make a gift of publicly-traded stocks or mutual funds via electronic transfer, please contact Norris Porter at (309) 827-0428 or at the button below. We can provide transfer instructions for your broker. Please also provide us with the name of the security, the number of shares, the date they are coming, and where they will come from. This will ensure proper documentation for the gift as donor information does not transmit through the DTC wiring system.

IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution

If you are 70.5 years old or older, you can take advantage of this simple way to benefit the McLean County Museum of History and receive tax benefits in return.

Donate to our Permanent Collection

The Museum’s object and archival collections contain hundreds of thousands of items that represent McLean County and its residents from pre-colonial times to modern day. Photos, books, papers can be donated to our library/archives. Potential object donations should fill out the form linked below. It takes an estimated $200 to preserve each object in materials, staff time, and conservation costs. Please consider a monetary contribution to support the preservation of your items.

Employer Matching Gifts

One of the largest sources of untapped funding for nonprofit organizations comes from employer philanthropic matching gift programs. These matching gift programs match employee donations, usually dollar for dollar, to an eligible non-profit organization, such as the McLean County Museum of History. These programs are becoming a large part of an employer’s social responsibility initiative. Check with your company’s HR team to determine if they have a matching gift program.

Volunteer Grant Programs

Volunteer grant programs are giving programs where employers provide monetary donations to organizations where employees volunteer regularly. If you volunteer with the McLean County Museum of History this is an easy way to provide us with additional support.

How to Request a Matching Gift or Volunteer Grant

You must request this from your employer after you make a gift to the McLean County Museum of History. You can do this by filling out and submitting a paper match form provided by your employer or through an electronic submission process.