Press Releases

WILMINGTON, DE - Today, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) announced that her office would now be accepting applications for community project funding from Delaware nonprofit and governmental entities for the Fiscal Year 2022 (October 1, 2021 - September 30, 2022) appropriations process. The House Committee on Appropriations recently announced that Congress would be accepting certain funding requests for community-based projects across the country, consistent with the approval of both the Democratic and Republican conferences and at the recommendation of the bipartisan House Select Committee on Modernization of Congress. A limited number of applications will be accepted, and acceptance of an application does not guarantee that a project is funded. 

“As Congress begins our appropriations process for the next fiscal year, I’m pleased to announce that my office will be accepting applications from Delaware nonprofit and governmental entities for funding of community-based projects,” said Blunt Rochester. “Bringing critical federal resources to Delaware has always been a priority of mine, and the new process announced by the House Committee on Appropriations presents a unique opportunity to fund projects that are critical to our state.” 

A resource guide explaining eligibility, timeline, funding opportunities, and appropriate points of contact can be found HERE, while the appropriations request form can be found HERE. All applications for funding are due by close-of-business April 16, 2021. No exceptions can be made for the deadline.

“I urge any Delaware nonprofit or governmental entity to reach out to my office if you have any additional questions,” continued Blunt Rochester. 

Earlier this month, the House Committee on Appropriations announced a reformed Community Project Funding process that would prioritize projects of genuine need across the country, introducing the following guidelines: 

Public Transparency and Accountability 

▪ All Requests Online: Members are required to post every Community Project Funding request online simultaneously with their submission to the Committee. The website must be searchable. The House Appropriations Committee will establish an online “one-stop” link to all House Members’ project requests. 

▪ Early Public Disclosure: To facilitate public scrutiny of Community Project Funding, the Committee will release a list of projects funded the same day as the Subcommittee markup, or 24 hours before full committee consideration if there was no Subcommittee markup. 

▪ No Financial Interest: Members must certify to the Committee that they, their spouse, and their immediate family have no financial interest in the projects they request. This is an expansion beyond the underlying requirements in House Rules in order to cover immediate families of Members. 

Limited Approach 

▪ Ban on For-Profit Recipients: There is a ban on directing Community Project Funding to for-profit grantees. Members may request funding for State or local governmental grantees and for eligible nonprofits. 

▪ Cap on Overall Funding: The Committee will limit Community Project Funding to no more than 1 percent of discretionary spending, a recommendation of the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. 

▪ Member Requests Capped: The Committee will accept a maximum of 10 community project requests from each member, though only a handful may actually be funded. 

Rigorous Vetting 

▪ Mandatory Audit: The Committee will require the Government Accountability Office to audit a sample of enacted community project funding and report its findings to Congress. 

Community Support 

▪ Demonstrations of Community Engagement: Members must provide evidence of community support that were compelling factors in their decision to select the requested projects. This policy was also recommended by the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. 

Those wishing to get more information on the application process can visit bluntrochester.house.gov or call 202-225-4165. 

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