Mendocino County Museum receives $500,000 donation from the Trust of William L. Bittenbender

WILLITS CA., 5/19/22 – In the world of nonprofit donations, the rarest of all is the general operating donation. That’s a donation in which the receiving organization can use the monies for whatever it wishes: staffing, overhead, programming, capital or perhaps creating an endowment to further bolster its financial stability. This past week, one county organization was the recipient of such a generous type of donation: the Mendocino County Museum.

And it was a big donation – $500,000 – from the Trust of William L. Bittenbender. The museum received word in recent months from the trust that it would receive a dividend of the trust’s holdings, not knowing the exact amount. This month, the museum announced it would receive a gift of $500,000. “[This] overwhelmingly generous amount was not anticipated,” says Karen Mattson, museum administrator. “We are incredibly fortunate to receive the Bittenbender donation.” 

According to Deborah Fader Samson, Mendocino County Library and Museum director, general operating gifts are indeed special. “Being given funds that aren’t attached to a specific cause is most helpful for any institution as no one can really tell what sorts of situations might arise,” she says, “It’s best to have the freedom to be able to use funding for whatever is needed.” 

The Mendocino County Museum, located in Willits, “collects, conserves and celebrates the stories, artifacts and archives of the people and places of Mendocino County.” The museum features exhibits about the art, history and culture of the county ranging from ancient history to modern day, including hippies, Native peoples, veterans, ranchers, Latinos and everything and  everyone that encompasses the diversity of the county. 

Mr. Bittenbender’s connection to the museum stemmed from living in Mendocino County for over 50 years where he owned the Bittenbender Lumber Company in Ukiah. He had a personal passion for history. He died in Ukiah at the age of 90 in 2007. The following year his trust* donated his collection of artifact and archival materials about the lumber industry and local history to the museum. The collection includes photography equipment and images, books, and dishware. 

The museum reserved $10,000 of the donation for its 2023-24 budget. The remaining $490,000 will be transferred to the museum’s endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Mendocino County. This allows the donation to accrue interest that will strengthen its financial sustainability. 

Fader Samson calls the gift “a huge step for the museum” which recently released its 2023-28 strategic plan. One of the primary components of the plan is developing a strategy for improving the museum’s financial resources. This includes promoting its endowment, collaborating with the Friends of the Museum group, applying for grants, expanding marketing and awareness about the museum, and identifying long-term strategies for financial stability.

“By depositing half million into the Community Foundation of Mendocino County museum endowment fund we will be able to draw off the interest for years to come in order to pay for exhibits, supplies or other operating expenses, thereby lessening burden on the general fund,” says Fader Samson. 

For those interested in learning more about Mr. Bittenbender and the objects that he collected during his life, his camera collection is on display at the museum’s current exhibit Gadgets Galore! which runs now through August 13, 2023. The Mendocino County Museum is located at 400 E. Commercial St., Willits, (707) 459-2736, mendocinocounty.org/museum.

*Editor’s note: this article has been updated to reflect that the William L. Bittenbender Trust donated Mr. Bittenbender’s collection to the museum, not his wife specifically.

Note: Sarah Stierch covers food, beverage, culture, weather and breaking news for The Mendocino Voice. Contact Stierch at [email protected]. The Voice maintains editorial control.