Residents Invited to Apply for Neighborhood Improvement Grants

Bloomington, Ind. - 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 four kinds of neighborhood grants described below are now available for the 2023 application cycle.

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 benefit, 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 the neighborhood considering submission of an application must attend the virtual informational meeting on Monday, January 30, 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 6. Applications are due on Monday, March 20. Please visit https://bton.in/r8aZO for guidelines and the application.  

Small & Simple Grants

The Small & Simple Grant program offers funding up to $500/year through September 1 by way of 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.org). 

Guidelines and applications for both kinds of Small & Simple Grants are available at https://bton.in/IW2Ww.  

Neighborhood Cleanup Grant

The Neighborhood Cleanup Grant provides an opportunity for neighbors to work together to build community and instill pride in their neighborhood. A cleanup is a one-day event during which volunteers from the neighborhood receive support from City staff and equipment assistance to dispose of trash, tires, scrap metal, hazardous material, and brush. Through a competitive application process, two Neighborhood Cleanup Grants will be awarded in 2023. Please visit https://bton.in/3umKG for guidelines and the application.

For more information about any of the HAND grant programs, please get in touch with Neighborhood Services Program Manager Angela Van Rooy at angela.vanrooy@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3505.