State of Delaware

Recovery Plan 

State and Local Fiscal Recovery 

Funds

2021 Report

Executive Summary 

In this section, provide a high-level overview of the jurisdiction’s intended and actual uses of 

funding including, but not limited to: the jurisdiction’s plan for use of funds to promote a 

response to the pandemic and economic recovery, key outcome goals, progress to date on 

those outcomes, and any noteworthy challenges or opportunities identified during the reporting 

period.

Delaware’s Plan for Use of Funds to Promote a Response to the Pandemic and Economic 

Recovery – As Delaware responsibly spends down its CARES Act and Corona Virus Relief 

Funds, we do not have actual costs in SLFRF to report for the initial period ending July 31, 

2021. 

Key Outcome Goals

• HELP rebuild the middle class

• Build a stronger economy that is more fair and equitable 

• Address persistent issues that require funding and large capital projects.

• Invest in Delaware’s future: building upon our diverse, robust economy, with high-paying 

jobs and a sustainable quality of life.

• Validate that the projects are compliant with federal ARPA regulations.

• Prioritize funding requests based on ARPA regulations.

• Maintain Fiscal Responsibility: Coordinated, planned, sustainable projects & growth

- Do Not Expand State Government Operating Budget

- Focus on one-time, capital projects/investments

- Partner with county/local governments and private sector dollars

- Increase opportunities for all communities, particularly those hardest hit

- Utilize existing processes around community investment
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 1

Areas of Focus: 

1. Universal Broadband Access 

2. Capital Investments to meet (current & future) pandemic operational needs 

3. Economic Development/Community Investments 

4. Forward Delaware Workforce Development Fund

5. Invest in Public Health, Clean Water Act projects, Public Safety 

We plan to utilize “Loss State Revenue” from calendar year 2020 for help secure housing 

assistance for hard-hit populations and to boost employment and vaccination rates in industries, 

such as long-term facilities, restaurant and hospitality, and tourism.

Progress to Date on Outcomes – We have identified the key areas of focus and have held 

dozens of information and data-gathering meetings to assess priorities and compliance of the 

proposed projects with the interim SLFRF regulations. We expect to start allocating and 

announcing funding for projects in mid-September. 

Challenges/Opportunities Identified During the Reporting Period - None
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 2

Uses of Funds

Describe in further detail your jurisdiction’s intended and actual uses of the funds, such as how 

your jurisdiction’s approach would help support a strong and equitable recovery from the 

COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. Describe any strategies employed to maximize 

programmatic impact and effective, efficient, and equitable outcomes. Given the broad eligible 

uses of funds and the specific needs of the jurisdiction, explain how the funds would support the 

communities, populations, or individuals in your jurisdiction. Address how you are promoting 

each of the following Expenditure Categories, to the extent they apply: 

a. Public Health – To help support a strong and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 

pandemic and economic downturn, Delaware intends to invest in public health 

measures, including but not limited to: vaccination programs, public health 

surveillance to monitor variants, continued COVID-19 mitigation efforts in 

congregate living facilities and schools, improving ventilation systems, capital 

investment for a new public health laboratory, behavioral healthcare for children, 

youth and adults and mental health treatment services.

We intend to focus on measures that support a strong and equitable recovery and 

meet specific needs of communities, populations and individual hardest hit by the 

pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.

b. Negative Economic Impacts - To help support a strong and equitable recovery from 

the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, Delaware intends to invest in 

economic development and community projects, including but not limited to, job 

training, compensation incentives for long-term care facilities to regain full 

employment, workforce development for small businesses, supporting a speedy 

recovery for the tourism, travel and hospitality sectors, replenishing the 

Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to the pre-pandemic level, addressing health 

disparities and social determinants of health, addressing educational disparities 

caused by or exacerbated by the pandemic, investing in neighborhoods and housing 

programs, enhancing child care and senior care services.

c. Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities - To help support a strong and 

equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, Delaware 

intends to invest in services to disproportionately-impacted communities, including 

but not limited to, addressing health disparities and social determinants of health, 

addressing educational disparities caused by or exacerbated by the pandemic, 

investing in neighborhoods and housing programs, enhancing child care and senior 

care services.

d. Premium Pay – Rather than direct premium payments, to help support a strong and 

equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, Delaware 

intends to invest Revenue Replacement funds into housing assistance programs and 

initiatives to help boost employment to pre-pandemic levels at long-term care facilities, 

restaurants, hotels and other essential jobs.
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 3

e. Water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure - To help support a strong and equitable 

recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, Delaware intends to 

invest at least $80 million to achieve universal broadband access, becoming the first 

state to close every last mile of connectivity statewide. Delaware also plans to invest

in water and sewer projects statewide.

f. Revenue Replacement - To help support a strong and equitable recovery from the 

COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, Delaware intends to invest Revenue 

Replacement funds into housing assistance programs and initiatives to help boost 

employment to pre-pandemic levels at long-term care facilities, restaurants, hotels 

and other essential jobs.
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 4

Where appropriate, include information on your jurisdiction’s use (or planned use) of other 

federal recovery funds including other programs under the American Rescue Plan such as 

Emergency Rental Assistance, Housing Assistance, and so forth, to provide broader context on 

the overall approach for pandemic recovery.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA) – 2: $96 million available, with more than half 

of that amount disbursed to date. These funds are being used for Rental Assistance, Utilities 

and Home Energy Costs and Arrears, Housing Stability Services.

NOTE: Eligible households as defined in statute – renter households below 80% of Area 

Median Income, qualified for unemployment or with COVID-19 related financial hardship, 

risk of housing instability or homelessness.

Homeowner Assistance Fund: $50 million, being used for Mortgage Assistance, Utility 

Assistance, Housing Stability Services for homeowners

HOME Homeless Funding:

$5.4 million to Delaware State Housing Authority

$3.7 million to New Castle County Housing Authority

$2.1 million to Wilmington Housing Authority

These funds: 

• Flow through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and follow its regulatory structure

• Tenant based Rental Assistance (TBRA)

• Development and support of affordable housing as currently permitted under HOME

• Supportive services including transitional housing, housing counseling, prevention services

• Acquisition & development of non-congregate shelter units

NOTE: Eligible recipients: homeless, at risk of homelessness, fleeing or attempting to flee 

domestic violence, etc.; Individuals for whom supportive services or assistance would prevent 

homelessness and at are at greatest risk of housing instability.

Promoting equitable outcomes 

In this section, describe efforts to date and intended outcomes to promote equity. Each annual 

report to follow must provide an update, using qualitative and quantitative data, on how the 

recipients’ approach achieved or promoted equitable outcomes or progressed against equity 

goals during the performance period.

Describe efforts to promote equitable outcomes, including how programs were designed with 

equity in mind. Include how your jurisdiction will consider and measure equity at the various 

stages of the program, including: 

a. Goals: Are there particular historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely 

affected groups that you intend to serve? Delaware is working with communities 

hardest hit by the pandemic in all parts of the State to help underserved, 
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 5

marginalized or adversely-affected groups. For example, we have a number of 

housing, economic development, community investment and workforce 

development projects focused in the City of Wilmington, low-income 

communities and Kent County and hardest-hit communities in Sussex County.

b. Awareness: How equal and practical is the ability for residents or businesses to 

become aware of the services funded by the SLFRF? Delaware is working closely 

with legislators, mayors, religious leaders, nonprofit organizations and the 

business community to promote equitable and practical access and awareness 

to SLFRF. We are utilizing existing, efficient and effective entities, such as 

Downtown Development Districts, to promote access and awareness of SLFRF.

c. Access and Distribution: Are there differences in levels of access to benefits and 

services across groups? One advantage of a small state is that we can break 

down barriers of access to benefits and services across our state. Are there 

administrative requirements that result in disparities in ability to complete applications 

or meet eligibility criteria? Delaware does not anticipate administrative 

requirements that result in disparities in ability to complete applications or 

meet eligibility criteria.

d. Outcomes: Intended outcomes are focused on closing gaps in employment, 

poverty, access to healthcare, access to broadband, and communities hardest 

hit by the pandemic.

Describe how your jurisdiction’s planned or current use of funds prioritizes economic and 

racial equity as a goal, names specific targets intended to produce meaningful equity results 

at scale, and articulates the strategies to achieve those targets. Explain how your 

jurisdiction’s overall equity strategy translates into the specific services or programs offered 

by your jurisdiction in the following Expenditure Categories: 

a. Negative Economic Impacts (EC 2): assistance to households, small businesses, 

and non-profits to address impacts of the pandemic, which have been most severe 

among low-income populations. This includes assistance with food, housing, and 

other needs; employment programs for people with barriers to employment who 

faced negative economic impacts from the pandemic (such as residents of lowincome neighborhoods, minorities, disconnected youth, the unemployed, formerly 

incarcerated people, veterans, and people with disabilities); and other strategies that 

provide disadvantaged groups with access to education, jobs, and opportunity.

Not applicable for the reporting period ending July 31, 2021.

b. Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities (EC 3): services to address 

health disparities and the social determinants of health, build stronger neighborhoods 

and communities (e.g., affordable housing), address educational disparities (e.g., 
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 6

evidence-based tutoring, community schools, and academic, social-emotional, and 

mental health supports for high poverty schools), and promote healthy childhood 

environments (e.g., home visiting, child care).

Not applicable for the reporting period ending July 31, 2021.

Describe your jurisdiction’s efforts to date and intended outcomes to promote equity using 

qualitative and quantitative data on how the jurisdiction’s approach achieved or promoted 

equitable outcomes or progressed against equity goals. Describe any constraints or challenges 

that impacted project success in terms of increasing equity. 

Not applicable for the reporting period ending July 31, 2021.

Describe the geographic and demographic distribution of funding, including whether it is 

targeted toward traditionally marginalized communities.

Not applicable for the reporting period ending July 31, 2021.

Community Engagement 

Describe how your jurisdiction’s planned or current use of funds incorporates written, oral, and 

other forms of input that capture diverse feedback from constituents, community-based 

organizations, and the communities themselves. Where relevant, this description must include 

how funds will build the capacity of community organizations to serve people with significant 

barriers to services, including people of color, people with low incomes, limited English 

proficiency populations, and other traditionally underserved groups. 

Not applicable for the reporting period ending July 31, 2021.

Labor Practices 

Describe workforce practices on any infrastructure projects being pursued (EC 5). How are 

projects using strong labor standards to promote effective and efficient delivery of high-quality 

infrastructure projects while also supporting the economic recovery through strong employment 

opportunities for workers? For example, report whether any of the following practices are being 

utilized: project labor agreements, community benefits agreements, prevailing wage 

requirements, and local hiring.

Not applicable for the reporting period ending July 31, 2021.
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 7

Use of Evidence 

Identify whether SLFRF funds are being used for evidence-based interventions and/or if projects 

are being evaluated through rigorous program evaluations that are designed to build evidence.

Specifically, in this section, recipients should describe their overall approach for using evidence 

and evaluation, including how a Learning Agenda (either narrowly focused on SLFRF or broadly 

focused on the recipient’s broader policy agenda) could support their overarching evaluation 

efforts in order to create an evidence-building strategy for their jurisdiction. However, detailed 

evidence information for each project should be included in the Project Inventory (see details in 

the Project Inventory section below). 

Not applicable for the reporting period ending July 31, 2021.

Table of Expenses by Expenditure Category

Delaware has been focused on allocating CARES Act and COVID Relief Funds for 2020 and 

2021. For the SLFRF to date through July 31, 2021, we have not incurred expenses in the 

following categories. Delaware’s report due July 31, 2022, will detail expenditures by line item.

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

1 Expenditure Category: Public Health

1.1 COVID-19 Vaccination 0 0

1.2 COVID-19 Testing 0 0

1.3 COVID-19 Contact Tracing 0 0

1.4 Prevention in Congregate Settings (Nursing 

Homes, Prisons/Jails, Dense Work Sites, 

Schools, etc.)

0 0

1.5 Personal Protective Equipment 0 0

1.6 Medical Expenses (including Alternative Care 

Facilities)

0 0

1.7 Capital Investments or Physical Plant Changes 

to Public Facilities that respond to the COVID19 public health emergency

0 0

1.8 Other COVID-19 Public Health Expenses 

(including Communications, Enforcement, 

Isolation/Quarantine)

0 0

1.9 Payroll Costs for Public Health, Safety, and 

Other Public Sector Staff Responding to 

COVID-19

0 0

1.10 Mental Health Services 0 0

1.11 Substance Use Services 0 0

1.12 Other Public Health Services 0 0
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 8

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

2 Expenditure Category: Negative Economic 

Impacts

0 0

2.1 Household Assistance: Food Programs 0 0

2.2 Household Assistance: Rent, Mortgage, and 

Utility Aid 

0 0

2.3 Household Assistance: Cash Transfers 0 0

2.4 Household Assistance: Internet Access 

Programs

0 0

2.5 Household Assistance: Eviction Prevention 0 0

2.6 Unemployment Benefits or Cash Assistance to 

Unemployed Workers

0 0

2.7 Job Training Assistance (e.g., Sectoral jobtraining, Subsidized Employment, Employment 

Supports or Incentives)

0 0

2.8 Contributions to UI Trust Funds* 0 0

2.9 Small Business Economic Assistance (General) 0 0

2.10 Aid to nonprofit organizations 0 0

2.11 Aid to Tourism, Travel, or Hospitality 0 0

2.12 Aid to Other Impacted Industries 0 0

2.13 Other Economic Support 0 0

2.14 Rehiring Public Sector Staff 0 0

3 Expenditure Category: Services to 

Disproportionately Impacted Communities

0 0

3.1 Education Assistance: Early Learning 0 0

3.2 Education Assistance: Aid to High-Poverty 

Districts

0 0

3.3 Education Assistance: Academic Services 0 0

3.4 Education Assistance: Social, Emotional, and 

Mental Health Services 

0 0

3.5 Education Assistance: Other 0 0

3.6 Healthy Childhood Environments: Child Care 0 0

3.7 Healthy Childhood Environments: Home Visiting 0 0

3.8 Healthy Childhood Environments: Services to 

Foster Youth or Families Involved in Child 

Welfare System 

0 0

3.9. Healthy Childhood Environments: Other 0 0

3.10 Housing Support: Affordable Housing 0 0

3.11 Housing Support: Services for Unhoused 

persons 

0 0

3.12 Housing Support: Other Housing Assistance 0 0

3.13 Social Determinants of Health: Other 0 0

3.14 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Health Workers or Benefits Navigators 

0 0
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 9

Category Cumulative

expenditures to 

date ($)

Amount spent 

since last 

Recovery Plan

3.15 Social Determinants of Health: Lead 

Remediation

0 0

3.16 Social Determinants of Health: Community 

Violence Interventions 

0 0

4 Expenditure Category: Premium Pay 0 0

4.1 Public Sector Employees 0 0

4.2 Private Sector: Grants to other employers 0 0

5 Expenditure Category: Infrastructure 0 0

5.1 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater treatment 0 0

5.2 Clean Water: Centralized wastewater collection 

and conveyance

0 0

5.3 Clean Water: Decentralized wastewater 0 0

5.4 Clean Water: Combined sewer overflows 0 0

5.5 Clean Water: Other sewer infrastructure 0 0

5.6 Clean Water: Stormwater 0 0

5.7 Clean Water: Energy conservation 0 0

5.8 Clean Water: Water conservation 0 0

5.9 Clean Water: Nonpoint source 0 0

5.10 Drinking water: Treatment 0 0

5.11 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution 0 0

5.12 Drinking water: Transmission & distribution: 

lead remediation

0 0

5.13 Drinking water: Source 0 0

5.14 Drinking water: Storage 0 0

5.15 Drinking water: Other water infrastructure 0 0

5.16 Broadband: “Last Mile” projects 0 0

5.17 Broadband: Other projects 0 0

6 Expenditure Category: Revenue Replacement 0 0

6.1 Provision of Government Services 0 0

7 Administrative and Other 0 0

7.1 Administrative Expenses 0 0

7.2 Evaluation and data analysis 0 0

7.3 Transfers to Other Units of Government 0 0

7.4 Transfers to Nonentitlement Units 

(States and Territories only)

0 0
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 10

Performance Report – The detailed information below on housing, job training, education 

tutoring and child care services is included in this report as benchmarks for future reporting 

periods to demonstrate that Delaware is committed to providing this government assistance to 

help Delaware children, adults and families recover from the pandemic and its aftermath. 

American Rescue Plan SLFRF monies were not used to fund these programs for the 

period ending July 31, 2021. We anticipate the ARPA SLFRF may support these initiatives in 

future reporting periods. 

a. Household Assistance and Housing Support: 

• Number of people or households receiving eviction prevention services 

(including legal representation)

• Number of affordable housing units preserved or developed

Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention 

Since the start of the pandemic, Delaware has been working to mitigate impacts on renters and 

landlords through rental assistance. Administered by the Delaware State Housing Authority 

(DSA), the Delaware Housing Assistance Program (DEHAP) was one of the first rental 

assistance programs established in the country in late March 2020. First established with state 

and local funds, it was supported through the rest of 2020 with Coronavirus Relief Funds and 

delivered $14.8 million in rental assistance to 4,188 households through 2020. Through this 

time, DSHA and Justice of the Peace Court worked together to ensure applications with eviction 

filings were prioritized for review and that whenever possible, tenants had the opportunity to 

apply for assistance. 

With new federal funding through the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program, DEHAP 

was retooled to meet new federal guidelines and requirements. Relaunched in late March 2021, 

through July 31, 2021, DEHAP delivered another $16.4 million in rental assistance to 2,790 

households. In late July, the program went through a software system upgrade to add new 

features and improve efficiency. When re-opened in early August, the program added the ability 

to request utilities, security deposits, and additional forward rent. A network of community 

partners are available to help households submit applications. 

The State of Delaware and other jurisdictions receiving funding from the Department of Housing 

and Urban Development (HUD) collaborated to allocate CARES Act funding to legal services for 

eviction prevention. The State is also currently working to allocate ERA Housing Stability 

Services funding to additional and longer-term legal services for eviction prevention. 

Household Assistance and Housing Support:

Delaware has a robust rental and utility assistance program through the federal Emergency 

Rental Assistance (ERA) program and is supporting legal services through CARES Act 

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and ERA 

Housing Stability Services funding. 

Delaware intends to focus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds related to housing on 

affordable housing development and preservation. These funds will leverage and increase the 

impact of other private and public investment to preserve and increase the stock of affordable 

housing in Delaware. Several categories of funding and uses are under development and 

consideration: 
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 11

1) Catalyst Fund: Neighborhood Revitalization and Homeownership

This fund will target revitalization of distressed neighborhoods and creation of affordable 

homeownership opportunities. Uses may include:

- Establishing public-private partnerships for financing addressing vacant and 

abandoned property and neighborhood revitalization

- Rehabilitation assistance for existing homebuyers

- Downpayment and settlement assistance for homebuyers

2) Accelerator Fund: Affordable Rental Housing

This Fund will expand on existing financing models for affordable rental housing to 

facilitate development more quickly. Examples may include:

- Additional funding for Low Income Housing Tax Credit projects to help speed up 

development and create more affordability

- Financing for smaller rental developments not at the scale to effectively use other 

resources like the LIHTC

- Financing for development of supportive housing for households experiencing 

homelessness/special populations

- Financing for rental housing affordable to moderate-income households

3) Preservation Fund: Affordable Rental Housing

This Fund will preserve existing affordable rental housing that may be at risk of loss of 

affordability, especially in areas of opportunity, by restructuring existing debt and 

providing for rehab of major systems in sites that are approximately 25+ years old.

b. Negative Economic Impacts: 

• Number of workers enrolled in sectoral job training programs

• Number of workers completing sectoral job training programs

• Number of people participating in summer youth employment programs

Program Enrollment Completion Period of Performance

Forward Delaware 3028 1476 8/20/2020 - 8/30/2021

Summer Youth 473 473 6/14/2021 - 8/20/2021

WIOA/BC Youth 963 558 7/1/2020 - 6/30/2021

WIOA Adult 772 349 7/1/2020 - 6/30/2021

WIOA DW 352 190 7/1/2020 - 6/30/2021

NOTE: WIOA is Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

c. Education Assistance: 

The DDOE provided training for educators in summer programs, Community Based

Organization staff, and high dosage tutoring partners in evidenced-based high-quality

instructional materials (HQIM) that supported learning acceleration for students this summer so

that they received instruction that would position them to access grade level content at the

beginning of the school year.
[State of Delaware] August 31, 2021 Recovery Plan Performance Report 12

DDOE used ESSER II funds to make 5,045 high dosage tutoring seats available (not including

school-based summer programs):

• 750 through Reading Assist

• 2531 through Back to Basics

• 1764 through Community Based Organizations

DDOE also funded tutor training:

• 95 literacy tutors

• 208 mathematics tutors

High dosage tutoring programs were offered at 37 sites, including all 22 Boys and Girls Club

sites in Delaware.

d. Healthy Childhood Environments: 

• Number of children served by childcare and early learning (pre-school/preK/ages 3- 5)

• Number of families served by home visiting

Estimated number of children served by child care (pre-school/pre-K/ages 3- 5) including home 

visiting (PAT) and children with special needs:

Funded Program Children Aged 3-5 Served Date Stamp

Programs at a Center, Family Child Care, or School 

District

Children Enrolled in Part B 619 Program 2,084 As of 12/1/2020

Children enrolled at a Star 3+ center or FCC receiving 

Tiered Reimbursement

2,794 As of 7/2021

Children enrolled in federally-funded Head Start 1,498 As of 7/2021

Children enrolled in ECAP Half-day PK 860

Total funded seats, 

currently enrolling

As of 7/2021

Children enrolled in Redding Full-day PK 200* 

Total funded seats, 

awaiting program start

Parents as Teachers Home Visiting 260 families served

This count includes the 

number of DOE slots 

provided

As of 8/2021

Approximate Total 7,696

Ineligible Activities: Tax Offset Provision (States and territories only)

For the initial reporting year, States and territories will report the following items related to the 

Tax Offset Provision 31 CFR 35.8. Baseline revenue or revenue-increasing covered charges 

are not required at this time.

Item Amount

a. Revenue-reducing Covered Changes $0