Project Support Grants

The Delaware Division of the Arts Project Support grant program is a state-funded arts funding opportunity designed to strengthen Delaware’s cultural environment through support for community-based arts programming. The program is administered by the Delaware Division of the Arts and focuses on increasing public access to high-quality arts activities throughout the state. The grant prioritizes projects that demonstrate artistic relevance, community engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and meaningful public benefit. Eligible projects are expected to serve Delaware residents directly and may include collaborations between artists, civic groups, educational institutions, government entities, and social service organizations. The program is intended primarily for nonprofit organizations whose primary mission is not the arts, as well as units of municipal, county, or state government operating within Delaware. Project Support funding is available for arts-related projects with more than $5,000 in estimated eligible direct cash expenses. The grant supports initiatives that expand participation in the arts, engage underserved audiences, create opportunities for artistic expression, support new works of art, preserve cultural traditions, and increase access to arts experiences in nontraditional venues. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate collaborative planning, community involvement, and accessibility for people with disabilities. The Division specifically evaluates how projects connect to community needs and how they contribute to artistic vitality and relevance within Delaware communities. Organizations may submit up to three separate project applications in a fiscal year, but the combined total request across all applications must remain below $75,000. Eligible applicants must either be Delaware-based nonprofit organizations exempt under sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, or established governmental entities within Delaware. Nonprofit applicants must have a stable governing board that meets at least quarterly and must be chartered in Delaware. Examples of eligible organizations include libraries, civic groups, senior centers, and community-serving college or university non-credit programs. First-time applicants are encouraged to contact Division staff before beginning the application process in order to verify eligibility and review requirements. First-time applicants must also submit a Delaware Certificate of Incorporation and an IRS nonprofit determination letter. The Division does not permit applications submitted through fiscal agents, and organizations generally may not receive support simultaneously from both the Project Support and Arts Access programs within the same fiscal year. Funding requests may be up to 30 percent of the direct cash expenses associated with the artistic portion of the project. Awards typically range from $2,000 to $10,000, although some exceptional awards may exceed that range. All awards are matching grants, and matching funds must be cash-based. National Endowment for the Arts funds may not be used as match, although other federal funds may qualify if permitted by authorizing legislation. Eligible expenses include artists’ fees, marketing, personnel, contractual services, administrative costs, supplies, technical costs, and travel directly associated with the arts project. Indirect expenses such as overhead and staff salaries may be included in the project budget, but Division grant funds may not be used for those expenses or counted as match. Ineligible costs include capital improvements, fundraising activities, academic-credit activities, meals, investments, religious projects, contingency funds, and activities occurring outside Delaware or outside the grant period. For the Fiscal Year 2028 grant cycle, funding must support projects occurring between September 1, 2027 and August 31, 2028. The annual application deadline is March 1, 2027 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Based on prior cycles, the application portal is expected to open in December 2026 through the smARTDE system. The application package includes an organizational profile, narrative questions regarding artistic relevance and community impact, a project budget form, board or council lists, staff contact information, and two to five support materials. The Division notes that submitted materials may be subject to public inspection under Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act and recommends redacting confidential information before submission. Applications are evaluated through a panel review process using scoring criteria focused on Artistic Relevance and Vitality, Community Impact and Engagement, and Management and Success. Contact for the program is Briana Henry in Community Engagement at 302-577-8282.

Demonstrate strong community partnerships and accessibility planning. Clearly connect the project to organizational mission and include realistic detailed budgets with multiple funding sources. Emphasize diversity equity and inclusion strategies and provide evidence of audience engagement experience.