Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County Inc.
The Bloomington Community Foundation was incorporated in 1990 through the efforts of Ilknur Ralston, its first board president, and other enthusiasts. (It was later renamed the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County.) Our CF has long benefited from the leadership of caring and knowledgeable residents with diverse backgrounds.
Local leaders responded to the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) program launched at that time by Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment. Matching funds were offered to Indiana communities interested in establishing community foundations and building local endowments. Indiana communities jumped at this opportunity!
Co-founders William Mann and David Mravyan devised the Sensimat during a mandatory project for their MBA at the Richard Ivey School of Business in Canada. Sensimat is a device that helps manage and assess pressure among wheelchair users.