Search Through Grants for the Arts in Delaware in the U.S.

Delaware Division of the Arts 

The Delaware Division of the Arts offers a variety of grants for nonprofit arts organizations

Arts Access Grants

Arts Access provides program support to organizations that offer occasional arts programs and to organizations that do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Division’s General Operating Support and Project Support categories. Applicants are encouraged to contact program staff prior to application.

Arts Access funding is available for arts projects that accomplish one or more of the following:

• Provide experiences of artistic merit and integrity for the public
• Involve collaborations between artists or arts organizations and community and civic groups, government entities, or social service agencies
• Reach audiences and participants with limited access to the arts or to a particular art form
• Provide lifelong learning opportunities in the arts beyond the school setting
• Offer opportunities for the creation of new works of art
• Support arts programs in new or non-traditional venues
• Provide opportunities for artistic expression of a community’s unique history, culture, or circumstances
• Provide opportunities for conservation, documentation, and appreciation of the artistic traditions of diverse cultures and communities chartered and based in Delaware.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications for Arts Access Grants are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Artistic Quality (the quality of the artistic product, process, or service and relevance to one or more of the Arts Access program goals)
• Availability of the Arts (the project provides increased access to diverse and quality arts programs, particularly in underserved communities)
• Management (the organization demonstrates the capacity to carry out, market, and evaluate the project, with qualified personnel, an effective marketing plan, and a fiscally responsible budget.

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.

Community-Based Program Grants

These grants serve non-profit Delaware organizations, colleges, universities, and government entities that do not have the arts as their primary mission

Arts Access (ACC) Grants

Arts Access grants support the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. The supports organizations that offer occasional arts programs and organizations that do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Division’s General Operating Support and Project Support categories.

Arts Access provides small grants of up to 80 percent of eligible cash expenses, not to exceed $1,250, to support the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. 

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

Delaware Division of the Arts

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is committed to supporting the arts and cultivating creativity to enhance the quality of life in Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. 

Artist Residency Grants

Artist Residency grants are for residencies with visual, literary, performing or media artists working with students in the classroom or in professional development workshops with teachers.

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).

Kenny Family Foundation

We’re the Kenny Family Foundation, a local non-profit organization which provides programs and donations to local organizations in and around New Castle County, Delaware.

Our community partners include other 501 (3)(c) non-profit organizations in our local area that support a wide range of interests including: food pantries, animal welfare, youth athletic leagues, arts, and culture programs, and more.

We’ve been providing support for our neighbors in need since 2008 and have no plans on slowing down any time soon.

Our Mission

Investing in Well-Being. Improving Quality of Life. Creating a Sustainable Future.

The Kenny Family Foundation unites philanthropy and the power of partnerships to create greater equity and opportunity in New Castle County, Delaware. Our emphasis on promoting social welfare, providing assistance to our neighbors in need and contributing to humanitarian endeavors is carried out through the support we provide to our community’s non-profit organizations.

Kenny Family Foundation Grant

The Kenny Family Foundation developed Active Partners, a micro grant program, to address requests from organizations for a small donation. These donations are provided in the form of ShopRite gift cards to utilize as needed. The average donation is $100.00.

Dave Ryerson Fund and the Beekhuis Community Fund

These small grants will support the arts throughout Delaware. The opportunity is designed for small organizations or larger organizations with smaller, discrete projects. Supported programs include the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media or folk arts in communities throughout Delaware, and that reach audiences and participants with limited access to the arts or to a particular art form.

Awards will range from $1,000 to 2,500.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

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.

PNC Arts Alive

A multi-million dollar initiative through the PNC Foundation designed to support the visual and performing arts.

PNC Arts Alive programming demonstrates that there is an artistic outlet for everyone — including all ages, cultural traditions, economic backgrounds and neighborhoods. Pop-up performances, mobile arts vans and the use of unique, local venues are among the many initiatives supported through PNC Arts Alive and we're excited to continue helping invigorate local arts organizations in Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey, while bringing new and exciting programs to our communities.

PNC Arts Alive a multi-million dollar funding initiative of The PNC Foundation, designed to support visual and performing arts organizations and make the arts accessible to all audiences. Since its debut in 2009, PNC Arts Alive has provided $15 million in funding to support more than 300 art exhibitions, interactive installations, performances, festivals, and pop-up arts experiences, all benefiting 2+ million community members here in Greater Philadelphia.

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.

Arts Stabilization Grants

Support for improvements to facilities owned (or under long-term lease) and operated by the organization. ASF grants are funded through the Division’s participation in the Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) endowment. 

The Delaware Division of the Arts has established the following goals, in accordance with the ArtCo bylaws, for Arts Stabilization grants:

• Provide funding for needed maintenance, repairs, or renovations of existing facilities owned and operated by the nonprofit arts organization.
• Provide funding for the repair, upgrade, or replacement of facility-related equipment (i.e., HVAC, electrical, seating, flooring, display, storage, etc).

Goals

The Delaware Division of the Arts has established the following goals, in accordance with the ArtCo bylaws, for Arts Stabilization grants:

• Provide funding for needed maintenance, repairs, or renovations of existing facilities owned and operated by the nonprofit arts organization.
• Provide funding for the repair, upgrade, or replacement of facility-related equipment (i.e., HVAC, electrical, seating, flooring, display, storage, etc).

Evaluation Criteria and Considerations

The following criteria are utilized by citizen panels to evaluate each Arts Stabilization application.

• Need for the Project: Degree of urgency for project completion and the need for Arts Stabilization funding
• Nature of the Project: Extent to which the project addresses physical plant needs, facility improvement, and/or delivery of services with capital equipment (in descending order of priority)
• Financial Information: Extent to which the budget and bids are detailed and realistic, aligned with proposed project, and supported with matched funding from multiple sources.  Application must include at least two comparable and competitive bids
• Facilities Planning: Extent to which the project fits into a broader long-range plan for facilities management and maintenance.

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.

Education Resource Grant

These grants are intended to assist in the facilitation of partnerships between Delaware’s schools, arts organizations, and artists in providing standards-based arts learning experiences for pre K-12 students statewide. Education Resource projects focus on ways that Delaware arts organizations can serve as resources to Delaware schools before, during, and after the school day.

Projects that have been supported in the past include, but have not been limited to:

• student engagement in the arts during the school day (working with an arts specialist in the classroom for hands-on programs where students are actively participating in arts activities designed to deepen and broaden learning)
• extended-time arts programs in the schools before or after the school day (curriculum- and standards-based arts programs designed to give students additional opportunities to create, produce, and learn through the arts)
• integration of the arts with other content areas and arts disciplines to provide collaborations between the arts and classroom teachers to reach mutual objectives
• development and implementation of standards-based curriculum and/or assessment models/tools.

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.

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.

Education Resource (EDR) Grants

Education Resource grants assist in the facilitation of partnerships between Delaware’s schools, arts organizations, and artists in providing standards-based arts learning experiences for Pre K-12 students statewide. Education Resource projects focus on ways that Delaware arts organizations can serve as resources to Delaware schools before, during, and after the school day.

Projects that have been supported in the past include, but have not been limited to:

• student engagement in the arts during the school day (working with an arts specialist in the classroom for hands-on programs where students are actively participating in arts activities designed to deepen and broaden learning)
• extended-time arts programs in the schools before or after the school day (curriculum- and standards-based arts programs designed to give students additional opportunities to create, produce, and learn through the arts)
• integration of the arts with other content areas and arts disciplines to provide collaborations between the arts and classroom teachers to reach mutual objectives
• development and implementation of standards-based curriculum and/or assessment models/tools

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.

Community Based Programs

Community Based Programs include non-profit Delaware organizations, colleges, universities, and government entities that do not have the arts as their primary mission.

Community Based Project Support Grants

Support for arts programs provided by CBOs that assist in the growth of a vibrant cultural environment by encouraging the continued development of arts activities in communities throughout the state. College and university projects must be non-credit and serve the general community. 

Project Support funding is available for arts projects that accomplish one or more of the following:

• Provide experiences of artistic merit and integrity for the public
• Involve collaborations between artists or arts organizations and community and civic groups, government entities, or social service agencies
• Reach audiences and participants with limited access to the arts or to a particular art form
• Provide lifelong learning opportunities in the arts beyond the school setting
• Offer opportunities for the creation of new works of art
• Support arts programs in new or non-traditional venues
• Provide opportunities for artistic expression of a community’s unique history, culture, or circumstances
• Provide opportunities for conservation, documentation, and appreciation of the artistic traditions of diverse cultures and communities

Special Presenter Initiatives

Mid Atlantic Arts, in partnership with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA), The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP), the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts (VICA), and the West Virginia Division of Culture and History (WVDCH), offers a special funding initiative to support the presentation of professional performing artists/ensembles at small and mid-size arts and community organizations within these jurisdictions.

The program supports presenting projects with professional touring artists and ensembles from anywhere worldwide. The supported projects include performances as well as community engagement activities that enhance the performance experience and offer meaningful exchanges between touring artists and a presenter’s community.

Delaware Community Foundation

The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) is a nonprofit organization focused on partnering with donors to build opportunity and advance equity in Delaware.

Our mission is to strengthen Delaware by maximizing community-based philanthropy.

Our vision is a Delaware where generosity expands opportunities for all.

Call for Interest in Multi-Year Collaboration for Thriving Communities in Kent and Sussex Counties

Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD) is pleased to announce this Call for Interest in Multi-Year Collaboration for Thriving Communities in Kent and Sussex Counties. We are currently working with fourteen communities and are looking for new community partnerships. We are seeking partners that are committed to collaboratively strengthening the vital conditions/social determinants of health that all people and communities need to thrive—humane housing, lifelong learning, a thriving natural environment, meaningful work and wealth, basic needs for health and safety, reliable transportation, a sense of belonging and civic muscle. This long-term support and investment are intended to foster new or support existing place-based collaborations in the Delaware communities experiencing the greatest inequities, with the long-term goal that all people and places in Delaware are thriving—no exceptions.

Our guiding principles for this work are: 

• collaborate with communities
• embed equity in everything we do
• mobilize across sectors
• increase prosperity to improve health
• commit over the long term

What is Different About Healthy Communities Delaware and this Call for Interest?

• We collaborate with communities to strengthen the vital conditions/social determinants of health.
• We will support the work that your community decides is most important.
• We are committed to long-term work to enable meaningful community change, not short cycles like typical grants.
  • After the initial 12-month investment period, applicants may consider a longer-term collaboration and will have the opportunity to apply for additional investment for this or other work identified in a new or existing community plan.
• In addition to funding, we provide or connect you with support tailored to your community’s needs (e.g., resources on best practices, evaluation support, storytelling support, professional development support, support accessing funds from other sources, and other community capacity building opportunities and resources).

Focus Areas

Applications must focus on strengthening one or more of the vital conditions/social determinants of health. Preference will be given to applications using best-practice or evidence-based strategies. Increasing equity is a foundational goal of this effort and should be at the core of the proposed work.

• Thriving Natural World
  • Sustainable resources, contact with nature, freedom from hazards
    • Clean air, water, soil; healthy ecosystems able to sustainably provide necessary resources; accessible natural spaces; freedom from extreme heat, flooding, wind, radiation, earthquakes, pathogens
• Basic Needs for Health & Safety
  • Basic requirements for health and safety
    • Nutritious food, safe drinking water; fresh air; sufficient sleep; routine physical activity; safe, satisfying sexuality and reproduction; freedom from trauma, violence, addiction, and crime; routine care for physical and mental health
• Humane Housing
  • Humane, consistent housing
    • Adequate space per person; safe structures; affordable costs; diverse neighborhoods (without gentrification, segregation, concentrated poverty); close to work, school, food, recreation and nature
• Meaningful Work & Wealth
  • Rewarding work, careers, and standards of living
    • Job training/retraining; good-paying and fulfilling jobs; family and community wealth; savings and limited debt
• Lifelong Learning
  • Continuous learning, education, and literacy
    • Continuous development of cognitive, social, emotional abilities; early childhood experiences; elementary, high school, and higher education; career and adult education
• Reliable Transportation
  • Reliable, safe, and accessible transportation
    • Close to work, school, food, leisure; safe transport; active transport; efficient energy use; few environmental hazards
• Belonging & Civic Muscle
  • Sense of belonging and power to shape a common world
    • Social support; civic associations; freedom from stigma, discrimination, oppression; support for civil rights, human rights; civic agency; collective efficacy; vibrant arts, culture, and spiritual life; equitable access to information; many opportunities for civic engagement (voting, volunteer, public work)

Available Funding

Up to a total of $350,000 will be available from the HCD Community Collaborations Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation. All or part of a request may be funded. Funded proposals will be shared with public and private investors with the goal of providing additional resources through co- funding. Because co-funding from other sources is a possible outcome, there is no limit on individual funding requests. Please consider the resources required to carry out your project in an impactful way and align your request with those needs.

Mission

In 1961, Sarasota, Florida, Bank and Trust Company (now Bank of America) formed the Bank of America Client Foundation to support charitable endeavors in the local area. The Foundation is set up with funds from several donors with varying interests. The Foundation typically makes grants to local Sarasota, FL and Delaware organizations with successful track records.  Support is given to arts, historic preservation, education, and human service organizations.

Areas of Interest

The Foundation’s areas of interest are:

• Arts
• Historic preservation
• Education
• Human services

Funding

Grants typically range from $5,000 to $40,000, and the average grant size is approximately $20,000.

Background

Mid Atlantic Arts was established to promote and support multi-state arts programming in a region that includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is one of six regional arts organizations in the United States, and works in close partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and its member state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Mid Atlantic Arts distinguishes itself through its work in international cultural exchange, model programs in performing arts touring, its knowledge and presence in the jazz field, and its support of folk and traditional arts.

Mission

Mid Atlantic Arts nurtures and funds the creation and presentation of diverse artistic expression and connects people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond.

Vision

Mid Atlantic Arts envisions a future in which artists and creators are actively engaged with diverse communities to energize the transformative power of the arts.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Grant

Mid Atlantic Arts’ Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in the mid-Atlantic region.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in the mid-Atlantic region. Non-profit organizations in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, USVI, PR, or WV may apply for $1,000 to $5,000 grants. A 1:1 match is required.

Eligible project activities may include performances, public art collaborations, workshops/trainings, exhibitions, fieldwork/documentation, and creation of new traditional work. Mid Atlantic Arts encourages projects that cross state/territory borders, as well as projects that support or engage underserved or underrepresented artists, practitioners, traditions, or constituents.

Grant support range: $1,000 – $5,000

About the Foundation

The Howell Lockhart Seiple Trust was established just before Mr. Seiple’s death in 1972 to provide support for his wife and daughters. Upon their deaths, Mr. Seiple, a native of Pennsylvania, directed that the trust continue to pay income in perpetuity to support various charitable causes. Thanks to his generosity, the community will benefit for many years to come.

Mission

To provide grants to charitable organizations in support of various causes including religious, scientific, literary, and education.

Program Areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education
• Environment, animals
• Health
• Human services
• Public/society benefit
• Religion

Average Giving

• Average grant size: $2,500 
• Average number of grants per year: 15

Mission

The Joseph Robert Foundation is a small Pennsylvania private foundation whose primary purposes are to provide financial support for the arts, animal welfare, and the environment. Our main geographic focus is the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., but in special cases we may provide support to organizations located outside this area.

We are interested in awarding grants to non-profit organizations addressing significant issues of interest to our Board. We are especially interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that have fewer resources and more limited objectives, although we may also help fund regional or national organizations having specific program or project objectives. Both general operating and project/program support is available.

We welcome first-time grant seekers, support applications from prior grant recipients, and reach out to find eligible organizations that share our goals and interests.

What We Fund

Arts

We believe strongly in the power of the arts to transform both individuals and communities and are committed to reinforcing the importance of the arts as a vital component of our culture. In challenging political times such as these, the role of the arts is too often overlooked, or even denigrated. We want to play our part in asserting the value of the arts by encouraging artists to take risks, explore new possibilities, and reach out to both new and familiar audiences. By nurturing creativity and innovative thinking, we can help artists make an impact on the world around them.

While we are supportive of all forms of creative expression, the interests of the Foundation are primarily in the visual arts. We will also look favorably upon interdisciplinary projects/programs with a visual arts component, or an arts program/project that would further the goals of either of the other of the Foundation’s areas of interest.

Animal Welfare

The plight and circumstances of animals, whether domestic, farm or wild, are areas of deep concern to the Foundation. We are interested in rescuing, protecting, rehabilitating, and providing homes and sanctuaries for the non-human inhabitants of this planet. We are especially interested in helping organizations that identify and provide resources for animal populations in underserved communities. We are also interested in helping with programs that train and educate wildlife rehabilitators and other animal rescue workers.

Environment and Sustainable Resources Management

With ever increasing attacks on the environment and environmental protection, it is critically important to protect and preserve our natural resources, open lands, forests, oceans, waterways, watersheds, and green spaces. The Joseph Robert Foundation is primarily interested in supporting smaller, local organizations that can have a direct impact on their communities, whether through education or through sustainability projects. We may also be interested in contributing to larger organizations that provide essential services to protect and safeguard the environment from threats of all natures.

Grant Period

The normal grant period will be one year, starting from the date the award has been granted. When appropriate, grantees may reapply for Joseph Robert Foundation funding upon the submission of a final report at the end of the funding period.

Grant Amount

Most grant awards to organizations will be under $10,000. First-time grant awards will be limited to $5,000 or less, unless there are compelling circumstances. Determination of the grant amount will be made based on organizational and/or program/project budgets, scope of proposal, organizational qualifications, and overall application quality. Grants to individuals will be limited to $2,000 or less, with sources of matching and in-kind funds considered.  

Grant Type

Organizations may apply for general operating (GO) and/or program/project funds, but larger organizations are limited to applying for program/project funding.

Individual applicants may only apply for project funds.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

Welcoming both those organizations with little to no experience presenting jazz and seasoned jazz presenters seeking to strengthen programming, application occurs annually through an open, competitive process. Once selected, membership is ongoing upon meeting annual requirements.

JTN expands the presentation of jazz throughout the mid-Atlantic region while ensuring regional programming reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the current field of jazz. Members take part in professional development activities and work together to block-book a series of jazz tours each year.

About the Presser Foundation

The Presser Foundation was formally established in 1939 under various deeds of trust of the late Theodore Presser. In the charter of incorporation, The Foundation’s purposes are set forth to promote primarily the cause of musical education and musical philanthropy as follows: to provide scholarships for promising students; to increase the value of music education by erecting suitable buildings; and to administer aid to worthy teachers of music in distress.

While The Foundation’s priorities have evolved over time, it has provided much needed funding to further the cause of music for over 75 years. It has been said that Theodore Presser wanted to give back to music what he had made from it. When he died in 1925, he left no children. He had been widowed twice, and the bulk of his fortune was left to The Foundation.

The small staff and Board of Trustees continue to oversee the work of The Foundation. The Foundation is fortunate to have had a founder who clearly stated the purpose which he desired to achieve. The Board of Trustees includes prominent local and national leaders in music. All Trustees share a passion for music and all are committed to carrying out the intentions of the benefactor.

Special Projects Grants

Introduction & Purpose

The Trustees of The Presser Foundation created the Special Projects Committee to consider grant requests that fall outside the Foundation’s core grantmaking programs. Grant amounts typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 annually for music organizations operating in a broad range of music traditions, genres, and styles. In 2024-25, 9% of The Presser Foundation’s distributed funds ($320,230/$3.73 million) went to Special Project grants. This fiscal year (2025-26), the Special Projects Committee will consider applications for:

• General Operating Support for newly established music organizations (up to 5 years in existence).
• Resilience Grants for small music organizations impacted by government funding or policy changes. These grant requests of up to $7,500 are for organizations with operating budgets under $150,000. Organizations seeking support for the following are encouraged to apply:
  • Artistic and/or organizational development (e.g. workforce programming) projects that have been impacted by government funding cuts;
  • Organizations seeking legal, financial, fundraising, or communications guidance to navigate government funding or policy changes;
  • Efforts to share costs and collaborate* with another nonprofit organization to maintain financial stability for the organization; and
  • Other efforts to maintain your organization’s core mission and/or financial viability in response to the changing arts funding landscape will be considered.
  • *Not intended for one-time creative collaborations.

What is The Next Generation North of the Delaware Community Foundation?

The Next Generation (Next Gen) North is a philanthropic organization that was created and is directed by young professionals living and working in Delaware. Next Gen North works in conjunction with the Delaware Community Foundation, but members have established their own structure to raise funds and support the community. Through the charitable fund they established in 2004, The Next Generation has awarded more than $375,000 in support of initiatives that address underlying social challenges faced by vulnerable Delawareans.

Next Gen North is currently raising money to support programs in New Castle County that utilize the Arts to support and inspire social change and innovation. The merits and execution of each program will determine grant selection. Preference is given to those organizations and programs that provide help to an underserved community

What is the policy of Next Gen North in making grants?

Proposals for competitive grants are considered on the basis of how they enhance the quality of life for Delawareans. Next Gen North is particularly interested in proactive, preventative and future-thinking proposals. Next Gen North's Grants Committee oversees all grant-making, subject to approval of all Next Gen North board members and the DCF Board of Directors. 

What we support. . .

Next Generation North supports programs across New Castle County that utilize the Arts to support and inspire social change and innovation. Fine arts, visual, performing, creative, and folk arts that can be delivered across a broad spectrum of programming (school programs, summer camps, therapeutic arts, and traditional arts organizations like museums and theaters), fall within the scope of our funding area. Programs may be focused on adults, children and/or both. Ultimately, we are looking for arts activities and programs that will have a long-term social impact.

Social impact can most nearly be defined by:

• Issues historically fundamental to humanity;
• Art expressing values, empathy & character;
• Art that builds bridges between cultures and brings people together despite differences;
• Art that inspires through creativity, innovation & beauty.
• Art that encourages problem-solving and a diversity of perspectives

We are interested in initiatives that. . .

• Demonstrate vision, effectiveness, good management and action for positive change.
• Encourage collaboration between agencies and reduce duplication of services.
• Leverage funds from other sources.
• Create a sense of community through neighborhood involvement and outreach.
• Include an evaluation component.

ABOUT ROOTED IN JUSTICE

“Rooted in Justice” is a funding program designed to help amplify youth voices and actions in the environmental and food justice movements.  Rooted in Justice supports community-based organizations and groups that manage established, youth-led, urban greening programs within a justice framework as a core part of their work, with two-year grants of $25,000/year.  

Rooted in Justice recognizes the importance and undeniable right of every young person to have the ability to develop their own relationship with the environment, be it through growing food, spending time with nature, creating community green spaces, or becoming environmental stewards. Rooted in Justice also honors the power and possibilities that arise when young people collectively work to be change-makers in their communities.

Rooted in Justice supports organizations, groups, collectives, and programs that work with young people between the ages of 12 to 20 in youth-led programming for communities or cultures which have historically or currently experience:

• A lack of access to land or nature;
• Agricultural oppression and/or neglect;
• Food apartheid; and/or
• Other forms of injustice based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics and disability.

Rooted in Justice awards a small number of grants each year with applications due in the fall and decisions made the following spring. Final grant decisions are recommended to the Cedar Tree board via a participatory grantmaking process with outside reviewers who have experience in youth-led urban greening, as well as food or climate justice programming. So far the program has awarded multi-year grants to 21 organizations and one-time grants to 10 additional organizations since 2021. 

Definitions

Rooted in Justice grants support organizations or programs that include all four of the elements described below: social justice, youth-led, urban greening, and cohort-based youth work. We articulate our understanding of those terms below in an effort to provide a guide for prospective organizations to use in determining whether their program is a good fit. However as we continue our work towards questioning and dismantling some of our preconceived notions, we recognize that these are not finite definitions and encourage prospective applicants who still feel their work may be a good fit to describe in their proposals why this is the case.  

Social Justice-Based Programs

Programs dedicated to creating equitable outcomes for communities directly affected by different aspects of injustice by:

• Sharing and redistributing power and resources;
• Amplifying voices and leadership;
• Tackling root problems through ongoing engagement and collaboration to find solutions, organize against oppression of all kinds and create mechanisms for change; and
• Developing a critical analysis with youth and community members.

Youth-Led

The development of youth leadership skills is a core part of programs funded by Rooted in Justice. Young people have the opportunity to play a role in the planning and decision-making for their program and may help shape the internal workings of the organization. Examples of youth-led programs include programs where participants: 

• Managing a portion of their programming budget;
• Co-facilitating program activities, meetings and gatherings;
• Shape their own programming and/or organizational strategic planning;
• Have regular and end-of-program opportunities to provide program feedback and evaluation; and
• Have opportunities for personal and/or professional growth within the program and organization.

Urban Greening

For the purpose of this grant we define “urban greening” as any activity that creates a mutually beneficial relationship between city dwellers and their environments. Programs that are a strong fit for Rooted in Justice will have many opportunities for youth to be outdoors.  Project settings can include, but are not limited to: 

• Urban and aquaponic farms
• Greenhouses and rooftop gardens
• Community gardens, green spaces, and rain gardens
• Composting sites
• Land conservation efforts
• Urban forests
• River or other water restoration  

Cohort-Based Youth Works

Rooted in Justice looks to fund organizations that build community with cohorts of youth through intentional, recurring programming. This grant is intended to support programs that offer youth significant learning and leadership opportunities as a group and as individuals. Priority will be given to organizations that have program infrastructure that supports a cohort of youth over time.  Drop-in programming, one-time conferences, or individual internships are not a good fit for Rooted in Justice.  

Youth Budgeting

As part of grant proposal, all Rooted in Justice grantees must share a plan to allocate a portion of the grant funds for youth participants to manage. What do we mean by this? We ask applicants to specifically set aside some amount of grant funds for youth to allocate to priorities of their choosing.  For example, youth participants can use their allocated funding to:

• Fund an entrepreneurial endeavor;
• Design the brand or swag for their group;
• Hire a speaker or outside expert to teach a new skill;
• Purchase supplies for a community-based art project;
• Host a celebration for their families, friends and neighbors;
• Pay for transportation to programming, special events, or conferences; and/or
• Any other youth-led activity the group may find beneficial.

Use of Funds

Rooted in Justice funding must be used for project support of existing youth led, urban greening, social justice work and associated general operating expenses. Operating expenses can include anything from program costs like staff salaries and youth stipends to organizational sustainability needs like major equipment purchases and leadership/staff training. If your organization’s entire mission is youth led, urban greening, social justice work, the Rooted in Justice grant can be general support. 

Funding

Two Year Grant

• Rooted in Justice Grant awards are two-year grants of $25,000 per year.
• After the initial two year grant, grantees may be eligible for a third year of funding at the same or lower level through a simple renewal process.
• In the 2025-2026 grant cycle, the Cedar Tree Foundation expects to support 4 organizations with multi-year grant awards.

Funding for Professional Development

• Each Rooted in Justice grantee organization also has access to an additional $6,000 to support professional development opportunities identified by each organization.  Half of these funds must be used to directly support the professional development of youth. 
• Rooted in Justice grantees can request reimbursement from this professional development fund to attend conferences, hire consultants, purchase equipment or software that increases organizational capacity, or participate in any activities that strengthen youth programming or justice practice of program providers in support of their youth development programming. The funds set aside for youth professional development can be used for youth exchanges or youth participation in conferences and other professional development opportunities directly for youth.  

Community Professional Development Calls

• Cedar Tree works with grantee partners to assess their professional development interests and facilitates on-line gatherings of staff or youth for skill shares, trainings, and networking opportunities.
• These network calls will likely happen 2-3 times per year. 

Delaware Valley Legacy Fund

DVLF is the leading fundraiser serving the emerging needs of the Greater Philadelphia LGBTQ+ community. DVLF was created in 1993 to benefit the Philadelphia region’s community through philanthropy, raising money for a permanent endowment. Our critical mission provides for services which foster positive change every year through advocacy, grantmaking, scholarships, programming, and education. Since our founding, we have given over $1 million dollars to advance the constantly evolving needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Each year we receive more proposals than we can fund. By our 30th anniversary, our vision is to fully fund every qualified proposal received from Greater Philadelphia LGBTQ+ serving organizations.

Grants

Each year the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund distributes funds to organizations that are at the front lines of meeting the emerging needs of the region’s LGBTQ+ community. 

This includes a variety of funding areas including: 

• legal and civil rights
• arts and culture
• education and the humanities
• health and social services

Grants are made from our endowment at The Philadelphia Foundation as well as from general fundraising and partnerships with other philanthropic groups and individuals.  While grants are available to a broad range of applicant organizations—in order to meet the emerging needs of the LGBTQ+ community-- funding priorities may occasionally focus grant making in order to take advantage of specific partnership opportunities. 

Funding

Eligible applicants seek to respond to emerging needs in the community to be considered for a grant of up to $5,000. A typical award is $2,500

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation Vision

The Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation, "A Foundation for All", was established in 2002. It was begun in order to give a clear voice for those who wish to be a part of the many, worthy, forces for change in our world.

We are a foundation whose purpose is to look ahead towards the future, giving the past its due by remembering where we came from, and how much we can all accomplish together. We aim to make the critical difference on our planet by recognizing and having respect for our ever changing world. We respect all Life, the Environment, and all People, no matter who they are.