Insights & Ideas

Delaware’s 2026 legislative session brought important progress on several issues affecting the nonprofit sector. The most significant development was the General Assembly’s passage of House Bill 190, which updates the state’s Grant-in-Aid requirements. The bill is currently awaiting action by Governor Meyer.  Grant-in-Aid provides critical support to nonprofit organizations serving communities across Delaware. HB 190 changed considerably during the legislative process, […]

Delaware’s Grant-in-Aid program is a critical source of state support for nonprofit organizations, senior centers, first responders, veterans’ organizations, and other community-serving institutions. Between fiscal years 2021 and 2027, the total GIA budget has increased from approximately $54.3 million to $99.4 million, an increase of 83.4%.  That growth is substantial, but it also reflects reclassifications, shifts from other parts of the state budget, […]

Legislative session and the 153rd General Assembly came to an end early Wednesday morning, marked with the passage of several important pieces of legislation for the nonprofit sector. In addition to the $1.25 billion Bond Bill, Grant-In-Aid was on the docket.  Delaware’s fiscal 2027 Grant-in-Aid bill – which provides vital funding to many nonprofits – is modestly larger overall compared to fiscal 2026, increasing from […]

WILMINGTON – Today, DANA, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, joined the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) — the nation’s largest network of nonprofits — to champion a new set of national principles designed to guide ethical online fundraising platforms and protect the integrity of charitable giving.  To help safeguard local charities and the generous donors who support them, NCN […]

As the General Assembly session winds down, DANA is monitoring and tracking legislation that impacts the nonprofit sector, and we have identified a proposal that could significantly impact Delaware nonprofits that contract with the State of Delaware and rely on Grant-in-Aid funding.  An amendment was recently filed to House Bill 190 that would significantly and fundamentally change the purpose and structure of the original bill. However, after conversations with […]

WILMINGTON – DANA, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, announced Tuesday that it has hired its next leader, promoting one of its longest-tenured staff members to the role. Melissa Hopkins, who most recently served as DANA’s executive vice president and chief external affairs officer, has assumed the role of DANA chief executive officer. She began […]

June is always one of the busiest months in Delaware’s legislative calendar, and this year will be no exception. As the General Assembly enters the final weeks of session, lawmakers will turn their attention to several major funding bills and policy proposals that directly affect nonprofits, service providers, and the communities they serve.  Last week, […]

As the General Assembly enters the final stretch of session, Delaware’s nonprofit public policy landscape is moving into a critical budget-focused period, with several upcoming dates and policy issues that will have major implications for organizations that partner with the state, receive public funding, or deliver essential community-based services.  The Joint Finance Committee’s budget markup process begins […]

WILMINGTON – A new economic impact analysis has found that Delaware nonprofits are a significant economic driver of jobs, wages, and goods and services in the First State.  Commissioned by DANA, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, and Delaware Nonprofit Action Network (DNAN), the 2025 Economic Impact of Delaware Nonprofits study is the first detailed analysis of Delaware nonprofits as an industry and their impact on […]