DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship is now accepting project proposals from state agencies, county and municipal governments, conservation districts, community organizations, homeowner organizations and not-for-profit organizations representing local government for water quality improvement projects within Delaware’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Proposals for the Chesapeake Bay Implementation Funding Grant must be received by DNREC no later than 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 2018.

The Implementation Funding Grant is an annually-determined set-aside within Delaware’s Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Funding is intended for use by Delaware entities within the Chesapeake Bay watershed for best management practice (BMP) implementation projects that will improve water quality by reducing nutrient and sediment loads. The competitive grant process is administered by Delaware’s Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant Program, which provides technical and financial guidance during the grant application and project period.

Grant requests of up to $300,000 (from $600,000 in total funding for fiscal year 2019) will be considered, with a one-to-one non-federal match requirement. Up to 10 percent of the grant funds may be used for administrative costs.

The grant guidelines and application instructions can be found online at Chesapeake Bay Implementation Funding Grant webpage. Proposals must be submitted by email to James.Sullivan@delaware.gov and must be no larger than 10 megabytes (MB) in size.

For more information, please contact Jim Sullivan, Division of Watershed Stewardship, at 302-739-9922.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 249

Delaware is one of six states to win a National Governors Association (NGA) grant and technical support to develop policies to strengthen the quality of Delaware’s early care and education workforce.

NGA, in partnership with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), awarded $12,500 to Delaware. Other winners were Arkansas, Hawaii, Illinois, Montana and North Carolina. CCSSO will identify four more states for additional grants.

“High-quality care and education has a critical positive influence on children’s development,” Governor John Carney said. “This effort will help continue our work to better support Delaware’s educators who work with our youngest learners and ensure they have the knowledge and skills to provide quality early childhood education.”

According to NGA, in addition to the grant funds, the NGA Center for Best Practices Education Division and CCSSO will provide technical assistance for the development of one or more state-specific policy priorities to improve the state’s early care and education workforce.

Delaware’s points of focus will include:

• Strengthening governance and alignment of services for students, schools, and families through the Family Services Cabinet Council
• Reviewing and evaluating the recommendations of the Early Learning Workforce Professional Development Plan when it is released
• Maintaining support for Delaware Stars and associated early education programs
• Expanding school-based health centers into elementary and middle schools

Support for this project comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Alliance for Early Success, the Foundation for Child Development and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Media Contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006 

Grant will support basic needs closets in 45 high-needs schools throughout Delaware

HARRINGTON, Del. — Governor John Carney on Wednesday, joined by Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, visited Lake Forest South Elementary School to announce a $50,000 grant from Highmark Delaware’s BluePrints for the Community fund to support basic needs closets in schools throughout Delaware.

The funds will help high-needs schools across the state restock their basic needs closets so students have access to clothing, school supplies, hygiene products and other essentials.

“Highmark’s generosity is a perfect example of how community support can make a big difference in the everyday lives of Delaware’s children,” said Governor John Carney. “By meeting students’ basic needs in a dignified way, we are able to ensure children can focus on their learning and be successful. We are grateful for Highmark’s support in this worthy endeavor.”

The grant comes in two installments. The first $25,000 recently was distributed to help school leaders restock the closets for the second half of the academic year. The second $25,000 will come in June so the schools can restock over the summer for the new school year.

“Highmark Delaware is proud to support the basic needs closet. We know our BluePrints for the Community grant will make a difference for children throughout Delaware. When a student’s basic needs are met they are healthier and better able to focus on the important task of learning,” said Tim Constantine, President of Highmark Delaware.

In August, Governor Carney launched the basic needs closets initiative in 45 high-need schools across the state. The stocked closets are a result of the coordinated efforts of Delaware educators, Delaware businesses, Delaware healthcare institutions, and a partnership with First Book.

The basic needs closets provide elementary and middle school students across the state with increased access to free products designed to meet students’ needs so they can effectively participate in class. Each school’s basic needs closet is stocked with products identified by districts and charter schools as essential to the wellbeing of their students. Students are able to discreetly access the closets throughout the school year. The initiative aims to meet students’ basic needs with dignity so they can be ready to learn in class.

“Every year, heroic educators spend hundreds of dollars out of their own pockets to purchase supplies and basics for their students, because they see the needs in front of them every day,” said Kyle Zimmer, President and CEO of First Book. “We applaud the State of Delaware and Governor Carney for a sustained commitment to meet these essential needs, and Highmark for its generous donation to make this sustained commitment possible. This kind of leadership acknowledges that all kids deserve equal access to a quality education.”

Thanks to additional support from Operation Warm, students also were able to receive coats earlier this winter.

Lake Forest leaders said children and their families appreciate access to the needed supplies.

Superintendent Dr. Brenda G. Wynder said Lake Forest South Elementary is honored to receive this funding.

“As a district, we are committed to meeting the educational, emotional, and social needs of our students.  We recognize that supporting our students’ educational and basic needs increases the opportunity for them to be successful,” said Lake Forest Superintendent Dr. Brenda G. Wynder. “We thank Highmark for helping us by providing clothing, school supplies, hygiene products and other essentials to our closet.  We value all our community partnerships and the generosity that they provide the Lake Forest School District and families.”

Lieutenant Governor Hall-Long, who is overseeing the initiative for Governor Carney, said the state will continue to look for ways to coordinate needed supports for students.

“Our children and families have enough things to worry about. School supplies and clothing should never be one of them,” said Lieutenant Governor Hall-Long. “As a community, we have a responsibility to help the most vulnerable among us, which all too often are our children. This grant funding provided by Highmark will help ensure that Delaware students have basic supplies and necessities to be more prepared and more effective in school.”

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Click here to view photos from the announcement.

Delaware has received a $500,000 grant to improve upon previous work that allowed the state to expand its K-12 Education Data Warehouse and Insight Dashboard to include birth through pre-kindergarten data. The grant is the second from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation designed to help the state better integrate existing data systems.

This funding will help the Delaware Department of Education address a persistent problem: Currently there is not a common definition of educational data that is used in Delaware information systems. This work will enable Delaware to establish a common vocabulary for commonly used education data elements, through adoption of the Ed-Fi data standard, to support the effective exchange, comparison and understanding of this data as students transition through the education system.

“Teachers, school and district leaders and policy makers all need reliable data to help identify and address student needs,” Secretary of Education Susan Bunting said. “This is important behind-the-scenes work that makes that possible, and we are grateful to the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation for its support in helping our state strengthen our system so we ultimately can better meet student needs.”

Lyria Zeh, technical program officer from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, said, “We’re excited to continue our work with Delaware in helping them integrate their existing data systems. It’s so important for teachers to have actionable data at their fingertips to help them be even more effective in their classrooms.”

Media Contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

FISCAL YEAR 2019 GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR
DELAWARE ARTS & COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AND SCHOOLS NOW OPEN

Wilmington, Del. (December 12, 2017) – The Delaware Division of the Arts has opened its annual online grant application process for grants for arts programming and projects taking place during fiscal year 2019 (September 2018 – August 2019). Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2018.

The guidelines and applications for all grant programs have been revised and streamlined. Past and new applicants should read the guidelines carefully and call Division staff with any questions. A list of the Division staff members who manage the grants process, including their responsibilities and contact information, is available at the end of this release.

“We always advise prospective applicants to contact the Division staff before submitting an application, especially for the first time,” said Paul Weagraff, Division Director. “Staff members can help an applicant determine which grant program is the best fit for their planned project, and can also answer questions about the application and review process.”

Below are all of the Division’s grants programs and their respective deadlines.  Please visit arts.delaware.gov/grant-overview/ to access the full guidelines for each program and a description of the grant review process. Some organizational grants are available throughout the year on a rolling deadline basis, please see the list below for more details.

Grants for Delaware Arts Organizations:

General Operating Support (GOS) – support of annual operating expenses to ensure that year-round participation in the arts is available to the people of Delaware. This grant category utilizes a three-year application cycle. Full applications are due every three years, with Interim Applications due in the “off” year. Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Stabilization Fund (ASF) – support for improvements to facilities owned (or under long-term lease) and operated by the organization. ASF grants are funded through the Division’s participation in the Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) endowment. Annual March 1 deadline.

Education Resource (EDR) – grants to strengthen standards-based arts education projects, programs, and activities that utilize the arts education resources of the Delaware arts community or strengthen arts organizations’ capacity to serve as professional development resources for teaching artists and educators. Annual March 1 deadline.

StartUp – financial support, training and consultation to develop and strengthen the management capacity of emerging arts organizations so that they can operate in a sustainable manner. Completion of the StartUp program is a prerequisite for emerging organizations seeking General Operating Support. Letter of intent due January 15. Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – provides up to $1,000 to support the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Rolling deadline.

Grants for Delaware Community-Based Organizations (CBOs):

Project Support – support of arts programs provided by CBOs that assist in the growth of a vibrant cultural environment by encouraging the continued development of arts activities in communities throughout the state. College and university projects must be non-credit and serve the general community. Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – provide up to $1,000 to support the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Rolling deadline.

Grants for Delaware Schools and School Districts:

Artist Residency – grants for residencies with visual, literary, performing or media artists working with students in the classroom or in professional development workshops with teachers. Rolling deadline.

Education Resource (EDR) – grants to strengthen standards-based arts education projects, programs, and activities that utilize the arts education resources of the Delaware arts community or strengthen arts organizations’ capacity to serve as professional development resources for teaching artists and educators. Annual March 1 deadline. 

TranspARTation – grants that support transportation costs for schools to travel to Delaware arts and cultural institutions and venues in order for students to attend arts performances, events and exhibits. Rolling deadline.

Additionally, the Division offers grants for Delaware Individual Artists that have separate grant deadlines:

Artist Fellowship – support of individual artists in their work as visual, performing, media, folk, and/or literary artists. Applications received and processed by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. Annual August 1 deadline.

Artist Opportunity Grant – support of individual artists with unique professional and artistic development or presentation opportunities. Quarterly deadlines.

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@delaware.gov