LIFEDesigns, Stone Belt and Work to Include are holding an Employer Town Hall on Oct. 27 to assist local businesses to connect with people with disabilities and the resources that can help promote a diverse workforce. The hybrid event runs from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Dimension Mill, 642 N. Madison in Bloomington, as well as via this Zoom link.

The interactive event will highlight the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and help businesses design a talent pipeline for youth and adults while addressing some of the barriers that businesses face, including reasonable accommodations, retention, co-worker training and accessing tax incentives. 

Click here for more information.

The 11-county region known as the Uplands – which includes Monroe County – will be submitting a proposal for funding through the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI).

The Uplands proposal is being led by Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) and Radius. They are asking organizations and individuals to provide information on potential projects and programs that have the capacity to grow the region’s economic outcomes through investments in place-based talent, business, and quality of place opportunities. 

Read more about this initiative here. Submit your project ideas here. The deadline to submit ideas is July 30.

​October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, and the Work to Include coalition has launched its Employer Toolkit to help businesses recognize the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and building an inclusive workplace.

The toolkit provides resources for hiring individuals with disabilities, making reasonable accommodations, finding talent for your workplace, disability employment law and more.

Click here to download the Employer Toolkit!

An 11-county study of workforce housing needs has been released this week, assessing the regional housing market and proposing strategies for addressing challenges.

The 339-page Indiana Uplands Regional Housing Study includes the Bloomington/Monroe County community. Reports for individual counties also can be downloaded on the housing study's website.

Six main strategies are identified by the report (pp 318-337): 
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1. Elevate the quality of existing housing.
2. Deal with undervaluations.
3. Develop more buildable lots.
4. Create more below-market-rate housing.
5. Work on greater code enforcement and implementation.
6. Invest in quality-of-life features.

ROI is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, and is funded through a $25.87 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

With priorities on quality of place and workforce attraction, the 2020 grant cycle for the Community Impact Funding Initiative is now underway. 

The initiative, administered by the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, funds projects that are "forward thinking, community changing in their implementation, practical in their application and unique to the community." Typically, grants are awarded in the $10,000 to $50,000 range.

The current cycle will emphasize projects identified as priorities in the recent Monroe County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan. These priorities were shaped with input from an advisory team of 35 that included Erin Predmore, CEO of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, and Christopher Emge, the Chamber's Manager of Talent and Education.

Examples of the plan's priorities:

• Dramatically increase affordable housing supply for low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters.
• Cultivate county connections and countywide identity. 
• Increase public transportation options.
• Support the transition to the modern economy.

On Wednesday, Aug. 7, the Community Foundation will hold an Impact Grant workshop from 10 a.m. until noon at the Fountain Square Ballroom, 101 W. Kirkwood. The event is designed to provide details on the priority focus areas and discuss the application process. You can RSVP for this workshop by emailing Marcus Whited at [email protected].

The complete timeline:
Aug. 7 – Impact Grant workshop at Fountain Square Ballroom
Sept. 6 – Letters of Intent due to Community Foundation
Sept. 23 – Selected applicants receive invitations for full proposals
Oct. 30 – Full proposals due to Community Foundation
Dec. 12 – Grant awards announced; funding available

Click here for details on the Community Impact Grant Initiative. To read the full Monroe County Quality of Place and Workforce Attraction Plan, click here.​