Community Water Quality Improvement Grant Program

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invites proposals to its Community Water Quality Improvement Grants program, a state-run, competitive funding opportunity focused on practical projects that measurably improve water quality on developed lands. Administered by DNREC’s Environmental Finance team in collaboration with the Division of Watershed Stewardship, the program is designed to advance watershed plans and strategies with on-the-ground solutions that protect natural resources, public health, and community amenities across Delaware. The program emphasizes innovative and sustainable methods that deliver cost-effective, quantifiable results. Eligible activities include enhancement or restoration of water quality within impaired watersheds; stormwater management improvements in existing developments (often in partnership with municipalities); and non-regulatory or voluntary planning efforts tied to pollution control strategies, watershed-based restoration plans, whole basin management preliminary assessments, or community-based stormwater permits. Past awards have supported green roofs, living shorelines with marsh enhancements to arrest erosion, stormwater retrofits such as wetlands and bioswales treating runoff from impervious surfaces, and stream bank stabilization to reduce sedimentation. Funding in this cycle is expected to range from 25,000 to 75,000 per project. DNREC staff review eligible proposals and make recommendations through a competitive process, with selections presented to the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council. Applicants may submit up to two proposals per grant cycle. While the announcement characterizes these as matching grants, the specific match ratio or percentage is not provided in the notice. The opportunity is open to nonprofit groups, conservation districts, community organizations, and homeowners associations operating in Delaware. The program scope is statewide; there are no county-by-county limits stated in the notice. Because the eligibility language is concise, applicants should rely on the official guidelines and application materials for any additional requirements such as nonprofit status documentation, fiscal sponsorship rules, or partnership expectations with municipalities for certain stormwater projects. Applications must be submitted by email to NPS.grants@delaware.gov with “Community Water Quality Improvement Grants” in the subject line. Emailed proposals must be under 10 MB. The notice identifies a single final deadline of Wednesday, October 29 at close of business (4:30 p.m. Eastern). No separate pre-application, LOI, or concept paper step is listed in the announcement. The program is recurring by grant cycle; however, the announcement does not specify an application opening date or award notification timeline for this round. DNREC protects and manages Delaware’s natural resources, supports outdoor recreation, and provides environmental education. Environmental Finance administers the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and the Division of Watershed Stewardship conducts watershed assessment, monitoring, and implementation. For general information on DNREC programs and to access guidelines and the application link, the notice directs applicants to de.gov/envfinance. Media inquiries are handled by the communications office; program questions should be sent to the grants inbox specified above.

Focus on measurable water quality results; propose innovative and sustainable practices; demonstrate cost effectiveness; align with watershed plans; include municipal partnerships for stormwater improvements where applicable; reference prior project types (e.g., living shorelines, bioswales) as models