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Delaware Division of the Arts

Grants for Organizations & Schools

Grant Review Process

  1. Application Review
    • All grant applications submitted to the Division are first reviewed by Division staff for completeness and eligibility.
  2. Grant Review Panel Evaluation
    • With some exceptions as noted below, eligible applications are then reviewed by grant review panels made up of artists, arts educators, arts and nonprofit organization administrators, corporate and fundraising managers, knowledgeable arts specialists, and interested community members.
    • Panelists and staff evaluate applications according to criteria developed by Division staff and published with the grant guidelines for each program.
    • Panel and staff comments are recorded, incorporated into the funding recommendation process, and made available to applicants upon notification of the funding decision.
    • Panel meetings are public, posted and held in accordance with State of Delaware public meeting requirements, and chaired by a member of the State Arts Council or Division of the Arts staff.
    • The function of the grant review panel is advisory only. Panels evaluate the merits of the applications, based upon published criteria. They do not make funding decisions.
  3. Funding Recommendations & Public Review
    • Division staff members develop funding recommendations based on the panel/staff comments and rankings for
      • Interim Applications
      • All applications reviewed by a panel
      • Staff/Council-reviewed small budget proposals for General Operating Support, Project Support and Education Resource programs
    • The Delaware State Arts Council conducts a public review of these funding options, as well as the available funds, and makes funding recommendations to the Division Director.
  4. Funding Decisions Finalized
    • The Division Director is responsible for all final funding decisions.
  5. Grant Award Announcement
    • The Division announces grant awards after the approval of the State’s fiscal year budget.
    • Proposals for Arts Access, Artist Opportunity, Artist Residency, and TranspARTation programs are reviewed by staff, and in some cases by Council members, and approved by the Division Director.

Review Panel Exceptions

  • Some applications such as small requests for General Operating Support, Project Support, Education Resource, Arts Access, Artist Opportunity, Special Project, and TranspARTation Grants are evaluated internally by Division staff and/or Council members in lieu of a panel.
  • For grant categories that utilize a multi-year application process, such as General Operating Support, an Interim Application is required in the “off-years” of the application cycle in order to be approved for funding in the subsequent fiscal years. Interim Applications are reviewed internally by Division staff and/or Council members.