Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Wilmington Del. (February 24, 2026) — Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in Delaware (Highmark Delaware) is proud to invest in eight Delaware community-based organizations through the large grant cycle of BluePrints for the Community, a grant program of the Highmark Delaware Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation.
“BluePrints for the Community is a cornerstone of Highmark’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of all Delawareans,” said Tim Vessel, president of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in Delaware. “It is through strategic collaborations and meaningful investments like these that, together with our nonprofits, we help our communities thrive today and into the future.”
BluePrints for the Community funds two grant cycles per year – one large and one small for requests over and less than $50,000, respectively. The large grant cycle invests in significant one-time initiatives, while the small grant cycle supports ongoing needs and small-scale projects. The next small grant cycle opens February 9, 2026. Delaware nonprofits can find eligibility details and application materials on the DCF grants page. Applications must be submitted through the DCF grants portal by April 1, 2026.
“Grants from Highmark through the BluePrints for the Community program have been a staple of community healthcare funding in Delaware for almost twenty years,” said Stuart Comstock-Gay, President and CEO of the Delaware Community Foundation. “We are honored to support these eight organizations making a tangible difference in the lives of Delawareans.”
Since the BluePrints grants program launched in 2007, it has awarded over $40 million in grants to support initiatives across five key areas: advancing access for all to quality healthcare; reducing unemployment, food insecurity, and housing instability; connecting people to social and community resources that promote health and well-being; improving neighborhoods and environments to ensure health and safety; and recruiting and training healthcare professionals.
“BluePrints for the Community remains committed to supporting initiatives that drive healthier outcomes statewide,” said Rita Landgraf, chair of BluePrints for the Community Advisory Council. “We are proud to support our nonprofit partners in taking on the root causes of health disparities in Delaware.”
BluePrints large grants awarded in 2025:
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in Delaware serves approximately 500,000 members through the company’s health care benefits business. It is an influential company in the market generating an economic impact of $135 million and supporting more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.highmarkbcbsde.com.
The Delaware Community Foundation — Make More Possible™
The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) stands at the intersection of generosity and community transformation. We manage charitable funds, advise donors and grant to nonprofits to cultivate the future of philanthropy in Delaware. Our mission is to expand opportunity for all by helping individuals, families, businesses and organizations focus their generosity where it can create the greatest impact statewide. Through convening, connecting, providing leadership on important issues and investing in community needs, we empower Delawareans to build a stronger, more vibrant future. Learn more at delcf.org or call 302.571.8004.
For more information, contact
Denée Crumrine
Highmark Delaware
denee.crumrine@highmarkhealth.org
