Indiana University and the City of Bloomington have established a formal partnership to address community well-being, economic growth, and future competitiveness. The new initiative, called the Alliance for Community Competitiveness, brings together representatives from both the university and the city in a working group focused on key issues such as local economic competitiveness, attracting and retaining young professionals, and improving quality of life.
The alliance was initiated by IU Bloomington Chancellor David Reingold and Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson following discussions held soon after Reingold assumed his position. The idea emerged from a summer meeting between Reingold; Rachael Jones McAfee, IU’s executive director of community engagement; Thomson; and Deputy Mayor Gretchen Knapp. They explored how the success of both the university and city are closely linked.
“We know that the success of our campus and the larger Bloomington community is deeply interwoven,” Reingold said. “To that end, Mayor Thomson and I wanted to develop a shared platform for engagement to bring together stakeholders from Indiana University and the Bloomington region to foster dialogue and collaborate on issues that enhance our community’s vitality and overall quality of life.”
“For Bloomington, this formalized partnership is about strengthening our community in a way that allows people to grow, create and feel connected,” Thomson said. “The city and the university bring different strengths, and when we work together with openness and intention, we elevate what already makes Bloomington special. That shared effort builds the economic momentum that supports local businesses, attracts talent and creates opportunities for every resident.”
The Alliance includes 19 members who have committed to participate for one year. It is co-chaired by Amanda Rutherford, associate professor at IU’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and Angela Van Rooy, operations manager for housing and neighborhood development with the city.
At its first meeting on November 5 at IU’s DeVault Alumni Center, members worked on identifying current challenges as well as prioritizing goals for their collaborative efforts.
“We are working to identify barriers and opportunities that can be tackled quickly as we collaborate to develop additional recommendations over the coming year,” Rutherford said. “We are thinking collaboratively about where we have the power and the leverage to make progress now as well as tomorrow.”
Rutherford indicated that they hope to establish priorities—and possibly some initial recommendations—by early 2026. A mid-year progress report is planned for July 1, 2026, with a final report expected by year-end. The alliance aims to outline actionable steps along with resources needed for implementation.
The next monthly meeting will take place December 2 in City Hall’s Council Chambers.
