DANA State Contracting Roundtable – Kent County

Delaware relies on nonprofit and for-profit organizations to deliver services to individuals, families, and communities across our state. DANA wants to better understand how the State of Delaware contracting process works from the provider perspective, and where there are opportunities to strengthen that process. 

Between November and January 2027, DANA will host five small, regional conversations with state-contracted service providers across Delaware, facilitated by DANA CEO Melissa Hopkins. 

The Kent County roundtable will take place December 2, 2-3:30 pm at Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover.  

State-contracted nonprofit and for-profit organizations are asked to register in advance. Register here.

We want to hear what works, where providers experience challenges, how reimbursement rates compare with the cost of delivering services, and how contracting practices affect workforce and service capacity. 

Most importantly, we want to hear what should change. 

What we learn will help DANA identify common challenges, elevate promising practices, and develop practical recommendations for strengthening the state-provider partnership. 

If your organization contracts with the State of Delaware to provide services, we want you at the table. 

Presented by Melissa Hopkins, CEO, DANA

Melissa Hopkins serves as the CEO of DANA, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, where she leads the statewide organization working to strengthen nonprofits and advance the systems and conditions they need to thrive. She also serves as Founder and Executive Director of the Delaware Nonprofit Action Network (DNAN), DANA’s affiliated 501(c)(4), launched to expand the sector’s collective voice and advocacy capacity for advocacy.

For more than 15 years, Melissa has worked at the intersection of nonprofits, public policy, and government, experiencing advocacy from nearly every side of the table. She began her public policy career working in local and state government, including as a Legislative Aide to Delaware House leadership. She later served as Director of External Affairs for the Rodel Foundation of Delaware, leading bipartisan engagement and coalition-building on statewide education policy. 

At DANA, Melissa has helped build a stronger advocacy infrastructure for Delaware’s nonprofit sector. She has led statewide policy campaigns, convened nonprofit leaders, testified and briefed policymakers, and cultivated relationships across the General Assembly, Governor’s Office, Cabinet agencies, and Delaware’s Congressional Delegation. 

A self-described public policy nerd, Melissa believes effective advocacy is about people: understanding what matters to them, building authentic relationships, and making a compelling case for change. Her approach combines policy knowledge with storytelling, strategy, and a strong belief that nonprofits should have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect the people and communities they serve. 

Melissa holds an M.S. in Management with a focus in Public Administration from Wilmington University and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Delaware. She is a 2013 Leadership Delaware Fellow and has held numerous nonprofit governance and civic leadership roles.