Delaware Community Foundation

Each year, the DCF awards millions of dollars in grants to support the work of nonprofits addressing Delaware’s greatest needs and opportunities, with an eye to building opportunity and advancing equity.

Most DCF grants are from donor advised funds. Nonprofits are invited to apply for the grant opportunities on this page, including the DCF’s Community Impact Grants, which are funded by generous donors who believe in our work to build opportunity and advance equity in Delaware.

Highmark BCBSD BluePrints

Highmark BCBSD BluePrints is seeking SMALL grant proposals for health-related projects, programs and supportive services. BluePrints for the Community, administered by the Delaware Community Foundation, has contributed over $21 million to the community since its inception in 2007. Community-based nonprofit organizations, community development organizations, and social service organizations, or other government entities, are eligible to apply. Preference is given to proposals that fit BluePrints for the Community priority areas, listed below:

• Increasing access to health care for uninsured/underserved
• Reducing health disparities in minority communities
• Supporting early childhood and youth development with initiatives focused on health
• Recruiting and training health care professionals
• Addressing social determinants of health

Grants are reviewed on a rolling basis with decisions announced to applicants at the beginning of each month. Small Grants cannot exceed $50,000.

Delaware Division of the Arts

The Delaware Division of the Arts offers a variety of grant programs for individual artists; nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations chartered and based in Delaware; and schools and government entities that support arts activities.

Artist Residency Grants

The Division of the Arts has established three goals for Artist Residency grants:

• Actively engage students in the creative process with a professional artist
• Provide new arts knowledge and skills to classroom teachers and arts specialists
• Facilitate teaching opportunities for teaching artists

Eligible schools may request funding for artist residencies that support visual, literary, performing or media artists working with students in the classroom under teacher supervision, or in professional development workshops with teachers. The focus of the artist’s activities should be on classroom learning or teacher workshops. A public assembly may be a component of the artist’s visit, but not the solitary purpose of the visit. In any case, the proposed arts education activity must be an integral part of the residency site’s regular standards-based curriculum or professional development plans for the organization.

Proposed activities and objectives must be aligned with Delaware’s Visual and Performing Arts Standards found here.

Evaluation Criteria for Artist Residencies

Residency applications are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Qualifications of participating artist(s)
• Integration of the arts activity into the existing curriculum, educational programming, or professional development activities
• Connection to the Delaware Visual and Performing Arts Standards
• Projected goals for the residency and measurable results (both tangible products and anticipated impact on the participants)
• Inclusion of teachers or on-site coordinators in the planning and execution of the residency
• Where practical, a public component (exhibit, performance, or culminating presentation).

Delaware Community Foundation

Each year, the DCF awards millions of dollars in grants to support the work of nonprofits addressing Delaware’s greatest needs and opportunities, with an eye to building opportunity and advancing equity.

Most DCF grants are from donor advised funds. Nonprofits are invited to apply for the grant opportunities on this page, including the DCF’s Community Impact Grants, which are funded by generous donors who believe in our work to build opportunity and advance equity in Delaware.

Highmark’s BluePrints for the Community

Quarterly grants from Highmark’s BluePrints for the Community fund, administered by the DCF, support health-related projects, programs and supportive services. 

Priority areas are:

• Increasing access to health care for uninsured/underserved
• Reducing health disparities in minority communities
• Supporting early childhood and youth development with initiatives focused on health
• Recruiting and training health care professionals
• Addressing social determinants of health

Occasional Special Grants focused on meeting a more specific need may be announced in place of Standard Grants.

Community priority areas are:

• increasing access to health care for uninsured/underserved, reducing health disparities in minority communities,
• supporting early childhood development with initiatives focused on health,
• recruiting and training health care professionals and addressing social determinants of health.

Funding

An organization can request between $51,000 - $250,000 for a program/project in a grant funding cycle. If your request is $50,000 and under, please apply to the Small Grants program.

NOTE: It is strongly advised that new applicants contact the Division prior to submitting a Letter of Intent Form.

Delaware Division of the Arts 

The Delaware Division of the Arts offers a variety of grants for nonprofit arts organizations chartered and based in Delaware. Below find a list of grants for organizations whose primary mission is the promotion, production, presentation, or teaching of the arts.

Start Up Program Grants

The StartUp Program develops and strengthens the management capacity of emerging arts organizations while providing modest support for operating expenses. The StartUp Program serves as the gateway for emerging arts organizations to enter the Division’s General Operating Support grant program.

Grant Awards and Technical Assistance

StartUp Program funding consists of operating support up to $2,500 and a program of training classes and consulting with Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA). The program pairs the organization with a Standards for Excellence® Licensed Consultant to determine the needs of the organization, and then provides customized training for staff and board members to learn nationally- accepted best practices for nonprofit management. Topics covered may include: Vision, Mission, Strategy and Evaluation; Leadership: Board, Staff and Volunteers; Legal Compliance and Ethics; Finance and Operations; Resource Development and Fundraising; Public Awareness, Engagement and Advocacy. DANA will continue to work with members of the organization’s board/staff for a period of time to guide them in their growth.

Matching Funds

StartUp Program grants are funded on a matching basis. Matching funds (1:1) must be cash and may not come from the National Endowment for the Arts. Other federal grant sources may be used as match in accordance with authorizing legislation.

Battlefield Preservation Fund

Grants from the Battlefield Preservation Fund will serve as a catalyst to stimulate efforts to preserve battlefields, viewsheds, and related historic structures and to leverage fund-raising activities.

Eligible Activities

National Trust Preservation Fund grants are awarded for planning activities and education efforts focused on preservation. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts.

Planning

Supporting existing staff (nonprofit applicants only) or obtaining professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, and law. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring a preservation architect or landscape architect, or funding existing staff with expertise in these areas, to produce a historic structure report or historic landscape master plan.
• Hiring a preservation planner, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce design guidelines for a historic district.
• Hiring a real estate development consultant, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce an economic feasibility study for the reuse of a threatened structure.
• Sponsoring a community forum to develop a shared vision for the future of a historic neighborhood.
• Organizational capacity building activities such as hiring fundraising consultants, conducting board training, etc.

Education and Outreach

Support for preservation education activities aimed at the public. The National Trust is particularly interested in programs aimed at reaching new audiences. Funding will be provided to projects that employ innovative techniques and formats aimed at introducing new audiences to the preservation movement, whether that be through education programming or conference sessions.

Guidelines

Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for preservation projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector.

A small grant at the right time can go a long way and is often the catalyst that inspires a community to take action on a preservation project. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. The selection process is very competitive.

Eligible Activities

National Trust Preservation Fund grants are awarded for planning activities and education efforts focused on preservation. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to on-going efforts.

Planning: Supporting existing staff (nonprofit applicants only) or obtaining professional expertise in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation planning, land-use planning, and law. Eligible planning activities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring a preservation architect or landscape architect, or funding existing staff with expertise in these areas, to produce a historic structure report or historic landscape master plan.
• Hiring a preservation planner, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce design guidelines for a historic district.
• Hiring a real estate development consultant, or funding existing staff with expertise in this area, to produce an economic feasibility study for the reuse of a threatened structure.
• Sponsoring a community forum to develop a shared vision for the future of a historic neighborhood.
• Organizational capacity building activities such as hiring fundraising consultants, conducting board training, etc.

Education and Outreach: Support for preservation education activities aimed at the public. The National Trust is particularly interested in programs aimed at reaching new audiences. Funding will be provided to projects that employ innovative techniques and formats aimed at introducing new audiences to the preservation movement, whether that be through education programming or conference sessions.

Supporting Historic Sacred Places

A program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Fund for Sacred Places provides financial and technical support for community-serving historic houses of worship across America.

What We Offer

The National Fund for Sacred Places provides matching grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to congregations undertaking significant capital projects at historic houses of worship, along with wraparound services including training, technical assistance, and planning support.

What We’re Looking For

The National Fund for Sacred Places assesses applicant eligibility according to the core criteria shown below, while also striving to build a diverse participant pool that reflects a broad range of geographic, cultural, and religious identities.

Historic, Cultural, or Architectural Significance

We are looking for buildings that have historic, cultural, or architectural significance—and sites that have important and relevant stories to tell. Many of our participants are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the state register, or the local register. Your building does not have to be on one of these lists, but eligibility for one or more of these lists is a good benchmark for National Fund eligibility.

As part of the National Trust’s commitment to telling the full American story, we particularly encourage congregations to apply that illuminate a unique or overlooked aspect of American history and that expand our understanding of our shared national heritage. We encourage submissions related to historic sacred places of importance to historically and contemporaneously underrepresented communities including, but not limited to, women, immigrants, Asian Americans, Black Americans, Latinx Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and LGBTQIA communities.

Successful applicants are able to demonstrate their place in history by answering questions such as:

• Does the building tell a story relevant to our history—either cultural or religious?
• Does the history highlight previously underrecognized communities, stories, or locations?
• How has the building served the community over time? Does the building have a great physical presence in its community due to its location or programming?
• Is the building the work of a notable architect? If so, is it a high-quality example of their body of work?
• Is the building an exceptional example of its architectural style or building technology?
• Does the building embody the congregation’s resilience over time?

Community-Serving Congregations

We are looking for congregations that are engaged in their communities and that are serving others. Engaged congregations operate and host programming that serves vulnerable, at-risk, and diverse populations; share space with non-affiliated groups and organizations (often at subsidized rates); work with other congregations, faith-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and/or municipalities; and have a widespread reputation for being a welcoming center of community life.

Project Scope and Need

We fund historic preservation projects addressing urgent repair needs and/or life safety. We also fund projects that increase congregations’ ability to open their buildings to new populations or to serve greater numbers of people. All projects must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, which is a universally accepted framework for doing work to older and historic properties.

We prioritize congregations/projects where there is a demonstrated need (meaning that the congregation cannot raise the funds alone) or where it is clear that our grant will have a catalytic effect (meaning that our grant is likely to lead to additional monies being contributed to the project).

Readiness

Once-in-a-generation capital projects require a great deal of planning. We are looking for applicants that understand their buildings’ needs and that are ready to undertake a capital campaign. National Fund congregations typically have a history of successful capital campaigns, which demonstrate an ability to raise significant funds and complete a project.

Successful congregations come to us with a realistic fundraising goal, which has been generated with the help of qualified preservation professionals and is not too far beyond the congregation’s fundraising capacity.

Healthy Congregations

The National Fund prioritizes healthy, stable congregations so that our investment is truly impactful and lasting. We look for the following, although this is not an exhaustive list of characteristics that indicate healthy congregations: tenured, well-respected clergy; capable lay leadership; stable or growing membership; financial strength and stability; support of the judicatory or governing body, if applicable; and a history of weathering any congregational conflict or trauma with resilience.

Delaware Division of the Arts

The Delaware Division of the Arts offers a variety of grant programs for individual artists; nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations chartered and based in Delaware; and schools and government entities that support arts activities.

Arts Organization Grants

These grants are made to non-profit Delaware organizations whose primary mission is the promotion, production, presentation, or teaching of the arts

General Operating Support Grant

Support of annual operating expenses to ensure that year-round participation in the arts is available to the people of Delaware. 

Three-year Application Cycle

The Division uses a staggered, three-year application cycle for General Operating Support (GOS). Organizations seeking GOS must submit a Full Application in the “on year,” and Interim Applications in the “off years.” Grant awards for the second and third years will be determined by applying a funding formula to updated financial information submitted in the “off year” Interim Application.

A multi-year application cycle permits grantees, as well as the Division, to focus more attention on the delivery of programs and services and less on the preparation, processing, and review of grant applications. Organizations approved for GOS demonstrate a history of programming, service to their community, and management of their operations that provides confidence that a similar level of service or activity may be sustained over a three-year period without requiring a full application and review each year.

Background

Mid Atlantic Tours brings the best of the performing arts to communities across the mid-Atlantic region. Presenters select from a curated roster of artists that changes annually but maintains a programmatic commitment to a diversity of performance genres, regional artist representation, and engaging with communities underserved by the arts. 

Grant Information

Presenters located in the mid-Atlantic region who engage a Mid Atlantic Tours Roster Artist during the project period receive up to 50% subsidy for the Roster Artist’s compensation (including artistic compensation, housing, per diem and travel) as well as a presenter capacity support. Presenters work directly with the Roster Artist’s Tour Manager to negotiate terms, including engagement dates and compensation. 

Once terms are confirmed between Presenter and Tour Manager, the Presenter completes a short application to Mid Atlantic Arts. Applications are not competitive, but Presenters interested in engaging a Mid Atlantic Tours Roster Artist during the project period are encouraged to confirm terms with the Artist’s Tour Manager as soon as possible as funding is limited. Final grant award distribution is determined by Mid Atlantic Arts staff in collaboration with Tour Managers.

Roster

Visit midatlanticarts.org to review the roster.

The Mid Atlantic Tours roster is curated by Mid Atlantic Arts staff with curatorial advisement from performing arts colleagues from the mid-Atlantic region. As a final step in the curatorial process, mid-Atlantic region Presenters indicate interest in prospective Roster Artists through a presenter interest survey conducted via email.

The selection process for the Mid Atlantic Tours roster prioritizes:

• Projected touring success for Roster Artists: tour feasibility & presenter interest
• Broad representation of multiple performance genres
• Broad geographic representation from artists based in different states/jurisdictions in the mid-Atlantic region
• Artists and creators who are actively engaged with diverse communities to energize the transformative power of the arts

Mid Atlantic Arts is committed to countering structural inequities based on race, gender, disability status, sexual orientation, class, age and geography through our programs.

Touring Preparation Residency

Each Mid Atlantic Tours roster artist may work with one presenter for a Touring Preparation Residency that does not include a public performance. All other guidelines and procedures for Mid Atlantic Tours engagements must be met, including the artist fee match from the presenter to the Roster Artist. The presenter is eligible for artist fee and presenter capacity support subsidies.

Suggestions for engagement activities for the preparation residency include, but are not limited to:

• extended technical residency
• work-in-process showing
• a rehearsal or demo of a prospective community engagement activity
• working with a dramaturg
• developing marketing materials
• refining a technical rider

If you are interested in partnering with a Mid Atlantic Tours Roster Artist to host the Roster Artist’s Touring Preparation Residency, reach out to the Artist’s Tour Manager.

Grant Award Details

Presenters meeting the eligibility criteria who engage a current Mid Atlantic Tours roster Artist for at least two engagement activities during the project period are eligible to receive a grant award from Mid Atlantic Arts to support the following:

• Artist compensation subsidy up to 50% of the artist compensation agreed upon between the Presenter and the Roster Artist (including artistic salary/fees, housing, per diem and travel). Minimum request: $750.00 USD;
• Other eligible expenses up to 2,000.00 USD to support direct project expenses including program staff salary, direct technical personnel fees, audience development, marketing and promotional expenses, project-specific purchases or consulting related to increasing access for disabled artists, staff, audiences or community members, technical and equipment rental expenses for virtual or in-person engagements, artist travel/lodging expenses, and/or expenses related to public health measures for in-person engagements.