Bloomington, Indiana – Nonprofit groups in Bloomington that are working to help with the opioid crisis will be able to get more help from the City of Bloomington.
City authorities have started taking applications for the 2026 Downtown Outreach grants. This program gives money to improve housing stability, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and other important services for people who are addicted to opioids. The Opioid Restricted and Unrestricted Settlement Funding, which is money set aside to help with the national opioid crisis, supports the grants.
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The need for sustained investment remains clear. Between 2012 and 2016, 58 Indiana counties had more than 100 opioid prescriptions for every 100 residents. Those numbers showed how big the problem was and led to concerted action at both the state and local levels. Since then, Indiana has worked with local governments to use settlement money to fund programs that help people stop using drugs and stay sober for a long time.
One part of such effort is Bloomington’s Downtown Outreach grants. The city gives money to groups that help people and families who are dealing with the consequences of opioid use by providing direct, hands-on services. The main goals are to connect people with treatment, stabilize their homes, give them supportive care, and help them reconstruct their lives.
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The program gave out $244,095 to the City in 2025. Amethyst House, Beacon, Inc., Centerstone, Community Kitchen of Monroe County, Change for Sober Living, Monroe County Humane Association, New Hope for Families, New Leaf New Life, and Sojourn House were some of the groups that got money. Each group has a different role in the local safety net, such as providing recovery housing and counseling, food access, and other helpful services.
You can now apply for the 2026 cycle online, and the deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026. By Monday, April 6, 2026, city officials should be able to announce who won the grants.
Organizations that have concerns regarding who can apply or how to apply can email Marissa Parr-Scott at [email protected] or call her at 812-349-3468.
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City leaders emphasize accountability and impact as settlement payments keep coming in. The idea is simple: make sure that money related to the opioid issue goes back to the community in ways that help the people who need it the most.
