2023-24 Arsht Cannon Fund Grants Announced
The Arsht-Cannon Fund (ACF) at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) is pleased to announce $600,000 in grants to Latino-serving nonprofit organizations in Delaware. With the mission to provide educational opportunities for Delaware’s Latino families, grants were provided in six categories:
1-Language and Literacy Grants – Three unique programs that support immigrant families:
Lutheran Church of Our Savior’s English as a Second Language (ESL) Program (“ESL@LCOS”) – $30,000 to support program expansion and three leadership positions for this innovative program celebrating 20 years of supporting Sussex County immigrant families.
Polytech Adult Education’s ESL/Family Literacy Program – $28,000 to support four instructor and two paraprofessional positions for its comprehensive literacy programs serving a large and very diverse groups of Latino families in Kent County.
Literacy Delaware – $30,000 to hire a bilingual learner coordinator to reach, support and retain Spanish-speaking learners throughout Delaware.
2-Early Childhood through College Education Programs – Seven programs that support developing Latino children and their families:
Read Aloud Delaware’s Bilingual Outreach Program, LENA Start – $38,000 to support bilingual coordinator position and LENA Start Program costs statewide.
Wilmington Children’s Chorus’ Making Music at Aspira’s Early Childhood Development Center – $22,000 to support teaching artists and program coordinator salaries, education, and program costs in New Castle County.
Rodel Foundation of Delaware’s Delaware Readiness Teams – $22,500 for Hispanic community coordinator position and community event support statewide.
Academia Antonia Alonso Charter School’s Class Virtual Reality Academic Program – $37,000 for equipment for students and training for teachers in New Castle County.
Reading Assist’s “High Dosage Tutoring Program” – $40,000 to support three Reading Assist Fellows at Academia Antonia Alonso Charter School, William Lewis Dual Language Elementary, and Las Americas Aspira Academy and to explore partnerships with Sussex County schools with higher Latino populations.
Leading Youth through Empowerment (LYTE)’s College Access for Underserved Youth Program – $40,000 to support the employment of a bilingual college access advocate.
Delaware Futures’ Success – One Student at a Time – $10,000 to hire a bilingual outreach coordinator and support college application and textbook costs – striving to serve students statewide.
3-Educational Advocacy
Rodel Foundation of Delaware’s English Learner and Funding Systems Community Engagement Project – $40,000 for project costs of community engagement, subgrants and coalition management.
4-Latino Small Business Development Education
La Plaza Delaware’s Training and Coaching Programs – $70,000 to provide Advanced Business Training Program and Business Financial Coaching with support for three coaches/trainers, a business summit, and networking events in Sussex County.
5- Health-related Education and Coaching – Four programs of support and healing:
Delaware Art Museum’s Healing Through the Arts, a partnership with Mariposa Arts – $33,000 for instructors, consultant fees, art supplies for Wilmington programs at Latin American Community Center and Hispanic American Association of Delaware groups and pilots statewide.
Down Syndrome Association of Delaware’s Outreach to Medical Providers Serving Latino Families in Delaware – $20,000 to support Spanish outreach coordinator and the development of educational materials in Spanish for families statewide.
Hispanic American Association of Delaware’s Amigo Actias y Saludables Program (Active and Healthy Women Friends) – $27,000 to support a bilingual coordinator, dance instructor/promotora and life skills coach positions.
La Esperanza Community Center’s Place-based Opciones/Resource Navigation and Family Coaching 2.0 Program – $50,000 to support two opciones guides, coordinator services and program costs in Sussex County.
6-Special Initiatives
La Esperanza Community Center’s La Colectiva de Delaware – $50,000 to support co-executive director’s salary and benefits, communications, affinity group support, convenings and mini grants in Sussex County.
Friends of Route 9 Library & Innovation Center’s Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month – $3,000 for performers, food, advertising.
Serviam Media, Inc.’s “United We are Dreaming” – $3,000 for editing this award-winning production featuring five Delawareans protected by DACA.
“The ACF is proud to support Delaware’s Latino communities with the funding of over 32 program leader and staff positions in 18 Latino-serving nonprofits,” said ACF Executive Director Dr. Christine Cannon.