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Division of Small Business

EDGE Grants



Encouraging Development, Growth & Expansion (EDGE)

 

The EDGE Competition gives qualified Delaware small businesses 

an edge by offering access to grant funding through a competitive selection process. 

The Fall 2023 EDGE Grant Competition application period has closed.  Stay tuned for the next round opening in 2024. Please feel free to review these resources until then. * The resources below (including the application) are subject to change next round. 

Download Application (English)

EDGE Proposal Template (STEM) – Download

EDGE Proposal Template (Entrepreneur) – Download

Budget Template Guidelines

EDGE Fall 23 Webinar Recording Here

PowerPoint Slides from EDGE Webinar

SizeUp Delaware Webinar Recording Here

PowerPoint Slides from SizeUP Delaware Webinar

Connect with a Regional Business Manager in Your County

 

 

 

Webinars from the previous Spring 2023 Session:

You can view the EDGE 2023 Spring Webinar Here. 

You can view the SizeUpDelaware Webinar Here as well. 

 

 

Program Overview

The Division of Small Business awards EDGE Grants through a competitive selection process. Five STEM-based companies can each receive up to $100,000 for eligible expenses. Five Entrepreneur Class (non-STEM) businesses can each get up to $50,000. The funds are provided as a $3 (state) to $1 (business) match and the Division can provide up to 10 grants per application round (spring/fall).

EDGE Grant Competition Fact Sheet

 

Who Is Eligible*

People

Qualified applications must:

  • Have been in operation less than 7 years
  • Employ 10 people or fewer
  • Be majority located in Delaware
Award Criteria*

Checklist

Applications will be judged by a panel of experts on:

  • Business need case
  • Competitive advantage gained
  • Business viability and likelihood of permanence
  • MWVBE status of business owner
  • Business location (DDD and/or Opportunity Zone)
  • Job creation/revenue growth
Eligible Expenses

Book of money

Grant funding must be used to expand a business’s viability and sustainability, specifically:

  • Market analysis assistance
  • Advertising assistance
  • Building infrastructure/cosmetic enhancements
  • Essential equipment
  • Web site design
  • Rent assistance for lab space
*Other conditions and qualifications may apply

 

Looking for help?

Contact one of the Division’s Regional Business Managers for assistance with your application.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

A non-Delaware company may apply on the condition that it would relocate at least 51% of its business (employees and real property) to Delaware if awarded a grant. That relocation would need to take place before any funds would be disbursed.

A company is not eligible for an EDGE Grant if it has received any money through the Delaware Strategic Fund. This includes money from DTIP (SBIR/STTR). In very rare circumstances, a business may be eligible for an EDGE Grant if the project involved is significantly different from the one that received previous funds. Contact a Regional Business Manager to talk about your specific situation.

In accordance with state Freedom of Information Act policy, applicants may request confidentiality on items whose disclosure they feel would likely cause them competitive harm or endanger a trade secret.

The grants are primarily intended to assist people building private, for-profit companies. That said, there may be a special circumstance in which a 501(c)(3) would be eligible. Contact one of the Division’s Regional Business Managers to discuss your organization’s eligibility before applying.

Yes, you would apply as a sole proprietorship.

Cash, equipment or any non-state/local-government grants may be included as part of the match provided they are sufficiently tied to the project for which the company is seeking EDGE funding.

A company is not eligible for an EDGE Grant if it has more than $500,000 in net assets.

Refer to the EDGE Grants Tips Sheet and Checklist for font type and page limit, etc.

Part-time employees count as ½ employees for the purposes of the limit. Full-time employees count as 1. Any employee working fewer than 10 hours per week or fewer than four months per year does not count toward the employee limit.

When you submit your application, you will receive an automatic email notification letting you know the application was received. If you do not receive this automatic notification, please call our office at 302-739-4271 to verify that your application was received. All applications submitted before the deadline will be reviewed and scored internally and finalists will be chosen from those applications.

Finalists are announced approximately six to eight weeks after an application round closes with the winners chosen in the following weeks.

Yes, EDGE applicants who are not selected as finalists will receive an email from the Division. Please ensure that you have included an email address on your application and be sure to check that email in the weeks after submitting your application. If you have not heard anything on your application and you would like to check the status, please call us at 302-739-4271 for assistance.

Finalists will be required to present to a panel of expert judges. All finalists will be notified of the date and location for judging.

In the weeks following the judging, winners will be notified via email that they have been selected as an EDGE Grant awardee. The Division of Small Business will then run a compliance check on all winning businesses to ensure they are in compliance with all state rules and regulations.

 

Para preguntas o asistencia con su solicitud, llame al (302) 739-4271. Ver un seminario web y una presentación en español.

Aprenda sobre EDGE

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SPRING 2023 EDGE AWARDEES!

Learn more about the most recent grantees and what they plan to do with the funding.




Stay connected with the latest news on the Division, Delaware businesses, upcoming events and much more.


Dover Office:
99 Kings Highway,
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 739-4271

Wilmington Office:
820 N. French Street,
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 577-8477

business@delaware.gov

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