WILMINGTON – In order to help Delawareans better understand the process for finding and securing grant opportunities, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and U.S. Representative John Carney (all D-DE) are hosting a Grant Workshop and Fair on Monday, June 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the MLK Student Center on the campus of Delaware State University. 

“I encourage businesses and non-profit organizations to take advantage of the resources and expertise they will find at the Grant Workshop & Fair,” said Sen. Tom Carper. “Particularly in these challenging economic times, we need to make sure talented organizations and business are aware of every possible avenue of available funding – including federal grants -- to help their organization grow and thrive.”

“This grant workshop and fair is all about creating opportunities for small businesses to grow, and non-profits, schools and other organizations to serve our communities,” said Sen. Coons.  “Researching and applying for grants is a competitive and often times daunting process.  The Congressional Delegation is committed to making that process more accessible and easier to navigate.   I would encourage those looking to take advantage of the myriad funding opportunities available to come to the fair to learn not just how to apply for grants, but to win them.”

“The grant process at the state and federal levels can be very competitive and complicated,” said Congressman Carney.  “We’re trying to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, and non-profit directors better understand the process and position themselves to be successful.  We have tremendous organizations and programs operating throughout the state, and we should take every opportunity to help them grow and better serve our community.”

More than a dozen funders from state and federal governments, private foundations, and non-profit agencies will be present.  Free workshops will also be offered throughout the day focusing on grant writing, the role of the federal delegation in the grant process, and best practices for securing funding.

Confirmed participants include: Association of Fundraising Professionals-Brandywine Chapter, Boeing, Chase Bank, Christiana Care, Delaware Dept. of Education, Delaware Dept. of Transportation, Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility, The Environmental Protection Agency, ING, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, U.S. Dept. of Commerce-Economic Development Administration, U.S. Dept. of Education, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Dept. of Transportation.

For more information or to pre-register, please call Congressman Carney’s office at (302) 428-1902 or email DEGrants@mail.house.gov.

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