City of Bloomington website offers business resources

EverybodysBloomington.com, a website for Bloomington residents old and new, has answers.

Developed by the City of Bloomington in the last few years, Everybody’s BloomINgton emphasizes business opportunities and offers information for residents, potential residents and visitors.

“One of the main goals of the website is to provide information about Bloomington and our quality of life,” said Danise Alano-Martin, director for the Department of Economic & Sustainable Development. The site exists to capture Bloomington’s community, informing new businesses and employees who have
relocated to the city.

The site is organized in three sections: everybody’s opportunity, everybody’s story and everybody’s community.

Everybody’s Opportunity

This section provides site visitors with information about opening a new businesses, including available city grants and loans, property taxes and more. Malcolm Abrams, owner of Bloom Magazine, also gives a testimonial about the benefits of being an entrepreneur in Bloomington.

Everybody’s Opportunity also offers the latest news affecting Bloomington
businesses.

Information about technological innovations is also available. A separate page is dedicated to the Bloomington Entertainment & Arts District, which is a downtown space for arts businesses.

Everybody’s Story

This section includes the city’s history. Bloomington is referred to as “Indiana’s arts and entertainment capital.”

“Our downtown is a difference maker,” said Mike McAfee, executive director of Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We have a very healthy, vibrant, growing downtown, and that’s what sets us apart.”

Two Bloomington locals — contributor to Bloom Magazine Elisabeth Andrews and entrepreneur Abby Noroozi — also describe their lives in Bloomington in a personal essay.

Everybody’s Community

This subhead lets visitors glimpse the local neighborhoods, downtown, education, health and recreation, transportation and entertainment that are available.

“The City of Bloomington is such a wonderful place to live, and a lot of people are working hard to make the quality of life in these neighborhoods,” said Vickie Provine, program manager for the Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development Department.

This section also offers resources for health and wellness, such as IU Health Bloomington Hospital and the Twin Lakes Recreation Center.

Currently, Alano-Martin said the city is discussing new ways to make the website more readily available for prospective business owners and residents.

“We hope that someone visits the website and sees the types of activities, the types of businesses and opportunities that are available,” she said.