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The City of Bloomington Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team has been awarded the Indiana Geographic Information Council’s (IGIC) 2026 Excellence in GIS – Large Community award for its Bloomington Housing Dashboard.
The award recognizes organizations for their use of geospatial technology to better serve their communities. This recognition highlights the City’s ongoing commitment to using GIS technology to improve public safety, data transparency, and community planning. The Bloomington Housing Dashboard brings housing and demographic data into one public-facing tool to help residents, staff, elected officials, and community partners better understand local housing conditions and trends. "Receiving this award three years running reflects not just our team's technical work, but the real need Bloomington residents and city staff have for accessible, clear housing data," said GIS Manager Meghan Blair. "The Housing Dashboard puts census trends, building permits, and demolitions in one place so we can understand how our community is changing."
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Decade milestone highlights growing need and long-term solutions for individuals experiencing homelessnessWheeler Mission marked 10 years of service in Bloomington, Indiana, with the Wheeler Mission-Bloomington Gala held Thursday, May 14, bringing together more than 220 community leaders, supporters, and partners to celebrate a decade of life transformation.
Founded in 1893, Wheeler Mission has long provided food, shelter, and care to individuals experiencing homelessness. Ten years ago, Wheeler Mission began serving the Bloomington community, and today it has become the largest service provider for individuals experiencing homelessness in Monroe County. According to the most recent Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, 401 individuals are experiencing homelessness in Monroe County on any given night—highlighting the ongoing need for both immediate care and long-term solutions. Wheeler Mission – Bloomington offers Christ-centered, non-discriminatory services that take a holistic approach to care. Through a safe and supportive environment, the organization addresses physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs—helping individuals restore stability and rebuild their lives. City of Bloomington Offers Incentives for Homeowners Investing in Solar and Energy Efficiency5/18/2026 Applications are now open for the 2026 Bloomington Green Home Improvement Program (BGHIP), a rebate program that supports Bloomington homeowners who install clean energy and energy-efficiency upgrades. The City of Bloomington is offering rebates for solar panels, battery energy storage, level 2 EV chargers, heat pumps, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, energy efficient door or window replacements, and attic insulation projects. This program was created to advance the City of Bloomington’s goals to improve environmental and economic equity in Bloomington, and to reduce the community-wide consumption of fossil fuel energy sources.
Rebate amounts depend on income and project type. The general population qualifies for a rebate equal to 25% of the project cost, up to a maximum amount based on the project type. Low-income applicants are eligible for larger rebates of 40% of the project cost, up to a maximum amount. For example, a low-income household can receive up to $10,000 to install solar panels. Details on rebate amounts are available on the BGHIP website.
Rumpke Waste & Recycling was selected as a Platinum 2026 US Best Managed Company. Sponsored by Deloitte Private* and The Wall Street Journal, the program recognizes outstanding U.S. private companies.
This is Rumpke’s seventh time winning this distinction and the team couldn’t be prouder. “This achievement belongs to everyone working at Rumpke. Our employees work together as one team, persevere and put compliance, safety and caring for one another and our customers first,” says Rumpke President & CEO Bill Rumpke Jr. “This is what makes our company so strong. Every day, we show up ready to solve problems, support each other and push to innovate and be better for our company and our customers. That’s what makes this award possible.” The 2026 designees are U.S. private companies that have demonstrated excellence in strategic planning and execution, a commitment to their people, as well as maintaining financial performance and governance. This year’s class is making bold investments in digital transformation, including AI capabilities, and demonstrates the ability to drive sustainable growth and maintain resilience during times of volatility. Best Managed Companies are built on a foundation of trust and reflect a sense of purpose that fosters connections with their employees, customers and communities. The City of Bloomington invites residents to apply for the 2026 Resident-Led Traffic Calming Program (bton.in/yf6f3), an initiative designed to improve safety and reduce vehicle speeds on residential streets.
Now in its sixth year, the program has supported neighborhoods across Bloomington in implementing traffic-calming measures, such as speed humps, resulting in measurable speed reductions and safer streets. Most recently, the program supported traffic calming improvements on W. 11th Street from Monroe Street to Maple Street. That 2025 project was completed earlier this month.  Indiana Members Credit Union has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2026 honor by Indianapolis Star. This list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, to name a few.
“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That's something to be proud of. In today's market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That's paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.” “We’re honored to be recognized as a Top Workplace for three consecutive years,” said John Newett, President and CEO, Indiana Members Credit Union. “This award is meaningful because it comes directly from the voices of our team. Our people show up every day with care, integrity, and a shared commitment to serving our members and communities. We work hard to create an environment where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work, and as a result we are proud to have the best team in the business!”  If someone searches for your type of business in Bloomington right now, the first thing they’ll likely see isn’t your website. It’s your Google Business Profile: the panel that appears in Google Maps and in the results sidebar with your name, hours, photos, reviews, and a button to call or get directions.
That listing is often making a first impression before anyone ever clicks through to your site. And yet, for many local businesses, it’s either incomplete, out of date, or simply never been given much attention. This guide is for the business owner who wants to understand what their Google Business Profile actually does, what to do with it, and how to keep it working for them over time, without a lot of jargon or confusion.  Are you a nonprofit professional wanting to learn how CDFI financing can help your organization? Curious about what we do at CDFI Friendly Bloomington? Don’t miss our CDFIs for Nonprofits event, where you’ll hear from a community development financial institution (CDFI) on what they offer for nonprofits and how CDFI Friendly Bloomington can assist in the process.
Join CFB and the Community Foundation on Thursday, June 11th, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the ballroom at the Fountain Square Mall. Breakfast items and coffee will be provided. Register here: https://forms.zohopublic.com/cdfifriendlybtown1/form/CDFIsforNonprofits/formperma/VKOn2K8R_LkXkEWpWBCmEZYB8Y4-YLCYYqwzI_NirTM. The City of Bloomington is moving forward with a series of downtown and near-downtown infrastructure, maintenance, and public space investments. The work includes street paving, sidewalk repair, alley improvements, planter maintenance, public space cleaning, parking lot repairs, and continued support for downtown activation. Timelines may shift due to weather and other operational factors.
The City has identified nearly $4.7 million for improvements along Kirkwood Avenue, Rogers Street, Grimes Lane, and Patterson Drive. Planned work includes street paving, crosswalks, accessible curb ramps, traffic signal improvements, curb changes, stormwater infrastructure, median islands, bumpouts, and other corridor updates intended to improve safety, access, and movement. Funding includes City Public Works and Engineering funds, pedestrian safety funding, utility funds, bond proceeds, and $1 million from the state’s Community Crossings Matching Grant program. The City will complete more than $800,000 in paving on downtown and downtown-adjacent streets, including portions of 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th Streets, Madison Street, 3rd Street, Kirkwood Avenue, Walnut Street, Dodds Street, College Avenue, and Henderson Street. Scheduled for the week of June 8, surface parking lots 1, 3, and 5 will receive pavement maintenance and repairs funded through parking meter revenue. The City will also install alley bollards funded by $107,555 in parking meter revenue to support safety during festival setups. |
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