Delaware · Established 2005
The state covers what a child needs.We cover what a child hopes for.
The 21st Century Fund for Delaware's Children pays for the experiences that let a child discover what they are good at — a season of a sport, a musical instrument, a place on a team, a ticket to prom. These are the opportunities that are the first to disappear when a family is in crisis, and they are rarely covered by any other source of support.
The 21st Century Fund for Delaware's Children is a 501(c)(3) public charity that funds these opportunities for children and young people up to age 21 who are receiving services from a Delaware state agency or community program.
- Sports
- Music & arts
- Milestones
- Talents
Requests we fund
Illustrative examples of the kinds of requests the fund receives, not a fixed list. If it helps a child discover what they are good at, it is worth asking about.
Our mission
Read our mission in fullTo help children define their strengths, improve their self-esteem, and build a sense of hope for the future.
The gap we fill
Two lists. Delaware covers one of them.
Already covered
by state agencies and community programs
- Somewhere to sleep
- Food
- Medical care
- A school place
- Casework and support
Covered by nobody
until this fund pays for it
- League registration and cleats
- A trumpet rental over the summer
- A deposit for the class trip
- A ticket to prom
- A course that opens up work
Everything in the second column is small in money and large in what it costs a child to go without. That column is the whole of our work.
Why this fund exists
When a family is in crisis, the extras go first.
A child in foster care, in treatment, or in a family under severe financial strain is usually well covered for the essentials. Delaware’s agencies and community programs work hard to make sure a child has somewhere to sleep, food to eat, medical care, and a school to attend.
What no budget line covers is the fifty dollars for a league registration, the instrument rental, the deposit for a class trip, the ticket to prom. These are the first things a family gives up, and they are almost never treated as urgent by anyone except the child.
But these are exactly the experiences where a young person finds out what they are good at. A child who has been defined by their circumstances gets to be defined by something they chose instead: the one who plays trumpet, the one who is fast, the one who can draw.
That is what this fund is for. We pay for the specific, ordinary, unglamorous thing that lets a child take part alongside everyone else — and we try to do it quickly, before the season starts or the deadline passes.
What we fund
Four kinds of opportunity
Sports and athletics
League and camp registration, equipment, uniforms, and travel costs so a child can join a team and stay on it for the whole season.
Read moreMusic and the arts
Lessons, instrument rental, art and theatre supplies, studio time, and the fees that come with auditions and performances.
Read moreMilestones and belonging
Prom tickets and clothing, class trips, yearbooks, graduation costs — the shared moments a young person remembers being part of.
Read moreTalents and interests
Specialised camps, enrichment courses, certification and testing fees, and equipment for a serious interest a child wants to pursue.
Read moreWho can ask
Requests come from the adults who already know the child.
Caseworkers, social workers, teachers, counsellors, and program staff are usually the ones who notice that a child is about to miss out on something. If you work with a young person in Delaware who is receiving services from a state agency or community program, you can write to us about them.
Tell us who the child is, what the opportunity is, what it costs, and when it needs to be paid. We aim to reply within five business days.
Write to us about a childWhat to include in a request
Get involved
Three ways to help
Refer a child
If you work with a young person who is about to miss an opportunity, tell us before the deadline passes.
Make a referralPartner with us
Agencies and community programs can work with us so their staff know how and when to ask.
Start a conversationSupport the fund
Every grant comes from someone who decided a child's season mattered. Write to us to discuss giving.
Get in touch