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The City of Bloomington has opened applications for the 2026 Sustainable Neighborhoods Grant, a funding opportunity designed to support small-scale neighborhood projects that advance the goals of the City’s Climate Action Plan.
“The City is here to support the community’s climate action ideas by providing the financial means to take the first step,” said Jolie Perry, Sustainability Program Coordinator. “We run this grant program to offer residents the resources to meet the unique needs of their neighborhood.” A project team of at least four Bloomington residents with a designated project liaison may apply for a grant of up to $1,000 for projects that strengthen climate resilience or sustainability in their area. The project team may partner with a local organization to apply on their behalf.
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Featuring Exciting New Themes from Matilda to Stranger ThingsAfter a fun-filled summer of camps, Constellation is excited to introduce a robust line-up of fall classes, running September through December! This session, Constellation is rolling out new age groups to better serve our students: Littles (grades K-2), Kids (grades 3-5), Middles (grades 6-8), and Adults (ages 18+). With engaging courses in acting, theater, improv, comedy, and moviemaking there’s something for everyone!
For Littles, Constellation is bringing back popular offerings, like Theater Playground, but with fresh new themes! Upcoming classes for Littles (grades K-2) include Theater Playground: Pigeons, Piggies, and Pals, Acting Ensemble for Littles: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Musical Theater Playground: Frozen Forever! Meanwhile, Kids (grades 3-5) will dive into popular shows like Matilda and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Constellation’s new Middles age group (grades 6-8) will have a blast in classes like Acting Ensemble for Middles: Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask, Broadway Bound: Matilda In Concert, and Stranger Scenes & The Upside Down of Acting On Camera. Constellation’s Education Director Eric Shelley is particularly excited for our new Acting on Camera classes for Kids and Middles, both with spooky themes perfect for the Halloween season.
Insights Optical is pleased to announce the continued growth of its locally owned practice through the addition of two outstanding optometrists, Dr. Lithia Jimenez and Dr. Caitlin Lewis, expanding access to comprehensive eye care for patients throughout Bloomington, Ellettsville, Mitchell, and the surrounding communities.
As part of a recent partnership, Landmark Eye Care officially merged with Insights Optical on June 1, 2026.The merger allows patients to continue receiving the personalized care they have come to expect while benefiting from expanded services, advanced technology, and additional appointment availability. Dr. Lithia Jimenez has joined the team at Insights Optical's Ellettsville office, where she continues caring for many of her longtime Landmark Eye Care patients while welcoming new patients to the practice. Her transition ensures continuity of care for the community while expanding access to services including comprehensive eye exams, medical eye care, contact lenses, dry eye treatment, and advanced diagnostic technology. Join Mayor Kerry Thomson for the District 2 Traveling Town Hall on Monday, August 3, 2026, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Banneker Community Center, 930 W. 7th St., Bloomington, IN 47404.
This event offers residents the chance to connect directly with City leaders, ask questions, and learn more about key projects and city services. The evening will begin with brief updates from the Mayor, followed by a Q&A session based on submitted questions. If time allows, the event will conclude with live questions from attendees. Traveling Town Halls are held in a different district every other month as part of the City’s commitment to transparent, accessible government. Anyone interested in how city services are delivered is encouraged to attend. The meeting will be broadcast live on Community Access Television Services (CATS) and available for on-demand viewing at catstv.net. Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard’s annual Garden Gala fundraiser is coming up on Friday, Aug. 28. Held from 6:30 to 9 pm at the MHC (1100 W. Allen St.), the Gala raises funds to support the organization’s educational and community-building programming. Snap a photo in Garrett Ann Walter’s photobooth. Enjoy live music from Don’t Call Me Betty. Join in community art projects with Allyn Boley and Alexander Landerman. Raise funds to support our accessible garden and kitchen education programming.
Tickets are $45, equivalent to purchasing 225 pounds of food for MHC’s food pantry! Each ticket includes a light dinner and 2 drink tickets to use at the Upland bar. Raffle tickets will be available for just $1 each, offering chances to win prize packages featuring a variety of local businesses. Grab your ticket, or purchase sponsored tickets to be shared with community members, at mhcfoodpantry.org/gardengala. The City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility will commemorate the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, August 1. The event will take place at Fernandez Plaza outside City Hall, 401 N. Morton Street, alongside the Farmer’s Market, with a rain location inside the City Hall Atrium.
The celebration will highlight accessibility for Bloomington residents by featuring local organizations offering resources, services, or peer-led programs for people with disabilities. Attendees can enjoy informational booths, resource displays, engaging activities, games, prizes, and cookies all aimed at fostering a more accessible community. Participating organizations include:
The City of Bloomington Parking Services Division invites residents, visitors, downtown employees, and business owners to test two parking payment systems as the City evaluates updates to its parking technology.
The two kiosk systems, IPS and Flowbird, are candidates to replace parking meters throughout the city. They are available for hands-on testing at the Parking Services office, located at 206 S. Walnut Street. Members of the public may test each system in person and complete a short on-site survey about their experience. The Parking Services office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on City-observed holidays. Testing does not require an appointment and is available through mid-August. The payment system review is part of the City’s ongoing work to implement findings from the Parking Rate Study and Comprehensive Review, completed by Walker Consultants in June 2026. The assessment evaluated Bloomington’s policies, operations, technology, communications, branding, and wayfinding. Walker’s review found that Bloomington’s existing on-street meter technology is beyond its expected service life and recommended that the City transition to updated systems. The City of Bloomington commissioned a comprehensive audit by American Structurepoint, a full-service architecture and engineering firm, to identify ways to improve how plans are submitted and permits are obtained for home, business, and construction projects. The City has now outlined its next steps in response to the audit’s findings.
The audit examined the City’s project review and permitting practices through stakeholder sessions, a review of completed and active applications, and conversations with employees from the Planning and Transportation Department, City of Bloomington Utilities, Engineering, Information & Technology Services, and other departments involved in the process. Participants included design professionals, local business owners, small-project applicants, developers, builders, and contractors. “My commitment to advancing housing and economic development demands we address every opportunity for improvement. The effects of permitting are impacting our ability to thrive as a city,” said Mayor Kerry Thomson. “Permitting shapes whether a family can build a home, whether a local business can open or expand, and whether employers can attract people who are also able to live here. A strong permitting process ensures a clear and dependable process for creating a built environment that protects the standards our community has set. It is not the only answer to Bloomington’s housing and economic challenges, but it is an important part of how we turn community goals into a thriving Bloomington where everyone has a place to belong.” Amplify Bloomington Launches Builder's Room to Help Local Businesses Build Their Own AI Tools7/7/2026 Program funded by the state's Community Collaboration Fund will train established Bloomington-area business owners to build custom digital tools — no coding requiredAmplify Bloomington, in partnership with the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, today announced the launch of Builder's Room, a free six-week program that will teach established local business owners how to use AI to design and build the digital tools their businesses actually need — from automated customer follow-ups to back-office dashboards — with no coding experience or technical background required.
The program is supported by a $39,834 grant from Indiana's Community Collaboration Fund (CCF), part of a broader round of state awards announced by Governor Mike Braun on July 6 to strengthen entrepreneurship and small-business growth across Indiana. The Builder's Room was one of 22 community-led, regionally driven projects selected statewide for 2026 CCF funding, which totaled $757,000 and is expected to leverage $1.18 million in total investment to serve more than 6,000 entrepreneurs and small business owners across the state. Over the course of six weeks, Builder's Room participants will move from identifying a real problem in their business to demoing a working, custom-built solution — such as automated follow-up systems, customer-facing chatbots, simple reporting tools, or streamlined quoting systems — at a live Showcase & Demo Day. The program is open to established businesses in the Bloomington area and is built around the schedules of busy owners. The City of Bloomington has awarded $76,000 in Arts Project Grants to a variety of artists, arts organizations, and community groups. The recipients of the Arts Project Grants will use their funding to produce public arts programming that enriches Bloomington’s vibrant cultural scene. Award amounts range up to $3,000, with most recipients receiving partial funding.
Projects awarded as part of the 2026 Arts Project grant cycle embody the dynamic, artistic spirit of Bloomington, celebrate and support its local artists, and provide more opportunities for Bloomington residents and visitors to experience the arts. Awarded projects include
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