DOVER, DE (March 1, 2022) – Young Delaware companies in need of funding to help expand their business can now apply to compete for an Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) Grant from the Division of Small Business. The division will be accepting EDGE Grant applications until March 31 from promising early-stage businesses throughout Delaware.

Businesses who are less than five years old and employ no more than 10 employees are eligible to apply for an EDGE Grant. The grants are awarded through a competitive selection process. Five STEM-based companies can receive up to $100,000 for eligible expenses while five Entrepreneur Class (non-STEM) businesses can receive up to $50,000.

EDGE is a matching grant program. The Division of Small Business matches a winning business’s investment on a 3-to-1 basis. The business can spend EDGE grant funds on expenses that help improve the company’s long-term chances of success, such as a marketing campaign to help acquire more customers or purchasing a needed piece of equipment that can increase production capacity.

Applications for the competition round will be accepted from March 1 through March 31 at 5 p.m. Finalists will pitch their grant proposals to a panel of expert judges with winners announced in the summer.

“Delaware has an amazing community of entrepreneurs who stake their future on following their passion and starting their own business,” Secretary of State Jeff Bullock said. “By providing significant capital to these early-stage companies, the state of Delaware is able to help them reach their potential and show their owners that we value their efforts in starting and growing their businesses here in Delaware.”

“The EDGE Grant program has been very popular with Delaware small business owners because these grants have helped promising small companies in a variety of industries reach the next level and compete with larger companies,” Division of Small Business Director Jordan Schulties said. “I urge eligible small business owners interested in the program to reach out today to one of our Regional Business Managers for help with the application process.”

Since EDGE launched in 2019, $2.75 million has been awarded to 50 promising Delaware small businesses in industries ranging from renewable energy technology to fitness centers to restaurants. This will be the fifth round of the program since its launch.

One of the businesses who previously received funding is Elyte Energy, which uses patent-protected hydrogen technology to build a highly efficient power supply for generators and other fixed and portable devices. Elyte Energy was awarded a $100,000 STEM EDGE grant in the last round of funding. The company is using its grant to acquire laboratory space and equipment to develop a commercial prototype of its hydrogen-based system to power generators for the outdoor industry.  

“Startup companies like ours need funding if they are going to grow,” Dr. Jalaal A. Hayes, PhD, Elyte Energy’s founder and CEO said. “The $100,000 EDGE grant we received from the Delaware Division of Small Business will be crucial in helping us expand operations and build a commercial prototype to help meet our goal of making green energy available for the recreational vehicle (RV) market.”

Businesses should visit the Division of Small Business website for eligibility requirements, to download the grant application and to connect with a Regional Business Manager for application assistance.

This week’s Book of the Week is a special partnership with Delaware Historical Society and continues our celebration of Black History Month!

“Forging Faith, Building Freedom
African American Faith Experiences in Delaware, 1800-1980”
– by Constance J. Cooper & Lewis V. Baldwin

You can view and/or download a PDF version of this book here.

SYNOPSIS:
Forging Faith, Building Freedom honors and celebrates the African American faith experience in Delaware and its contributions to the development of African American religion in the United States. Absalom Jones, Richard Allen, Peter Spencer, and Samuel Cornish were champions of religious liberty from Delaware who led in the creation of independent black churches in the United States in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Based on an exhibition at the Delaware Historical Society and developed in collaboration with the African American community, this book presents a rich and exciting collection of material that documents two centuries of diverse experiences as black Delawareans forged faith and built freedom.

(DOVER, Del. — Feb. 23, 2022) — The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring four special events during the month of March 2022. Two of these events will be presented in celebration of National Women’s History Month. A full schedule is included below. All programs are free and open to the public. Go to the following link for additional information and reservation instructions: https://history.delaware.gov/2022/02/17/womens-history-month-2022/.

NOTE: Due to health and safety precautions, programs may be rescheduled, cancelled or converted to virtual presentations. Check each museum’s website or social media for the latest info.

Designated by joint resolutions of the United States House of Representatives and Senate and proclaimed by the American president, National Women’s History Month is an opportunity to honor and celebrate women’s lives and historic achievements. Each year National Women’s History Month employs a unifying theme and recognizes national honorees whose work and lives testify to that theme. For 2022, the theme is “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope,” a tribute to the ceaseless work of caregivers and frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and a recognition of the thousands of ways that women of all cultures have provided both healing and hope throughout history.

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special programs, March 2022

Thursday, March 3, 2022
“HMS DeBraak.” Virtual program from the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Zwaanendael Museum explores the history of the British warship DeBraak which sank off the coast of Lewes in May of 1798 only to be recovered by treasure hunters nearly 200 years later. Program streamed live via Zoom. Registration required. 4 p.m. 302-645-1148 or mailto:zmuseum@delaware.gov.

Friday, March 11, 2022
Concert by Christine Havrilla. Singer/songwriter. Presented in partnership with the Delaware Friends of Folk. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 7:30 p.m. Face masks required for all persons over age two. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Thursday, March 17, 2022
“The Different Lives of Delaware’s 18th Century Women.” Virtual program in which lead interpreter Annie Fenimore of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ John Dickinson Plantation discusses how wealth, race, class and circumstance determined 18th century women’s lives in Delaware. Program streamed live via Zoom and on the Zwaanendael Museum’s Facebook page. Zoom registration recommended. 5 p.m. 302-645-1148 or mailto:zmuseum@delaware.gov.

Monday, March 28, 2022
“Well Seasoned Heirlooms.” Virtual program in which historic site interpreter Kimberly Fritsch of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum shines a spotlight on the culinary practices, recipes and personalized cookbooks of women throughout Delaware history as they speak to us through their food. Cookbooks became a way for women to pass along their legacy and convey a sense of what was important in their culture, daily lives and, even, weather occurrences and events of the time. Program streamed live via Zoom. Registration required. Noon. 302-323-4453 or mailto:NCCHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Remaining division programs in February 2022

In addition, the division will be presenting three programs listed below during the remainder of February. Go to the following link for additional information and reservation instructions: https://history.delaware.gov/2022/01/06/hca-african-american-history-month-2022/.

Friday, Feb. 25, 2022
“Highlights of African American History in Delaware.” Video in which historic site interpreter Joan Foster and lead interpreter Juliette Wurm of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum bring to life information from the museum’s exhibit on African American history in Delaware. Video includes the stories of the Hawkins Family, the Colored Conventions, the Buttonwood and Booker T. Washington schools as well as Black Delaware luminaries. Video will be available on the museum’s Facebook page beginning on Feb. 25, 2022. 302-323-4453 or mailto:NCCHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
“Richard Bassett — A Quiet Patriot.” Virtual lecture in which historic-site interpreter Tom Welch of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House discusses the varied career of one of the Founding Fathers from Delaware, Richard Bassett, including the patriot’s contributions to the political and religious institutions in the First State. Program streamed live via Zoom and on the museum’s Facebook page. Zoom registration recommended. 10 a.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
Guided visitation of the African burial ground at the John Dickinson Plantation. Guided visitation leads participants to the African burial ground which is believed to be the final resting place for enslaved and free Black men, women and children who died on the plantation. Guests will engage with guides about the historical context and archaeological research of the site. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. 2 p.m. Visitors should wear clothing that accounts for current weather conditions. Admission free but reservations are required by calling 302-739-3277.

Administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the five museums of the State of Delaware — the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum (closed through the spring of 2022), The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum — tell the story of the First State’s contributions to the history and culture of the United States. Through tours, exhibits and special programs, the museums shine a spotlight on Delaware’s unique history and the diverse people who came to live there. The museums are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The New Castle Court House Museum and the John Dickinson Plantation are partner sites of the First State National Historical Park. The Old State House is located on the Dover Green, another partner site of the park. Go to the following for a long-term calendar of division-sponsored events.

The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the State’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.

Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-577-5170
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

Continuing our celebration of Black History Month, the Delaware Heritage Commission is proud to present our Book of the Week:

“A History of African Americans of Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore”
– by Carole C. Marks, Editor

You can view a PDF version of this book here.

SYNOPSIS:
The history of African Americans in Delaware spans almost four hundred years, with the first African slave arriving in New Sweden in 1639. Since then, the African American inhabitants of Delaware and Maryland have endured slavery, war, and the long struggle for freedom and equality. A History of African Americans of Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore presents a social, political, and cultural history of African Americans, from the first permanent settlements to the present day.

Find out more about the Delaware Heritage Commission here.

On Wednesday, February 23 at 6:30 p.m., Governor Carney will host a virtual forum on Racial History and Education in Delaware with Dr. Reba Hollingsworth (Delaware Heritage Commission) and Dr. Bradley Skelcher (Professor Emeritus of History at Delaware State University).

This event is coordinated in partnership with the Delaware Heritage Commission, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, and the Office of Statewide Equity Initiatives.