The City of Bloomington's Economic and Sustainable Development Department has a long-standing commitment to sustainability and climate action. Programs related to energy conservation, renewable energy, and waste reduction offer opportunities for Bloomington businesses, individuals, and organizations to become more sustainable. See all current sustainability programs below and apply to participate on the home page. 

For more information or questions about any of the following sustainability programs, please visit bloomington.in.gov/sustainability or contact sustain@bloomington.in.gov.

Bloomington Green Home Improvement Program (BGHIP)

The Bloomington Green Home Improvement Program (BGHIP) is a lending program to provide financing for homeowners to complete eligible energy efficiency, solar, and/ or geothermal upgrades to their homes. This program offers a 0.5%-discounted loan rate (loans starting at $3,000) to homeowners looking to finance home improvements. Program borrowers who meet the aggregate income requirements are also eligible for a $1,000 rebate from the City of Bloomington following project completion.  

Solar, Energy Efficiency, and Lighting Program (SEEL)

The SEEL program provides matching funds for nonprofits, small businesses, and community organizations to improve building efficiency and performance through energy efficiency projects and solar installations. Eligible projects for funding under the 2024 SEEL program include solar, as well as weatherization, lighting, ventilation, cooling, and water heater upgrades. Additional projects may be considered for funding pending results of the facility energy assessment. For energy efficiency, the program covers the cost of an energy audit (valued at $3,000), as well as provides a $10,000 matching grant for project costs and access to low interest loan rates. For solar projects, recipients will receive a $25,000 grant towards the installation of a solar array. 

E-Bike Voucher Program

The City of Bloomington’s Pilot E-bike Voucher Program provides point-of-purchase vouchers of up to $1,000 for Bloomington residents that can be used towards the purchase of an e-bike at local participating bike shops. In order to qualify for a voucher, residents must first register for Go Bloomington and Zero In Bloomington, as well as complete a program application. Bloomington’s e-bike voucher program helps support the City’s goal to reduce resident reliance on single occupancy vehicles in the community, as we strive to decrease on-road vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 8% of 2018 values (Climate Action Plan, Goal TL1). By shifting to using e-bikes rather than vehicles, residents can help reduce Bloomington’s greenhouse gas emissions from combustion and tailpipe emissions.