The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) is excited to expand our COVID-19 Response Grant program to all U.S. local election jurisdictions. Backed by a generous $250M contribution, CTCL will provide grants to local election jurisdictions across the country to help ensure you have the staffing, training, and equipment necessary so this November every eligible voter can participate in a safe and timely way and have their vote counted.
As of October 1, over 1,700 election offices have applied for a CTCL COVID-19 Response grant. Because the grant program has been so well received, we are extending the application deadline. All U.S. local election offices that have not previously applied are invited to apply by Thursday, October 15th.
Questions about the COVID-19 grant application or process? Email us at [email protected].
If you have questions about implementing public health measures, scaling absentee ballot processing, or educating voters, please visit CTCL’s new Election Resources for Safe Elections website, a collection of free and easy to use resources devoted to helping you navigate today’s election challenges.
Election officials have made it clear that one of their most pressing needs is funding. Based on this, CTCL is focusing philanthropic support to directly help election offices administer safe and secure elections in November.
CTCL is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. CTCL is proud to have a healthy mix of financial support from foundations, individual donors, and through earned revenue. By law, CTCL’s financial 990s are available for public review.
Grant funds will be disbursed from the Center for Tech and Civic Life.
Contact [email protected] with any questions about the grant program.
Election offices can use the funds to cover certain 2020 expenses incurred between June 15, 2020 and December 31, 2020. These include, but are not limited to, the costs associated with the safe administration of the following examples of election responsibilities.
Ensure Safe, Efficient Election Day Administration
- Maintain open in-person polling places on Election Day
- Procure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and personal disinfectant to protect election officials and voters from COVID-19
- Support and expand drive-thru voting, including purchase of additional signage, tents, traffic control, walkie-talkies, and safety measures
Expand Voter Education & Outreach Efforts
- Publish reminders for voters to verify and update their address, or other voter registration information, prior to the election
- Educate voters on safe voting policies and procedures
Launch Poll Worker Recruitment, Training & Safety Efforts
- Recruit and hire a sufficient number of poll workers and inspectors to ensure polling places are properly staffed, utilizing hazard pay or stipends
- Provide voting facilities with funds to compensate for increased site cleaning and sanitization costs
- Deliver updated training for current and new poll workers administering elections in the midst of pandemic
Support Early In-Person Voting and Vote by Mail
- Expand or maintain the number of in-person early voting sites
- Deploy additional staff and/or technology improvements to expedite and improve mail ballot processing
If your U.S. election office is responsible for administering election activities covered by the grant, you’re eligible to apply for grant funds.
Your election office will be eligible to apply for a grant amount based on a formula that considers the citizen voting age population and other demographic data of your jurisdiction. Minimum grants will be $5,000. You may choose to receive less than the offered amount if your needs or eligible expenses do not reach that amount.
Matching funds are not required to apply for this grant.
If you share election responsibilities with another local government office, you are encouraged to submit one combined application for grant funds. This means you’ll coordinate with your other local government offices.
You will need to provide the following information in your grant application:
- Number of active registered voters in the election office jurisdiction as of September 1, 2020
- Number of full-time staff (or equivalent) on the election team as of September 1, 2020
- Election office 2020 budget as of September 1, 2020
- Election office W-9
- Local government body who needs to approve the grant funding (if any)
- What government official or government agency the grant agreement should be addressed to
Your election office’s point of contact for the grant should submit the grant application. We leave it to you to determine who should be the point of contact.
You’ll be able to submit your grant application beginning the week of Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
We recognize that election jurisdictions need funding as soon as possible to cover the unprecedented expenses of 2020 elections. We plan to move quickly! After you submit your application, CTCL anticipates that the certification and approval of your grant will take about 2 weeks. The disbursement timeline will depend on your local approval process.
Wiring the grant funds is faster, but you can receive the funds via a mailed check if preferred.
You will be required to submit a report that indicates how you spent the grant funds. The report will be in a format that should not be overly burdensome.
You’ll need to submit your grant report by January 31, 2021.