University of Delaware Seeks State Funding for Scholarships and Facilities

University of Delaware seeks $35 million for scholarships and agriculture

The University of Delaware is asking the state for $35 million to upgrade aging infrastructure and expand student aid, according to a budget pitch presented to the Office of Management and Budget.

The request, which covers both operational and capital needs for fiscal year 2028, centers on two primary pillars: addressing the rising cost of student financial aid and modernizing the university’s agricultural research capabilities. As reported by Delaware Public, UD President Laura Carlson highlighted a growing gap between student need and available resources.

The university is seeking an additional $2.5 million in state support for its First State Promise scholarship program. This brings the total requested increase to the program’s current $7.5 million annual contribution from the state.

Rising costs for First State Promise students

Inflation has reduced the university's ability to maintain its current level of aid. President Carlson noted that financial need among the student body has grown by $8 million since 2022.

The First State Promise serves roughly 1,700 Delawareans every year. The program’s structure relies on specific income thresholds to determine the level of support provided to local students:

Families earning less than $35,000 receive full tuition, fees, and housing.
Families earning less than $75,000 receive coverage for tuition and fees.
Families earning less than $100,000 receive partial financial aid.

Carlson emphasized that these funds are vital for keeping Delaware students within the state’s educational and workforce pipelines. “Every dollar helps keep Delaware students here in the state educated and in the workforce, and it opens the door a little wider to a degree for the Delawareans who need it most,” Carlson said.

Aerial shot university of delaware campus

Beyond scholarships, the university is requesting $1.5 million to expand nursing and teacher education programs specifically within Kent and Sussex counties.

University requests $35 million for infrastructure and dairy facility

The university’s capital budget request includes $35 million, with $20 million earmarked to repair and update aging campus buildings. Most of the remaining request supports the university's functions as a land-grant institution.

UD is seeking $10 million to construct a new dairy facility at its existing Newark farm site. The facility would sit on the 350-acre College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) complex. Current dairy infrastructure at the site is more than 70 years old.

A new facility would aim to provide students with hands-on experience using modern dairy technology and allow for advanced research intended to provide Delaware farmers with updated best practices. The upgrade is also designed to prepare animal science students for veterinary school through improved livestock interaction.

University of Delaware Seeks State Funding for Scholarships and Facilities

To support this agricultural push, the university is also requesting $5 million for a new research greenhouse and laboratory at the Carvel Research and Education Center.

The university is employing a layered funding strategy for these projects. Carlson stated that UD has already secured a $15 million gift and is currently applying for funds through the United States Agricultural Research Facilities Act program. State investment is intended to strengthen the university’s position when applying for those federal resources.

The economic scale of state support

The scale of the requested funding reflects the university’s deep integration with the state’s budget. Last year, the state’s contribution to UD’s operational budget totaled $148.8 million.

While the university’s request aims to address long-term infrastructure and social mobility, the fiscal impact of these decisions will depend on the state’s final budget allocations for the 2028 fiscal year. For comparison, the university received $15 million from the capital budget for fiscal year 2027.

Request Category	Amount Requested	Primary Purpose
Operational: Scholarship Aid	$2.5 million	Expand First State Promise due to inflation
Operational: Regional Education	$1.5 million	Nursing and teacher training in Kent/Sussex
Capital: Building Repairs	$20 million	Update aging campus infrastructure
Capital: Dairy Facility	$10 million	Replace 70-year-old Newark farm equipment
Capital: Research Lab	$5 million	New greenhouse at Carvel Research Center

The state’s budget-writing department, the Office of Management and Budget, will review these requests as part of the broader FY 2028 budget guidelines process.