The Best Business Grants in Delaware
May 28, 2026
Updated:
Securing capital is often the biggest hurdle for any founder. While loans and credit cards are common, they come with the weight of repayment and interest. Grants are the ideal alternative because they generally don't have to be paid back. However, there is a catch: grants are highly competitive and can be very difficult to find. We've built this guide to help you understand the grant landscape in Delaware.
Delaware punches well above its weight when it comes to business grants. Despite being one of the smallest states in the country, Delaware runs a remarkably complete portfolio of grant programs through a single, highly active state agency, with funding that spans startup growth, operational modernization, life sciences expansion, and food access. Award sizes are also unusually large for a small state, ranging from $10,000 international development grants up to $3.5 million for life sciences lab space, reflecting Delaware's deliberate strategy of competing aggressively for business investment. Most programs operate on rolling deadlines.
Nearly all of Delaware's grant activity flows through the Delaware Division of Small Business, which administers the flagship EDGE Grant competition for young businesses, the Modernization Investment Support Initiative (MISI) for companies upgrading operations, the Graduated Lab Space Incentive Program for life sciences and manufacturing firms, and the Technical Innovation Program for federal SBIR/STTR recipients. The Division also runs the Delaware Grocery Initiative to expand healthy food access in underserved areas and the Compass Grant, which reimburses up to half of eligible international marketing and business development expenses for Delaware companies expanding into overseas markets.
Delaware businesses are also eligible for hundreds of national grant programs from federal agencies, corporations, and foundations. Those programs aren't covered on this page, but you can search our complete grant database to see every state and national grant your business qualifies for. You can also join our free weekly newsletter to get new Delaware grants delivered to your inbox as soon as they open.
DELAWARE GRANTS
DE Graduated Lab Space Incentive Program
Delaware Division of Small Business
The Graduated Lab Space Incentive Program supports Delaware companies that need more lab space to operate and innovate. Businesses can apply for a grant that covers up to one-third of the fit-out or building costs for a new lab space; the maximum grant amount is $70 per square foot for up to 50,000 square feet.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$3,500,000
Delaware EDGE Grants
Delaware Division of Small Business
The EDGE Grant Competition is the Division’s flagship funding program aimed at helping young Delaware small businesses grow and scale. The program awards grant funds through a highly competitive selection process and pitch competition. Ten or fewer businesses in the Entrepreneur (general business) category will receive funding from a pot of $400,000, and eight or fewer businesses in the STEM category will receive funding from a $750,000 pot.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$100,000
DE Modernization Investment Support Initiative Program
Delaware Division of Small Business
The Modernization Investment Support Initiative (MISI) Program gives grants to eligible Delaware businesses that need help modernizing their operations to remain competitive. Eligible businesses can get up to 20% of approved modernization expenses reimbursed, up to $1 million per project. Businesses can use the funds toward equipment and machinery purchases, construction, and engineering services. In order to qualify, businesses need to have an operating history of at least ten years, have a proposed modernization budget of at least $1 million, and demonstrate a need for updates to remain competitive.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$1,000,000
Delaware Compass Grant
State of Delaware
Delaware small businesses may apply for a Compass Grant to support international travel or business development activities. This grant offers greater flexibility than previous programs. Compass Grant funds may be used to reimburse up to 50 percent of all pre-approved, eligible, international marketing expenses, up to a maximum of $10,000 per fiscal year, per company.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$10,000
Delaware Grocery Initiative
DE Dividion of Small Business
The Delaware Grocery Initiative is back for 2026 with $700K in available funding! The goal is to expand access to healthy foods in food deserts in Delaware and areas at risk of becoming food deserts, by providing grants and other forms of financial assistance to eligible food businesses and organizations.
A total of $700,000 in grant funding is available to Delaware farmers; small, community and independent grocery retailers, including those offering culturally diverse foods; food banks; food pantries; and other food supply chain businesses and organizations. Awarded funds may be used to support operations, capital expenses, equipment purchases, and other projects that expand supply chain capacity and strengthen collaboration among community partners.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$25,000
Delaware Site Readiness fund
Delaware Division of Small Business
The Delaware Site Readiness Fund promotes economic growth and stability by investing in the development or improvement of commercial and industrial sites to attract job-creating businesses. The Fund provides grants, loans or other economic assistance to qualified businesses or local governments that invest in constructing, renovating or improving infrastructure for sites that will attract new businesses or expand existing businesses within the State. Qualified applicants must demonstrate a public utility advantage to the citizens of Delaware.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$100,000
Delaware Technical Innovation Program
Delaware Division of Small Business
The Delaware Technical Innovation Program provides transition grants to companies that have progressed through Phase I and applied for Phase II of the federal Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer programs. The maximum grant amount is $50,000 and can be put toward scientific research, market research, product planning and development, and more.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$50,000
Don't stop at state-level funding
Most business grants aren't geographic, they're tied to your industry, your stage, or your team. Our database tracks 500+ programs across every category, and our free newsletter delivers new grants to your inbox each week.