The working waterfront at Bowers Beach in Kent County

Application Period Will Be Open from March 22 Through May 5

Saltwater fishery-related businesses that suffered severe revenue declines in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic can apply to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control for financial relief from March 22 through May 5, 2021. Delaware was awarded $992,013 in federal CARES Act funds to provide financial relief to eligible fishery-related businesses that experienced greater than 35% decline in net revenue during the March 1 through Dec. 31, 2020 COVID-19 impact period, compared to their historic average revenue.

Delaware saltwater fishery-related businesses eligible to apply for CARES Act funds are:

• Commercial fishing
• Shellfish aquaculture
• For-hire recreational fishing (includes charter and head boats)
• Bait and tackle shops (revenue must come from the sale of saltwater bait and tackle, and 75% of the shop’s revenue most come from those sources)
• Seafood dealers
• Seafood processors

Eligible businesses applying to DNREC for CARES Act funding must complete an affidavit through which the applicant will self-certify the business’s revenue decline. An eligible business must demonstrate on the self-certification affidavit that its net revenue during the 2020 COVID-19 impact period decreased by more than 35% compared to the business’s average annual net revenue during 2015 through 2019. For businesses in operation less than five years, but for at least one full year during 2015 through 2019, the net revenue loss during the COVID-19 impact period will be compared to the business’s average annual net revenue for its year(s) of operation.

The maximum amount of CARES Act funding distributed to an individual fishery-related business will depend on the number of applicants and the amount requested by each applicant relative to total available funding, with a minimum award of $100.

The application affidavit and additional CARES Act information are available at https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/fishing/cares-act-funding/ or by request from the DNREC Fisheries section within the Division of Fish and Wildlife, at 302-739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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DOVER, DELAWARE – Delaware state agencies have so far spent 72.1 percent of the $927 million the state received in federal CARES Act funding, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said today.

“The CARES Act resulted in an unprecedented amount of federal funding to our state,” McGuiness said. “The CARES Act Fund Tracker allows taxpayers to see a breakdown of how much money each state agency has spent.”

As of March 5, 2021, $668.1 million has been spent, which represents an increase of $12 million over the previous week. Most of the week’s increase – $10 million – was spent by the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

In March 2020, the federal government passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided payments to state and local governments as they navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on its population, Delaware received $927.23 million.

The CARES Act Fund Tracker can be found on the Auditor’s Office website here. The site is updated each Monday.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Contact: Quinn Ludwicki, Executive Assistant 302-382-7270, Quinn.Ludwicki@delaware.gov.

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DOVER, DELAWARE – Delaware state agencies have so far spent 70.7 percent of the $927 million the state received in federal CARES Act funding, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said today.

“Delawareans deserve to know exactly where that federal money is being spent and how it is helping them as they struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” McGuiness said. “That’s why I developed a CARES Act Fund Tracker on my website – to let taxpayers see a breakdown of how much money each state agency has spent.”

As of Feb. 26, 2021, $655.6 million had been spent, which represents an increase of $5 million over the previous week. Since Thanksgiving, Delaware has spent an average of about $11 million per week.

Other highlights:

• The Department of Labor has spent about 85 percent of its $197.47 million allotment.
• The Office of Management and Budget has spent about 15 percent of its $160.52 million allotment.

In March 2020, the federal government passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided payments to state and local governments as they navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on its population, Delaware received $927.23 million.

The CARES Act Fund Tracker can be found on the Auditor’s Office website here. The site is updated each Monday.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Contact: Alaina Sewell, Executive Assistant, Alaina.Sewell@delaware.gov, 302-857-3931

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DOVER, DELAWARE – Delaware state agencies have so far spent about 69 percent of the $927 million the state received in federal CARES Act funding, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness said today.

“Delawareans deserve to know exactly where that federal money is being spent and how it is helping them as they struggle with effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” McGuiness said. “That’s why I developed a CARES Act Fund Tracker on my website – to let taxpayers see a breakdown of how much money each state agency has spent.”

As of Feb. 12, 2021, $638.56 million has been spent. Since Thanksgiving, Delaware has been spending an average of about $11 million per week.

Other highlights:

• At least three state agencies – the Department of Education, the State Housing Authority and the State Fire Commission – have spent at least 95 percent of their allocated funds.
• The Department of Labor has spent about 85 percent of its $197.47 million allotment.
• The Office of Management and Budget has spent about 9 percent of its $149.26 million allotment.

In March 2020, the federal government passed the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provided payments to state and local governments as they navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on its population, Delaware received $927.23 million.

The CARES Act Fund Tracker can be found on the Auditor’s Office website here. The site is updated each Monday.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Contact: Alaina Sewell, Executive Assistant, Alaina.Sewell@delaware.gov, 302-857-3931

All Relief Grant recipients to receive 20 percent bonus; hospitality businesses will receive 50 percent bonus; $10 million for Arts organizations

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney and the Delaware Division of Small Business on Monday announced a new round of relief funding – $26 million to support small businesses most affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

The DE Relief Grant program – funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act – has supported roughly 3,000 Delaware businesses throughout the COVID-19 crisis with more than $180 million in grants.

Also on Monday, Governor Carney and the Delaware Department of State announced $10 million in relief funding for Delaware arts organizations. The State of Delaware will provide $5 million, with another $5 million in matching contributions.

“Small businesses continue to make sacrifices that will help get us through this crisis, and beat COVID-19. We owe them our support,” said Governor Carney. “Hope is on the way with the vaccine. But we continue to face a difficult winter. Let’s do what works. Wear a mask. Don’t gather with friends or family outside your household. Stay vigilant and we’ll get through this.”

The additional funding announced on Monday will provide a bonus of 20 percent for all DE Relief Grant recipients. Hospitality businesses, including restaurants and bars, will receive an additional 30 percent bonus, bringing their total bonus award to 50 percent of the value of their original grant. This is the third time that a bonus award has been given to grant recipients, though this is the first award that has gone to all recipients; previous bonuses focused on particularly hard hit industries.

Relief funding for not-for-profit arts organizations will cover 35 percent of those organizations’ 2019 operating expenses, up to $300,000.  

“The arts are a critical sector of the Delaware economy, and one we can’t replace. Arts organizations have been very hard hit by the pandemic. This funding will help them survive through the winter,” said Governor Carney. “I want to thank Delaware’s philanthropic community, particularly Tatiana and Gerret Copeland and the Longwood Foundation, for leading the way in matching these CARES Act funds.”

The federal government is currently discussing a new stimulus package that may lead to changes in the states assistance programs for businesses, allowing assistance to be provided into the new year. Businesses that want to stay updated on this can visit delbiz.com/relief, where any updates to the DE Relief Grant program will be announced.

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