The Delaware Community Foundation’s Arsht-Cannon Fund Grants $650,000 to 39 Projects Serving Latino/Hispanic Communities
2026 Grantees include Jewish Family Services, Latin American Community Center, and La Red Health Center
The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF), one of the largest charitable organizations in the state and a top-100 community foundation nationwide, today announced $650,000 in 39 grants to nonprofits through its Arsht-Cannon Fund (ACF). Since 2004, the ACF has awarded more than $13 million to 150 organizations with an emphasis on Hispanic communities. Grants focus on areas such as language learning, youth and arts programs, leadership development, Hispanic small business support, health education, and special initiatives.
The increase from 25 ACF grants in 2025 to 39 in 2026 reflects both the continued growth of Delaware’s Hispanic communities and the expanding network of organizations working to serve them.
“Over the past two decades, the number and diversity of nonprofits supporting Hispanic Delawareans have grown significantly, creating more opportunities for meaningful investment across the Arsht-Cannon Fund’s priorities,” said DCF Director of Community Partnerships and Hispanic Initiatives Dr. Jennifer Fuqua. “This year, the ACF received roughly twice as many grant requests as in the previous cycle, which underscores funding shifts in the state and federal landscape.”
The increase in grant requests reflects a broader trend of nonprofits seeking greater philanthropic support as federal funding opportunities have been reduced or eliminated. Through its Meet the Moment initiative, DCF has responded to this growing need by providing $600,000 in grants and offering free training and capacity-building resources to help nonprofits adapt to a rapidly changing funding landscape.
“This year, the Arsht-Cannon Fund supported 14 more projects than last year,” said DCF President and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay. “The tremendous growth of Hispanic communities in Delaware means that there are many worthy projects happening all across the state.”
The Arsht-Cannon Fund was endowed by the Honorable Roxana Cannon Arsht, appointed as Delaware’s first female judge, through a very generous gift from her estate. The endowed fund serves as a permanent legacy to the love and commitment she and her husband, S. Samuel Arsht, a prominent corporate attorney and founding partner of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, had for Delaware. Her mission for the ACF was to preserve, support, and defend the best interests of a civil society. Adrienne Arsht, their daughter, helped shape the Arsht-Cannon Fund’s early focus on serving Hispanic communities in Delaware through educational opportunities.
One of the 2026 ACF grantees, Jewish Family Services, received $50,000 for Cancer Care Connection training and support for Hispanic communities. Cancer Care Connection helps people affected by cancer navigate the full range of the issues they face, make informed decisions, and take action on their own behalf. The grant will increase the number of Spanish-speaking therapists trained in oncology support.
“Roxana and Sam Arsht were instrumental in starting Cancer Care Connection,” said ACF Advisory Council member Wendie Stabler. “Roxana, as a caregiver, experienced many of the common issues related to Sam’s cancer diagnosis, care coordination at home, and the emotions of stress and coping that are part and parcel of the cancer experience. Roxana worked with a wonderful nurse, Meg Malley, who created and oversaw the oncology/Visiting Nurses program back in the late 1990s.”
The success of the ACF illustrates how a highly focused donor advised fund can make a lasting impact. Persons interested in opening a charitable fund at the DCF can contact VP of Philanthropy and Southern Delaware Mike DiPaolo at [email protected].
The ACF grantees for 2026 divided into six impact areas:
Advocacy/Leadership
- First State Educate – $15,000 for bilingual engagement and content coordination
- Network Delaware – $10,000 for bilingual leadership program staff
- Nuestras Raices – $10,000 for leadership programming
- Rodel Foundation – $15,000 for MLL community engagement and staffing
- United Way Delaware – $5,000 for annual Latino Student Summit
Developmental Programming, Early Childhood through Adult
- Biggs Trust – $10,000 for programming and outreach
- Children’s Beach House – $15,000 for bilingual family engagement worker
- Delaware Art Museum – $20,000 for Art in Translation programming
- Delaware Futures – $10,000 for Latino Student Summer Internships
- First State Community Action Agency – $20,000 for La Casita outreach and staffing
- Holy Cross High School – $15,000 for Hispanic outreach and engagement
- Latin American Community Center – $20,000 for ConeXiones bilingual coordinator
- Leading Youth Through Empowerment – $12,500 for Spanish-fluent HS Advisor
- Reach Out and Read – $10,000 for books and staffing
- Rehoboth Art League – $7,500 for bilingual visual arts programming in Sussex County
- Roberto Clemente Baseball League – $7,500 for programming
- SNAC Garden – $15,000 for bilingual coordination and expansion at North Georgetown Elementary School
- Sussex Montessori School – $15,000 for Multi Language Learner program director
- Wilmington Children’s Chorus – $15,000 for music programming at Las Aspiras Academy
Health-Related
- Child, Inc. – $20,000 for part-time bilingual CHW
- Do Care Doula – $50,000 for La Familia Growth Resource Center bilingual programming
- Down Syndrome Association of Delaware – $10,000 for Hispanic outreach and education
- Food Bank of Delaware – $10,000 for nutritional and community services for the Hispanic community
- Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay – $4,340 for Girl’s Health Programming at LACC
- Jewish Family Services – $50,000 for Cancer Care training and support for Hispanic communities
- La Red Health Center – $20,000 for Nueva Vida Maternal Health Education
- Tether Foundation – $8,000 for support of differently abled Hispanic students attending Camp Abilities Delaware
- YMCA Delaware – $10,000 for Waterwise programming partnership between Western Family YMCA and La Academia Alonso
Literacy
- Community ESL Program – $15,000 for part-time program director
- La Esperanza – $12,500 for Pathways to Literacy programming
- Literacy Delaware – $15,000 for Community ESL programming
- Polytech Adult Education – $15,000 for ESL staffing
- Read Aloud Delaware – $20,000 for bilingual staffing for Early Literacy programming
- Reading Assist – $20,000 for Literacy Support Fellows/Tutors for Hispanic students
- Sussex Tech Adult Ed – $15,000 for ESL program costs
Workforce and Economic Development
- Delaware Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – $25,000 for Empresarias Ascendentes programming
- La Plaza Delaware – $12,500 for bilingual business and event support staff
- West End Neighborhood House – $20,000 for bilingual Launcher Entrepreneurship Program
Special Initiative
- La Colectiva Delaware – $50,000 for coordination and implementation of collaborative bilingual programming statewide