Delaware Opens Applications for Environmental Grants Funded by Pollution Penalties

Delaware nonprofit organizations can apply beginning August 1, 2026, for grants supporting pollution mitigation, environmental enhancement and outdoor recreation. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will accept applications through August 31 for the 2027 Community Environmental Project Fund.

Applicants may request between $5,000 and $50,000. The program accepts applications statewide, and a project does not have to be near a documented environmental violation to qualify for consideration.

One application per organization

DNREC will accept only one CEPF application from each community organization for review. Proposed projects must fit one of three categories: pollution mitigation, environmental enhancement or recreational opportunities.

Pollution mitigation projects may eliminate, minimize or reduce environmental pollution and risks to human health and the environment. Environmental enhancement projects may improve natural resources, habitats or ecosystem functions. Recreation proposals may improve access to or the quality of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Applicants should use the CEPF mapping tool, prepare a scope of work and provide a detailed project budget. DNREC’s Environmental Justice Office says its community ombudsman is available to help with the application process.

How the penalty-funded program works

The Community Environmental Project Fund was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 2004. State law authorizes DNREC to establish the grant fund by withholding 40% of funds collected as penalties for violations of environmental regulations. Those funds are returned through competitive grants to support community environmental projects.

DNREC gives priority during selection to organizations in equity focus areas and to projects within two miles of an environmental violation. The two-mile area is a scoring preference, not an eligibility boundary. Applications from elsewhere in Delaware will still be accepted.

What applicants should expect next

DNREC expects to notify selected grantees in early October. Approved projects would run from January through December 2027. Applying does not guarantee an award, including for projects inside the two-mile preference area.

DNREC’s 2026 project list illustrates the range of work the fund has supported, including cleanup and illegal-dumping prevention, habitat and stormwater projects, school and food-related efforts, air-quality work and outdoor recreation improvements. Those awards come from a prior cycle and are not commitments for 2027.

Organizations considering an application should check the CEPF map, confirm that the proposal fits an eligible category, develop a clear scope of work and assemble a detailed budget. The application window closes August 31, 2026.

Sources

• DNREC 2027 Community Environmental Project Fund announcement
• Community Environmental Project Fund program page