Delaware Infrastructure Grants

This funding opportunity is designed to strengthen research capabilities in eligible jurisdictions by supporting collaborations among academic institutions, government agencies, and private industry to develop sustainable research infrastructure.

This funding opportunity is designed for organizations to remove and manage invasive tree species like Tree of Heaven or Bradford Pear on public lands or open spaces.

The Delaware Community Foundation offers grants ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 through Highmark's BluePrints for the Community fund, prioritizing health-related projects and services that address healthcare access, economic stability, social and community context, and neighborhood and built environment in Delaware.

The First State Food System Program, funded by the Federal American Rescue Plan Act, is designed to support and strengthen Delaware's local food system. Its overarching mission, facilitated by the Delaware Department of Agriculture and the Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy (Council), aligns with the goal of ensuring farmers have access to viable markets, households can access nutritious food, and the impacts of supply chain disruptions are reduced. The program aims to foster a resilient food system by offering grants to a diverse range of entities operating across the food supply chain within the State of Delaware. Target beneficiaries include entities that grow, process, store, transport, distribute, or sell food in Delaware, encompassing small to mid-sized for-profit producers, nonprofit organizations, aquaculture/fishery operators, food distributors, transporters, and food processing operators. The program's impact goals are centered on enabling these local entities to overcome challenges, build resilience, and contribute to a more robust food system. Specifically, it seeks to increase food production, enhance direct-to-consumer sales, improve food transformation activities, bolster transportation and distribution, and increase the flexibility of food retail outlets. The program prioritizes projects that support or benefit more than one entity or producer within Delaware’s food system. This focus is intended to strengthen the local food system through wide-reaching and complementary efforts rather than isolated, narrowly focused projects. Eligible projects are evaluated based on the entity's viability, its function and reach within the food system, and its capacity to add to food production, sales, processing, transportation, or distribution; improve efficiency and reduce costs; increase capacity of retail outlets; align with consumer needs; address proximity challenges; or increase emerging agricultural practices. Expected outcomes include a measurable positive impact on Delaware's food supply chain. Projects should create or contribute to outcomes such as increased volume of food production, greater availability of food products through various outlets, enhanced processing activities, more efficient transportation and distribution, improved capacity and flexibility of food retail outlets, and the adoption of innovative agricultural practices. The Council will award grants ranging from $2,500 to $150,000, and applicants must demonstrate the entity's infrastructure and capacity to successfully implement the project, with a general requirement for entities to be in operation for two or more years.

The Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Trails (ORPT) Program, formerly known as the Delaware Land and Water Conservation Trust Fund (DTF), is a matching grant program in Delaware. Its core mission is to assist with public park land acquisition and the development of outdoor recreation facilities. This aligns with a broader foundation mission to enhance public access to green spaces and improve community well-being through recreation. The program emphasizes collaboration, encouraging partnerships between governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and other non-traditional recreation providers, though only municipalities and counties are eligible to apply. The primary beneficiaries of the ORPT Program are county and municipal governments and park districts in Delaware, along with the communities they serve. The impact goals are to increase and improve public parkland, open spaces, and outdoor recreation facilities across the state. This includes ensuring modern, safe, and universally accessible facilities for all residents. A key focus is also on supporting areas identified as having the highest social vulnerability, aiming to reduce disparities in access to quality outdoor recreation. The program prioritizes a diverse range of projects, including fee simple acquisition of parkland and open space, purchase of development rights, replacement of outdated facilities, and new construction of various outdoor recreation amenities such as athletic fields, playgrounds, swimming pools, picnic areas, and park infrastructure. Additionally, it supports professional services for park master planning and universal accessibility upgrades. This comprehensive approach ensures that both the physical spaces and the planning for their future development are addressed. Expected outcomes include a significant expansion of available parkland and open space, modernization of existing facilities, and the creation of new recreational opportunities for communities. Measurable results could include the number of acres acquired, the number of new or renovated facilities, increased visitor numbers, and improved scores on community health and well-being indicators in funded areas, especially those with high social vulnerability. The program's strategic priority on assisting vulnerable census tracts demonstrates a theory of change focused on equitable access and community resilience. The ORPT Program offers matching grant assistance, with municipalities and counties eligible for up to 50% of project costs. To further support areas with greater need, park districts, municipalities that have not previously received ORPT funds, and projects in Census Tracts identified with a high CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI score range 0.75 – 1.00) can receive up to 75% assistance. This tiered funding structure reflects a strategic priority to channel resources where they can have the greatest impact, aligning with a theory of change that targeted investment can address social inequities and foster healthier communities.

This program provides funding to Delaware counties and municipalities for planning and engineering projects that improve water quality and manage stormwater effectively.

This funding opportunity provides up to $50,000 for organizations to implement urban forestry projects in underserved communities, enhancing green spaces and environmental quality on public lands.

This grant provides funding to partnerships and organizations working to improve water quality and habitats in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through innovative practices that reduce nutrient and sediment pollution.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is offering matching grants through its Surface Water Matching Planning Grant program. This initiative, developed by the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council (WIAC), aims to improve water quality in developed landscapes within Delaware's impaired watersheds. The program aligns with a mission to assist local governments in proactively addressing water quality challenges, particularly through planning and preliminary engineering efforts for surface water improvement projects. The grants target Delaware county and municipal governments, conservation districts, and estuary programs. While non-profit organizations, educational institutions, community organizations, and homeowner’s associations cannot apply directly, they are encouraged to partner with eligible applicants. The primary impact goal is to enhance water quality in impaired watersheds by supporting planning, preliminary engineering, and feasibility analysis of surface water improvement projects. These projects can include retrofitting stormwater systems, establishing green technology practices, restoring streams and wetlands, conducting small watershed studies, and developing master surface water and drainage plans. The program prioritizes proposals that demonstrate clear benefits to water quality within impaired watersheds. Specific focuses include planning and/or preliminary design for projects associated with watershed management plans, community stormwater management improvements in existing developments and municipalities, and restoration or retrofit projects designed to yield water quality benefits. This strategic approach ensures that funding is directed towards foundational planning and design efforts that are critical for long-term water quality improvement. Expected outcomes include the preparation of surface water projects for future funding through the Delaware Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan Fund (WPCRLF). Measurable results will be seen in the successful completion of planning, preliminary engineering, and feasibility analyses, leading to actionable project designs ready for loan applications. The funding, capped at $50,000 with a 1:1 cash match requirement, is designed to jumpstart projects, laying the groundwork for significant water quality improvements across Delaware. The grant duration is two years, emphasizing a focused and efficient planning period to achieve these preparatory outcomes.

This program provides funding to local organizations in EPA Region 3 for projects that address environmental and health challenges in historically underserved communities.

The Community Reinvestment Fund is a capital grant program established by the Delaware General Assembly, designed to foster community redevelopment, revitalization, and investment capital projects. Its overarching mission is to improve the economic, cultural, historical, and recreational health of Delaware communities. This program aligns with a strategic priority to enhance local well-being and stimulate growth across various sectors within the state. The target beneficiaries of this grant program include county and local governments, community-based nonprofit organizations, and private sector nonprofit organizations that hold a 501(c)3 designation at the time of application. The program specifically excludes state agencies, school districts, charter schools, private schools, institutions of higher education, childcare facilities, churches, fire companies, fiscal agents, and for-profit organizations. The impact goals are broad, aiming for a holistic improvement in community health. The program prioritizes projects that involve preconstruction costs, land acquisition, building construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or restoration. It also supports the acquisition or installation of apparatus or equipment permanently attached to buildings, and the acquisition and improvement of land for project sites. Furthermore, the construction of sidewalks, sewers, or water mains connecting to public systems are eligible. These priorities demonstrate a focus on tangible, capital-intensive projects that build or restore essential community infrastructure. The expected outcomes and measurable results include the successful completion of capital projects that contribute to the economic, cultural, historical, and recreational health of Delaware communities. While specific metrics are not detailed, the emphasis on "redevelopment," "revitalization," and "investment" suggests a theory of change where targeted capital injections lead to observable improvements in community assets and overall quality of life. The program implicitly aims for a ripple effect, where improved infrastructure and facilities foster greater community engagement, economic activity, and cultural preservation.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit arts organizations in Delaware to help cover their annual operating expenses and ensure ongoing access to the arts for the community.

This grant provides financial assistance to New Castle County residents for the removal of hazardous ash trees on public land, requiring a matching contribution and a commitment to replace removed trees with suitable species.

This program provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and local governments in the Mid-Atlantic region to host live performances and community engagement activities featuring artists, with a focus on accessibility and geographic diversity.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and schools in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods for improving local football fields, ensuring safe and accessible play spaces for community youth.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative performing arts projects in the Mid-Atlantic region, enabling multiple presenters to engage audiences through high-quality performances and community-focused activities.

This funding opportunity supports Delaware nonprofit organizations seeking financial assistance for facility improvements that enhance their effectiveness and benefit the communities they serve.

This grant provides financial support and training to emerging arts organizations in Delaware to strengthen their management and operational capabilities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, community groups, and homeowners' associations in Delaware for projects that improve water quality in developed areas through innovative and sustainable practices.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations focused on improving their services for low- to moderate-income and historically underserved communities through strategic investments in planning, staff development, and technology.