The Delaware Community Foundation starts receiving applications for its Community Needs Grants Program Monday.
The Community Needs Grants Program is part of the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund, a partnership between the DCF and Philanthropy Delaware.
In this round, the program is awarding a total of $250,000 in grants to small and mid-sized organizations serving Delaware communities. Organizations have until April 1 to apply for general operating grants up to $10,000.
Delaware Community Foundation president and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay says this is a continuation of the funds they have raised for COVID response.
"We raised almost $5 million overall in partnership with Philanthropy Delaware and our other partners on this towards supporting Delaware nonprofits response to COVID, and we're relaunching the projects - the initiative - and just trying to get the money out to help organizations as they struggle with their response to COVID," Comstock-Gay said.
Comstock-Gay says the program hopes to help specific organizations doing good work in Delaware during the COVID pandemic.
"You got to be providing services to people, you have to have some level of operating expenses meaning at least $25,000 and also capped at three-quarters of a million, said Comstock-Gay. "So in other words this is not designed for the very biggest organizations, but for small and medium-sized Delaware organizations, and you have to spend the money in Delaware."
Sports clubs, leagues, or facilities and public or tuition-based educational institutions are not eligible - along with fundraising entities for programs and organizations primarily supported through government funding and endowments.
Religious organizations are also ineligible, but projects that serve the entire community regardless of religious affiliation can apply.
The nonprofit must also use 100 percent of the requested amount to benefit Delaware communities.
Nonprofits can apply at the Delaware Community Foundation's website.
