BLOOMINGTON – The Commission on the Status of Women is now accepting nominations for its 2026 annual awards, honoring local women and girls who are driving positive change, breaking barriers, and inspiring others in our community.
Award winners will be celebrated at the Women’s History Month Luncheon on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, with an event recognizing the outstanding leadership and contributions of women in Bloomington. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.
Nominations will be accepted for the following:
- The Woman of the Year Award – Honors a woman who has made a significant impact on the lives of other women through community service, inspiration, or professional accomplishments beyond her job responsibilities. The recipient is a positive role model and has made extraordinary contributions to the community.
- The Toby Strout Lifetime Contribution Award – Named in honor of the late Toby Strout, former director of Middle Way House and former member of the Commission, the award recognizes a woman whose leadership and service have significantly advanced the status of women in the community.
- The Emerging Leader Award – Presented to a woman with less than five years of experience whose achievements demonstrate exceptional promise for future leadership and contributions.
- The Young Woman of the Year Award – Recognizes a young woman, aged 11–18, who has already made an impact in advocating for girls’ and women’s issues in the community. Self-nominations are encouraged for this category.
Nomination forms are available online at form.jotform.com/CFRDForms/2026WomensAwards and can also be obtained by contacting Marissa Parr-Scott.
Nomination submissions should clearly explain why the nominee deserves the award, providing specific examples of how her community service has positively impacted women. Each nomination should include both the nominee’s and nominator’s full name, address, phone number, and email address.
For more information, please contact Marissa Parr-Scott at marissa.parrscott@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3430.
