Action/Innovation Grant

Project/event-based for larger scale ambitions

Successful Action/Innovation Grant applications have a fully fleshed out structure and conceptualized plan—all that is needed is the funding to be put into action!

Dates and Deadlines (Fall FY 2024 A/I)

Letter of Inquiry Opens	March 13, 2023
Letter of Inquiry Due	May 15, 2023
Invitation to Apply	May 30, 2023
Application Due	July 31, 2023
Award Decision	October 31, 2023
Period of Performance	November 1, 2023 – October 31, 2024

Amount

Maximum grant award is $18,000, must be a 1:1 Cost-Share match with the amount requested from DE Humanities.

Eligibility

Must have a Unique Entity Identifier #
Register for a UEI number if your organization does not have one.
Organizations we can fund:
- Delaware nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations (including but not limited to museums, historical societies, and libraries)
- K-12 schools, colleges, universities
- State/local government agencies

Requirements

An eligible organization must align their Grant to fit within the DE Humanities Four Core Themes (Stories/Histories, Environment/Health, Media/Democracy, Culture/Community) and explain why the Grant fits into a specific theme.
Award amount(s): Applicants may request grant funds between $5,001-18,000. A 1:1 Cost-Share match is required.
Period of Performance: All funded projects cost and activities must take place between May 1, 2023 and April 21, 2024. No pre-award costs are allowed.
A UEI# is required in order to receive funds for each grant type, and it can take up to a week to receive one.
We encourage minority-led organizations and organizations providing programming to historically marginalized communities in Delaware to apply for support.
Organizations must submit an LOI (letter of inquiry). If accepted, they will then need to submit a full application via Foundant. Click here to preview the full application.
Recipients will be required to set up a bill.com account to receive their award by epayment(s).

Evaluation

Applicant organizations will first be assessed for their financial and organizational stability. The results of the risk assessment will determine if the application will be forwarded on to the next stage, which is review by an external committee. The external committee then reviews the applications and sends their recommendations to the Delaware Humanities board for final approval.

Who is NOT eligible to apply for Action/Innovation Grants?

Individuals
Humanitarian organizations
For-profit organizations
Organizations that are not physically located in Delaware

What costs are eligible for support under the Action/Innovation Grant?

Direct programming and implementation costs integral to the project
Technical or consulting needs related to digital transition or access, including costs directly associated with digitizing humanities collections to make them available online
Honoraria for humanities experts/scholars/facilitators
Domestic travel and per diem – which may include refreshments, but which must be shown to be necessary and reasonable, travel costs are allowed for out of town personnel only. Mileage is re-imbursed at $.51/mile.
Supplies – consumable items, i.e. paper products that can only be used one time
Rental – facilities space for event if grantee organization does not have one
Promotion and Printing – advertising and publicity costs for outreach, includes social media and virtual publicity efforts as well as traditional paper-based

All costs must be reasonable, necessary to accomplish project goals, and take place during the grant period.

What costs are not eligible for support through Action/Innovation Grants?

General operating support and general (NOT project-specific) staff salaries
Scholarly programs directed to a limited audience or individual scholar research
Competitive re-granting, prizes, awards, and projects that provide academic credit, scholarships, fellowships
Cancellation costs
Pre-award costs
Equipment costs in excess of 20% of total project costs, or $5,000.00
International travel
Construction, purchase of real property, major alteration, repair and renovation
Collections acquisition
The preservation, organization, or description of materials that are not regularly accessible for research, education, or public programming
Promotion of a particular political, religious, or ideological point of view
Advocacy of a particular program of social or political action m. Support of specific public policies or legislation
Lobbying
Alcohol and entertainment
Projects that fall outside of the humanities and the humanistic social sciences (including the creation or performance of art; creative writing, autobiographies, memoirs, and creative nonfiction; and quantitative social science research or policy studies) Contact the Delaware Division of the Arts for all performance and art creation projects.
Unallowable expenses as defined in 2 CFR200 Subpart E-Cost Principles

Spring 2023 A/I

If you applied for a Spring A/I award, the date of award notification is April 28, 2023. The period of performance is May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2024.