General Operating Support Grants

The Delaware Division of the Arts offers General Operating Support grants to arts organizations throughout Delaware to support annual operating expenses and ensure that year-round participation in the arts remains accessible to residents of the state. The program is administered by the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency created by the Delaware General Assembly to serve as the principal mechanism for supporting arts activities in Delaware. The grant program is intended to strengthen nonprofit arts organizations with demonstrated histories of programming, community engagement, and organizational management. The program operates through a staggered three-year application cycle that allows organizations to focus more heavily on programming and service delivery rather than annual grant preparation. General Operating Support grants may be used to support most aspects of an arts organization's operating expenses, excluding capital expenditures. Eligible expenses include artist fees, administrative costs, contractual services, personnel salaries and benefits, facilities operations, marketing and publicity, technical costs, professional development, supplies, and domestic travel related to program delivery. Certain expenses are specifically prohibited, including capital construction, fundraising campaigns, lobbying, activities outside Delaware, sectarian or religious projects, scholarships to individuals, debt, meals and refreshments, and non-consumable capital purchases valued above $3,000. The grants are funded on a matching basis, requiring a one-to-one cash match. National Endowment for the Arts funds may not be used as matching funds, although other federal funding may qualify if permitted by authorizing legislation. Eligible applicants must be Delaware-based nonprofit arts organizations whose primary purpose is the promotion, presentation, production, or teaching of the arts as documented in their incorporation materials and IRS determination letter. Organizations must maintain a stable board of directors that meets at least quarterly and must be exempt from federal income tax under Sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applicants must also have reported more than $16,000 in operating income during the most recently completed fiscal year and possess a Unique Entity Identifier through SAM.gov. Organizations that have never received General Operating Support funding or have not participated recently are generally required to first receive a StartUp grant before applying. Applications submitted through fiscal agents are not accepted, and conflicts of interest involving Division staff or Arts Council members are prohibited. Applications are submitted electronically through the smARTDE grants portal. Depending on an organization's placement in the three-year cycle, applicants must either complete a Full Application or an Interim Application report. Full Applications include organizational profiles, narrative responses discussing programming and community service, board and staff lists, detailed two-year financial reports, financial statements, and support materials. Interim Applications require a shorter set of materials focused on organizational updates, financial documentation, and support materials. All submitted materials are subject to public inspection under Delaware Freedom of Information Act requirements, and applicants are advised to redact confidential financial information before submission. Applications are reviewed first for completeness and then evaluated by external review panels composed of Delaware residents. Reviewers score applications using weighted criteria in three categories: Artistic Quality, Availability of the Arts and Service to the Community, and Management. Artistic Quality accounts for 40 percent of the score and includes consideration of artistic product, educational activities, ingenuity, and program evaluation. Availability and community service account for 30 percent and examine audience development, diversity and inclusion efforts, outreach, and community responsiveness. Management accounts for the remaining 30 percent and evaluates governance, board and staff qualifications, operational effectiveness, and fiscal responsibility. Following panel review, the Delaware State Arts Council makes funding recommendations to the Division Director during the June council meeting. For the FY2028 grant cycle, applications are due March 1, 2027 by 4:30 PM Eastern Time, and late applications will not be accepted. Based on prior cycles, the application portal is expected to open in December 2026 through the smARTDE system. Funding awarded through this cycle must support activities occurring between September 1, 2027 and August 31, 2028. Applicants are expected to submit final reports through the smARTDE system and comply with all Division and National Endowment for the Arts assurances and reporting obligations. Grant award notifications are expected after July 1, 2027 following approval of the state budget. Payments are generally issued in two installments, with an initial payment around September 30 and a final payment around October 30 of the following year contingent upon submission of required reports. Questions regarding the program may be directed to Kathleen Dinsmore in Organization Support at 302-577-8287.

Emphasize artistic quality community engagement audience development diversity equity and inclusion efforts and strong fiscal management. Clearly demonstrate organizational stability and sustained arts programming history.