Institute Wins $9,500 Grant for Dorchester Resilience
Vienna-based Community Informatics Institute will use a Delmarva Power grant to expand environmental education and emergency communications in Dorchester County.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Utilities
Community Informatics Institute, a Vienna-based nonprofit, will receive $9,500 from Delmarva Power's 2026 Sustainable Communities Grant Program. Six organizations in Maryland and Delaware share $55,000 through the program.
Why it matters
The program backs local groups working on environmental problems and community needs, and Dorchester County is one of Maryland's most climate-vulnerable regions. The funding targets resilience work in a county where residents face ongoing environmental risk.
Six organizations split $55,000 across Maryland and Delaware, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $15,500. The exact allocation of the institute's $9,500 among its planned projects has not been detailed.
The players
Delmarva Power
A regional electric utility serving Delmarva, which runs the Sustainable Communities Grant Program and has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in local projects since it began.
Community Informatics Institute
A Vienna-based nonprofit founded in 2023 focused on environmental education, emergency communications, and community resilience in Dorchester County.
Kathryn Masten
President of the Community Informatics Institute, who settled in Vienna in 2021.
The details
The grant will fund expanded environmental education and emergency communications in Dorchester County through educational modules and partnerships aimed at building resilience. The institute, founded in 2023 and led by president Kathryn Masten, has been planning a low-power FM station for the town of Vienna.
Timeline
2021: Kathryn Masten settled in Vienna.
2023: Community Informatics Institute was founded.
2026: Sustainable Communities Grant Program awards were announced.
Industry Context
The award is one of six 2026 grants under Delmarva Power's Sustainable Communities Grant Program, which has directed hundreds of thousands of dollars into local projects since it began. The round links utility-funded community investment to resilience work in climate-vulnerable areas like Dorchester County.
Residents of Vienna and Dorchester County may see expanded environmental education and emergency communications programs as the grant-funded work begins. The funding supports local efforts to prepare for climate-related risks in the county.
The takeaway
Local nonprofits working on emergency communications and environmental education are receiving utility-backed support that can strengthen preparedness in vulnerable counties. Residents interested in these efforts can watch for program announcements from community groups in Dorchester County.
Further reading
For more on local utility programs, see Utilities coverage for the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Star Democrat.
