Nov 12, 2021 – United Way of Monroe County and the Community Foundation, along with officials from the City of Bloomington and the Monroe County Government, announced November 10 a formal partnership including more than $5 million in funding proposed to support the “Heading Home 2021: A Regional Plan for Making Homelessness Rare, Brief, and Non-Repeating.” Read More »
Nov 11, 2021 – Monroe County is no stranger to housing challenges, especially in Bloomington, where the average rent is among the highest in the state. Even before COVID-19, many families struggled to pay rent and were vulnerable to eviction. Behind the scenes, the Community Justice & Mediation Center has leveraged the talents and dedication of its volunteer mediators to help both tenants and landlords resolve conflicts. Read More »
Jul 16, 2021 – United Way of Monroe County, the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, and the South Central Housing Network (SCHN) are pleased to announce the release of “Heading Home 2021: A Regional Plan for Making Homelessness Rare, Brief, and Non-Repeating.” This plan will serve as a community guide to support long-term initiatives in reducing and eliminating regional housing insecurity and homelessness in Monroe County. Read More »
Jan 11, 2021 – The Community Foundation and United Way of Monroe County are humbled to jointly serve as conveners and facilitators to advance collaboration around the issues of homelessness and housing insecurity we face as a community. Building on partnerships created and strengthened throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we are convening providers, funders, and others to support both short- and long-term strategies to reduce homelessness and address housing issues. Stay tuned for more information on this initiative.
May 12, 2021: A good news update! We are proud to share stories from three of the five nonprofits awarded Resilient Community Mental Health Grants in November to enhance or expand mental, emotional, and behavioral health programs. Read More »
Nov 11, 2020 – In response to increased demand for mental health services, the Community Foundation awarded eight grants totaling $150,000. Grant funding will enhance or expand the capacity of health programs and services to provide mental, emotional, and behavioral health supports in Monroe County. Read More »
Aug 7, 2020 – The Community Foundation has created a new funding initiative to address child care costs and the need for virtual learning resources. The LEARN Fund will help ensure Monroe County children and families have resources for children to learn effectively despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More »
May 19, 2020 – Thanks to the generosity of Community Foundation donors and the Lilly Endowment through the United Way of Monroe County’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, we were able to open a third funding round of COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants. In the third round, 24 grants were awarded to support Monroe County nonprofits with grants of up to $2,500. Read More »
April 11, 2020 – The Foundation has deployed $148,200.80 to support emergency COVID-19 relief and nonprofit sustainability in Monroe County. The Foundation has granted: $25,000 to the United Way of Monroe County to address basic needs for shelter, food, and medical care; $66,193.80 in Rapid Response grants to 32 nonprofit organizations for immediate supplies, equipment, remote-work technology, and staffing; and $57,007 in fund distributions from donor-advised, agency, designated and repurposed grant funds to sustain the capacity of nonprofits. Read More »
March 22, 2020 – Community Foundation COVID-19 Response Plan
Additional Resources
Helping Bloomington Monroe
Launched by the Bloomington Health Foundation, City of Bloomington, and the Local Council of Women, Helping Bloomington Monroe is a website that can assist our friends and neighbors find local information about health care, food assistance, social services, and more.
COVID-19 Resources for Monroe County
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce has a resource site with local, state, and federal information on COVID-19 and its impact on our community. COVID resources include government updates, nonprofit help, virtual meeting support, HR & legal resources, and much more.
COVID-19 Resources for Children and Families
Monroe Smart Start has put together helpful resources for families with children in Monroe County. Monroe Smart Start’s COVID-19 Resources for Children and Families includes information on child care, financial assistance, internet access, school supplies and more.
Child Care Worker Call Out
To support working families and employers, the Community Foundation’s Monroe Smart Start program has developed a tool for child care workers or those with childcare experience to sign up for employment opportunities.
Volunteer Network COVID-19 Response Hub
Looking for ways to help? Visit City of Bloomington Volunteer Network’s COVID-19 Response Hub for volunteer opportunities, items requested by nonprofits, and how to donate.