BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington Department of Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) invites residents to apply for City funding to improve their neighborhoods. Applications for funding through the four kinds of neighborhood grants described below will be accepted for the 2022 application cycle beginning January 3, 2022.
Neighborhood Improvement Grant
The Neighborhood Improvement Grant is designed to give residents a direct role in the improvement of their neighborhoods. The funds provide for non-traditional capital projects with community-wide benefits, that are shown to have broad neighborhood support. Projects may include those not typically covered by traditional City programs, including physical improvements and public art. Funds may also be used to develop designs for a proposed project. Past grants have funded neighborhood entrance signs and street sign toppers, playground equipment, community benches, historic sidewalk restoration, message centers, public art installations, and landscaping.
To apply for a Neighborhood Improvement Grant, a representative from each neighborhood considering submission of an application must attend a virtual informational meeting, either on Tuesday, January 25 at 6 p.m. or Monday, January 31 at 7 p.m. (The meeting is not required of applicants for the additional neighborhood grants described below.) Letters of Intent are due on Monday, February 14. Applications are due on Monday, March 21. Please visit https://bloomington.in.gov/neighborhoods/grants/improvement for guidelines and application.
Small & Simple Grants
The Small & Simple Grant program offers funding up to $500/year from January 3 through September 1 through two programs:
- The traditional Small & Simple Grant funds community building opportunities that might not otherwise be available, from training sessions to neighborhood newsletters to celebrations.
- The Small & Simple Grant to Control Invasive Plant Species funds neighborhood-wide initiatives to remove invasive species and replace them with native plants. The grant program is available through a partnership between HAND and Monroe County Identify and Remove Invasive Species (MC-IRIS)
Guidelines and applications for both kinds of Small & Simple grants are available at https://bloomington.in.gov/neighborhoods/grants/small-and-simple.
Neighborhood Cleanup Grant
The Neighborhood Cleanup Grant provides an opportunity for neighbors to work together to build community and instill pride in their neighborhoods. Cleanup is a one-day event during which volunteers from the neighborhood receive City staff assistance and equipment to dispose of trash, tires, scrap metal, hazardous material, and brush. Through a competitive application process, two Neighborhood Cleanup Grants will be awarded in 2022. Please visit https://bloomington.in.gov/neighborhoods/grants/clean-ups for guidelines and application.
For more information please contact Neighborhood Services Program Manager Angela Van Rooy at angela.vanrooy@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3505.
