Support DCAD

Support DCAD

Why Support DCAD?

Your gifts help young artists reach their full potential. DCAD has been making an impact on education, the arts, and downtown Wilmington for several decades. The funds that DCAD’s Office of Development raises each year are critical to what we are able to offer to our students and the wider community.

If you believe in DCAD’s mission of arts education and downtown revitalization, please consider supporting our work with a donation. DCAD is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, and your entire gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. The DCAD community is growing, and we want you to be part of this amazing institution, which remains the only professional school of art and design in the State of Delaware.

Make It A Million Scholarship Campaign

Raising $1 Million to give $1 Million

Benefits of Giving

  • Reduce Education Costs
  • Opportunities to pursue career pathways
  • Helping Students Focus on Learning
  • Giving back to Students in Need

Delaware College of Art and Design and the Board of Trustees have launched its new “Make It a Million Scholarship Campaign” and we’re asking our benefactors to support us in an effort to raise $1 million to cover direct costs for as many students as possible for the 2025 academic school year. Our goal is to continue raising funds for the next three years to help students gain successful careers in the art & design field, while increasing enrollment at DCAD.

This is your chance to make a difference and change lives by committing to a substantial one-time donation or pledge over three years to fulfill a student’s dream of earning a two-year AFA Degree in Animation, Fine Arts, Game Art, Graphic Design, Illustration or Photography & Video.

Help Us Reach $1M

 

Our Annual Fund

Make a gift that keeps on giving and help young artists reach their full potential!

DCAD offers six (6) areas of programs, all of which are supported by this fund. Your annual commitment will change the life of a college student forever!

Give or pledge today and help “Creative Careers StART Here”

Our Scholarship Funds

CONNIE SIMON SCHOLARSHIP

We invite you to make a gift in memory of visual artist and DCAD professor Connie Simon in support of student scholarships. Twenty of Connie’s 37 years as a Wilmington resident were spent teaching in DCAD’s Fine Art Department, motivating and inspiring students, faculty, and the DCAD community. Connie was a generous, kind, and supportive professor and a prolific artist.

Please join us in supporting student scholarships at DCAD with a gift in memory of Connie. To learn more about Constance M. Simon: The Making of Art & Artists, please click here.

Students interested in this scholarship should contact Financial Aid for the scholarship requirements.

 

DCAD’S GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The College raises funds annually for the nearly $1 million that it returns to students in the form of merit-based scholarships and need-based grants, 97 percent of whom would not be able to attend college without financial aid.

With the costs of higher education on the rise, it is more important than ever that DCAD’s scholarship offerings remain attractive to prospective students and available to students who, without scholarship funding, might not otherwise be able to attend DCAD.

Student Emergency Fund

DCAD created the Student Emergency Fund to help students with financial assistance in a serious time of need. This fund is intended to be a supplemental financial resource for students at risk and unable to meet immediate, essential expenses because of a temporary hardship surrounding situations with tuition, fees, temporary housing, supplies, transportation, or meal plans. For many students awarded merit scholarships and federal need-based grants, sizable expenses remain that are not covered by financial aid.

Students may apply for funds when all other resources have been exhausted through the Office of Financial Aid. This funding is not intended to replace or supplement existing financial aid and does not have to be repaid.

Your donation will help students continue their education during a time of unforeseen financial hardship. Students can apply for assistance here.

Youth Summer Programs
(Middle + High School Camps)

DCAD’s one- to two-week summer programs provide middle and high school students with an immersive art and design college experience. Students learn from DCAD’s professional-artist faculty members, build portfolios, and discover exciting career possibilities. Your donation to DCAD’s Pre-College Scholarships fosters a diverse arts community by ensuring access to these enriching programs for students from all backgrounds.

Give a budding artist or designer the chance to grow and learn in a DCAD Pre-College Program.

Legacy Giving

Extend your Impact – Plan to Give: Here’s how you can support DCAD’s Missions for generations!

Create a legacy for years to come by bequeathing a monetary donation, real estate, or a gift in honor of a loved one.

Planned Giving offers the highest return on investment of all fundraising and your support will have a long-term impact on DCAD’s future for decades to come. Your donation can also be restricted if you are passionate about supporting a particular program.

To make a Planned Gift or understand more about how it works, complete this form and contact our Development Team at 302-622-8000 ext. 231.

Planning makes all the difference!

Make a Pledge

Support DCAD educational programs by pledging your support monthly, quarterly, or yearly.

To set up a pledge please reach out to our Development Team at 302-622-8000 ext. 231.

Make a Stock Gift

Let your charitable dollars make a bigger impact by donating stock to DCAD.

Donating stock directly to a charitable organization, like DCAD, can increase the amount of money received by the charity while reducing tax burden for the donor. By donating appreciated securities (investments that have increased in value from the time they were purchased), you may be able to take advantage of IRS tax provisions to claim a charitable tax deduction for the full, fair market value of the securities. This means you may avoid paying capital gains tax on the transfer. Contact your financial advisor to learn more.

To make a stock gift, complete this form and contact our Development Team at 302-622-8000 ext. 231.

Additional Ways to Donate

Check

Please make checks payable to Delaware College of Art and Design.

Mail your checks to:
DCAD Office of Development
600 N. Market St.
Wilmington, DE 19801

IRA Gifts

Federal law allows donors age 70.5 or older to make direct transfers up to $100,000 per year per person to charitable organizations from their Individual Retirement Account (IRA), without the withdrawal being treated as taxable income. The withdrawal can be counted toward your Required Minimum Distribution.

To make a gift through your IRA, complete this form and contact our Development Team at 302-622-8000 ext. 231.

Matching Gifts

Double or triple your donation through your employers’ charitable giving program.

Check with your company about eligibility by contacting your personnel office or DCAD’s Office of Development at 302-622-8000 ext. 231.

Contact the Office of Development

Need more information? Unsure what to do? Contact our Director of Development Pamela Mann!