Arts Stabilization Fund Grants

To be eligible for Arts Stabilization funding, applicants must:

1. Be a nonprofit arts organization that is currently eligible to receive General Operating Support and is not an ArtCo member.
2. Own the facility or have a long-term lease agreement.

Please Note: Applicants for Arts Stabilization should contact the Division prior to beginning the application process in order to verify the eligibility of their organization and the project.

Please note the following restrictions:

• The Division will not accept applications through fiscal agents.
• No individual may compile or submit an application on behalf of an organization if that individual is a member or relative of a member of the Delaware State Arts Council or Division staff.
• Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) member organizations are not eligible to apply for Arts Stabilization grants through the Delaware Division of the Arts. Member organizations include Christina Cultural Arts Center, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware Symphony Orchestra, Delaware Theatre Company, Grand Opera House, Music School of Delaware, OperaDelaware, and Rehoboth Art League.

The Delaware Division of the Arts has established the following goals, in accordance with the ArtCo bylaws, for Arts Stabilization grants:

• Provide funding for needed maintenance, repairs, or renovations of existing facilities owned and operated by the nonprofit arts organization.
• Provide funding for the repair, upgrade, or replacement of facility-related equipment (i.e., HVAC, electrical, seating, flooring, display, storage, etc).

Funding awarded in the FY2026 grant cycle must be spent on projects taking place between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026.

Matching Funds and Funding Caps: Arts Stabilization grant awards typically do not exceed $20,000. While no match is required, organizations that provide some level of cash match from other sources typically receive a more favorable review by the panel. Matching funds may not come from the National Endowment for the Arts. Other federal grant sources may be used as match in accordance with authorizing legislation.

Download the full Arts Stabilization Fund guidelines here.

Download Grantwriting Tips for Organizations here.

The Delaware Division of the Arts strives to keep our grant applications concise, while gathering the essential information needed for a thorough and fair evaluation. We aim to balance simplicity with the comprehensive details necessary to ensure we can effectively assess each project’s potential impact and success.

The arts stabilization fund grant application includes:

• An organizational profile
• Narrative questions that describe the project and address how it meets the evaluation criteria
• Project budget
• Two comparable and competitive bids (minimum)
• Photo documentation
• Facilities management plan (if available)
• Documentation of a long-term lease agreement (for organizations that do not own their facility)

Note: All materials submitted to the Division of the Arts during the grant application process are subject to public inspection upon request, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Please redact any confidential information contained in financial documents and audits prior to submission.

Arts Stabilization projects should go beyond the scope of the organization’s routine maintenance and facility upkeep. The application should include only one discrete project. Applications with a “wish list” of multiple projects, even if related, will not be considered. Contact the Division to discuss the nature of your proposal before starting the application.

Types of Arts Stabilization activities eligible for consideration by the Division (in order of funding priority) are:

• Renovations that address structural weaknesses or deficiencies
• Facility modifications that address safety issues (lighting, access/egress, meeting building codes)
• Upgrading or replacing operational systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing)
• Facility modifications or equipment to address accessibility for people with physical disabilities
• Systems to enhance delivery of programmatic or customer services (e.g., lighting or sound system upgrades/flooring/storage)

Types of Arts Stabilization activities ineligible for consideration by the Division (in order of funding priority) are:

•  Projects determined to be routine maintenance or upkeep (e.g., painting, cleaning)
• Purchase of computer hardware/software (unless that hardware operates HVAC, lighting, or sound systems)
• Purchase of office equipment, art room equipment, shop equipment, or tools
• Multiple projects submitted together or separately

The following criteria are utilized by citizen panels to evaluate each Arts Stabilization application. Panelists use detailed scoring rubrics in their review of each application.

• Project Need (30% of score) – Need for Arts Stabilization funding, i.e., degree of urgency for project completion
• Nature of Project (40% of score) – Extent to which the project addresses physical plant needs, facility improvement, and/or delivery of services with capital equipment (in descending order of priority)
• Financial Information (20% of score) – Extent to which the budget and bids are detailed and realistic, aligned with proposed project, and supported with matched funding from multiple sources. Note: Application must include at least two comparable and competitive bids
• Facilities Planning (10% of score) – Extent to which the project fits into a broader long-range plan for facilities management and maintenance

After all applications have gone through an internal grant review process for completeness, applications are reviewed by an impartial committee of members of the public.  This committee returns to Division staff a recommended slate of grants, along with feedback. Those recommendations are then shared with the Delaware State Arts Council who will make funding recommendations for Fiscal Year 2026 to the Division Director at the June 2025 Council meeting. The recommended grant awards will apply to Fiscal Year 2026 only. Applicants will be notified of final funding decisions after July 1, 2025, following the Council meeting and passage of the state budget.

Please note that Arts Stabilization is extremely limited. Priority is given to applicants that did not apply in FY2025.

For details on the grant review process and appeals procedures, visit the Division of the Arts’ Grant Review Process.

The Division of the Arts retains the right to reduce or rescind a grant award during the grant period if the grantee is found not to be in compliance with state and/or federal grant requirements, or if funding (state or federal) is reduced during the fiscal year.

Notification:

Applicants will be notified of grant award decisions after July 1, 2025, following the Council meeting and passage of the state budget. Notification will be made through the smARTDE application portal.

As part of the grant award notification, there will be a number of documents that applicants are required to read and acknowledge before receipt of your first payment.

eSupplier:

To receive a grant payment, organizations must have an active State of Delaware eSupplier record.

We recommend that you choose to receive payments through Automated Clearing House (ACH), an electronic fund transfer, when completing or updating your eSupplier record. Both ACH and paper checks are free methods of payment. However, DDOA strongly encourages grantees to enroll in ACH, as paper checks are likely to take much longer to receive and require extra processing time for DDOA staff.

• First-time grantees: will receive instructions on how to register electronically as an individual (not a business) in the State of Delaware’s eSupplier Portal. *If you’re an individual, your Tax Identification Number is your Social Security Number
• Past grantees: will receive instructions for checking and updating their eSupplier record.

Questions about eSupplier? Please contact: Division of Accounting by email at FSF_Supplier_Maintenance@delaware.gov or by phone at (302) 526-5600.

Payment:

Grantees will be notified of awards via email, and payments will be issued according to the payment schedule found in smARTDE. Payments of Arts Stabilization grants are made in full on or around September 30.

The Statement of Assurances is the contract that all Division grantees must sign. Grant applicants must indicate that they have read and agreed to the obligations of grant recipients, should a grant be awarded. Receipt of state and federal grants carries with it certain obligations and responsibilities. By submitting a Division of the Arts grant application, applicants are affirming that they are familiar with the requirements of the Delaware Division of the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, as presented in the Division of the Arts Statement of Assurances, including but not limited to:

• Crediting the Division appropriately on all materials
• Keeping public arts events current on DelawareScene.com
• Notifying the Division of any significant changes to the program or budget
• Providing complimentary tickets for use by on-site evaluators, if appropriate
• Compliance with Accessibility Requirements
• Submitting all required Final Reports

An annual final report describes how funds were spent over the most recently completed granting period. The final report collects narrative, fiscal, and demographic information in keeping with DDOA and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) requirements.

Final Reports for FY2025 General Operating Support grants must be submitted through smARTDE by September 30, 2026. Failure to submit a final report on time may result in forfeiture of the final payment of the grant award and may impact future funding.

Arts Organizations are encouraged to apply for other capital grant opportunities statewide, including:

• Delaware Community Foundation’s Capital Grant Application
• State of Delaware Community Reinvestment Fund

You can use this interactive tool to search for Delaware Division of the Arts grants awarded to organizations and individuals from 1999 through today.