~(>0 U.S. ELECTION lp,;__•~\ ~ ,J?:--_ ~ ASSISTANCE 

COMMISSION 

HELP AMERICA VOTE 

COLLEGE PROGRAM 

APPLICANT TOOLKI T 

OMB Control #:3265-0025 

Expiration Date: 11/30/2026 

2 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICES 

Federal Agency Name: Election Assistance Commission 

Funding Opportunity Title: Help America Vote College Program 

Assistance Listing Numbers (formerly CFDA): 90.400 

Public Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to 

average 17 hours per submission, including reviewing instructions, gathering, and maintaining the 

data needed, and completing the application and reporting forms. Comments on the burden or 

content of this instrument may be sent to the Election Assistance Commission, at: 

HAVCP@eac.gov. Election Assistance Commission informs people who may respond to this 

collection of information that they are not required to respond to the collection of information 

unless the OMB control number and expiration date displayed on page one (1) are current and 

valid. (See 5 CFR 1320.5(b)(2)(i)) 

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act: Grant recipients will be required to report at 

www.FSRS.gov on all subawards over $30,000 and may be required to report on executive 

compensation for recipients and subrecipients. Recipients must have the necessary systems in 

place to collect and report this information. See 2 CFR Part 170 for more information and to 

determine how these requirements apply. 

Unique Identifier: Applicants must include a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the application. The UEI 

is generated as part of the System for Award Management (SAM) registration process. Applicants 

must have a SAM registration. The legal applicant’s name and physical address must align with the 

SAM registration. All grant recipients must maintain an active registration throughout the 

performance period. 

Privacy Act Statement: The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C 552a) requires that we notify you that the 

information requested under this Notice of Funding is collected pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 12592 and 

12615 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 as amended, and 42 U.S.C. 4953 of the 

Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 as amended. 

Purposes and Uses: The information requested is collected to review grant applications and grant 

funding requests. Routine uses may include disclosure of the information to federal, state, or local 

agencies pursuant to lawfully authorized requests. The information may also be provided to 

appropriate federal agencies and contractors that have a need to know the information for the 

purpose of assisting the government to respond to a suspected or confirmed breach of the security 

or confidentiality or information maintained in this system of records, and the information 

disclosed is relevant and necessary for the assistance. 

Effects of Nondisclosure: The information requested is voluntary; however, to be a recipient of this 

grant program, disclosure of personal or sensitive information is required to receive federal 

benefits. 

Use of Material 

To ensure that materials generated with HAVA funding are available to the public and readily 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

accessible to recipients and non-recipients, the EAC reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and 

irrevocable right to obtain, use, modify, reproduce, publish, or disseminate publications and 

materials produced under the award, including data, and to authorize others to do so (2 CFR 

§200.315). 

Uniform Guidance 

All awards made under this Notice will be subject to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, 

Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), in 2 CFR Part200. 

Requests for Monitoring or Payment Integrity Information 

The EAC will request documentation from recipients to monitor the grantee and award to ensure 

compliance with legal requirements, including the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019. 

Failure to make timely responses to these requests may result in award funds being placed on 

manual hold, reimbursement only status, or other remedies may be applied as appropriate. 

EAC Terms and Conditions 

All awards made under this Notice will be subject to the EAC's General Terms and Conditions and 

the Program-Specific Terms and Conditions for the program (when applicable). These Terms and 

Conditions contain detailed, mandatory compliance and reporting requirements. See APPENDIX F 

for full Terms and Conditions. 

An applicant’s failure to submit their application through Grants.gov due to late or improper registration in 

SAM.gov and Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. 

DO NOT WAIT! Register in SAM.gov and Grants.gov as soon as possible. Finalizing these registrations could 

take a month or more. You do not want late registration to prevent proper and timely submission of your 

application through Grants.gov. 

Grants.gov Submission Instructions: The electronic submission of your application must be made by an 

official representative of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign 

applications for Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be 

completed in order to submit an application through Grants.gov, go to Grants.gov and click on "Applicants" 

on the top of the page and then go to the “Organization Registration” link listed under the "Get Registered" 

section and follow the instructions. Please note, this process can take a month or more for new registrants. 

Registration requirements must be met to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov. Applicants should 

ensure that all such requirements have been met well before the submission deadline. Registration on both 

Grants.gov and SAM.gov is FREE. Obtaining a UEI number assignment is also FREE. 

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FUNDING OVERVIEW 

FEDERAL AGENCY: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) 

announces the availability of $1 million dollars in 

discretionary grant funding to support the Help 

America Vote College Program (HAVCP). 

The purpose of the HAVCP Poll Worker grant is to 

encourage college students to assist state and local 

governments in the administration of elections by 

serving as nonpartisan poll workers or assistants, and 

to encourage jurisdictions to utilize these efforts. 

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has 

developed this Applicant Toolkit to support applicants’ 

understanding of the EAC discretionary grant funding 

application process and provide guidance and 

resources. 

For this competition, EAC seeks proposals from 

accredited colleges (including community colleges), 

universities, nonprofit organizations and state and 

local election offices which will assist the Commission 

in the continued development and implementation of 

the Help America Vote College Program. 

Interested applicants should submit an e-mail to 

HAVCP@eac.gov stating your organization’s intent to 

apply. This notice of intent is not required but helps us 

better plan the review of applications. 

This assistance will be funded by the Omnibus 

Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law No: 

117-328) and authorized under the Help America Vote 

Act of 2002 (HAVA), Public Law 107-252, Title V, Help 

America Vote College Program. 

U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: 

Help America Vote 

College Program (HAVCP) 

ELIGIBILITY: 

Public & Private Institutions of 

Higher Education (Including 

Community Colleges), state and 

local election offices, and 

Non-Profit Organizations. 

NOTICE OF INTENT: 

Email to HAVCP@eac.gov 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 

Monday, December 18, 

11:59 pm EST 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents 

I. OVERVIEW OF EAC FUNDING...................................................................................................................................... 7 

II. DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROCESS............................................................................................................................... 8 

III. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY Help America Vote College Program.................................................................................. 9 

A. Eligible Applicants ............................................................................................................................................................................. 9 

B. Priority Consideration....................................................................................................................................................................... 9 

C. National Days of Recognition and Mini-Grant Program...................................................................................................... 10 

D. Other Requirements/Limitations..................................................................................................................................................11 

E. Cost Sharing or Matching.............................................................................................................................................................. 11 

F. Application Deadline...................................................................................................................................................................... 12 

G. Technical Assistance....................................................................................................................................................................... 12 

H. Questions........................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 

I. Application Evaluation Criteria .................................................................................................................................................... 13 

J. Review and Selection Process...................................................................................................................................................... 14 

K. Reporting........................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 

IV. HAVCP POLL WORKER GRANT PROGRAM ................................................................................................................ 18 

L. Award Type & Amount.................................................................................................................................................................. 18 

M. Period of Performance.............................................................................................................................................................. 19 

N. Allowable Activities ......................................................................................................................................................................... 19 

O. Funding Type.................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 

P. Performance Measures.................................................................................................................................................................. 21 

Q. System or Process for Tracking, Collecting, and Reporting Participant Data.................................................................22 

V. APPLICATION SUBMISSION ....................................................................................................................................... 23 

1. Application Checklist ......................................................................................................................................................................23 

2. Submission Dates and Times .......................................................................................................................................................24 

3. Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application ................................................25 

4. Late Applications.............................................................................................................................................................................25 

5. Extension of Deadlines...................................................................................................................................................................26 

6. Application Instructions.................................................................................................................................................................26 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EAC OVERVIEW 

The mission of the United States 

Election Assistance Commission (EAC) 

is to help election officials improve 

the administration of elections and 

help Americans participate in the 

voting process. 

The EAC was established by the Help 

America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) as 

an independent, bipartisan 

commission charged with developing 

guidance to meet HAVA requirements, 

adopting voluntary voting system 

guidelines, and serving as a national 

clearinghouse of information on 

election administration. The EAC also 

accredits testing laboratories, 

certifies voting systems, and audits 

HAVA funds. 

Other responsibilities include 

maintaining the national mail voter 

registration form developed in 

accordance with the National Voter 

Registration Act of 1993. 

HAVA established the Standards 

Board and the Board of Advisors 

to advise the EAC. The law also 

established the Technical 

Guidelines Development 

Committee to help the EAC 

develop voluntary voting system 

guidelines. In 2021, the EAC 

established a fourth advisory 

committee, the Local Leadership 

Council. 

The four EAC commissioners are 

appointed by the president and 

confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The 

EAC must submit an annual report 

to Congress and testify periodically 

about HAVA progress and related 

issues. The commission also holds 

public meetings and hearings to 

inform the public about its progress 

and activities. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I. OVERVIEW OF EAC FUNDING 

The Election Assistance Commission Office of 

Grants Management (EAC/OGM) is responsible 

for awarding, distributing, and monitoring grant 

funds authorized by Congress under the Help 

America Vote Act (HAVA). 

The EAC awards two types of HAVA grants: 

1. HAVA Formula Grants 

The HAVA formula funds are awarded to states 

and U.S. territories for improving the 

administration of elections for federal office. 

States do not compete for formula funding but 

must submit applications and meet specified 

requirements. Grant award amounts are 

calculated by a formula based on proportionate 

voting age population. HAVA formula grants are 

subject to HAVA and 2 CFR 200 with the HAVA 

requirements taking precedence. 

2. HAVA Discretionary Grants 

HAVA discretionary grants are awarded to 

eligible recipients on a competitive basis. Grant 

applications are solicited on Grants.gov and 

applicants are reviewed and scored based on 

selection criteria outlined in the Notice of 

Funding Opportunity. 

This toolkit focuses on discretionary grant 

programs, providing an overview of the 

competitive grant funding and application 

process. 

Stewardship of Federal Funds 

Strong candidates for federal grant funding 

can demonstrate they have the capacity to 

effectively manage awarded funds. 

• Engage with subject matter experts to 

provide any technical or nuanced inputs 

and information (i.e., financial, poll 

worker training) to the application. 

• Attend any grants and financial 

management training provided for new 

potential applicants. 

• Connect with State and local resources as 

needed to assist with financial planning, 

permitting, and other approvals. 

• Identify and reach out to a program’s 

point of contact with specific questions as 

they come up. 
 

 

 

monitoring 

Congressional 

authorization and 

a ppropria lions processes 

to anticipate future EAC 

funding opportunities 

LEG!SLA T!ON 

EAC develops a 

discretionary fu nding 

program, per statutory 

requirements 

Check Grants.Gov 

and EAC.gov for 

release of NOFO 

PRE-AWARD 

EAC releases a 

Notice of Funding 

Opportunity (NOFO) 

Select an EAC grant program 

that supports that projec based 

on prcgram eligibility crit2ria 

and requirements ou tlined in 

the NOFO Compile an application 

based on program 

requirements 

Receive decision notification of 

project selected for fu nding for 

the fisca I year 

Respond to requests for follow-up 

information from EAC program 

points of contact, as needed, 

during application review process 

EAC finalizes 

award decisions 

EAC reviews all submitted 

applications and evaluates 

proposed projects based on 

stated criteria in the NOFO 

AWARD 

If selected, negotiate and 

sign a grant or project 

agreement with EAC 

Implement the awarded 

project and report progress 

to EAC throughout the 

project life-cycle 

POST-AWARD 

EAC monitors project 

execution throughout 

the project life-cycle 

EAC closes the 

program 

application window 

Submit an 

application during 

indicated application 

window 

Complete all closeout 

requirements and submit final 

fina ncial and technica I reports 

EAC provides technical 

assistance and customer 

support to applicants, as needed 

II. DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROCESS 

The discretionary grant funding process begins with Congressional legislation and concludes with the 

closeout of the awarded project. The grant lifecycle is broken down into four phases: (0) Legislation, (1) 

Pre-Award, (2) Award, and (3) Post-Award. At a high-level, the phases include: 

0. Legislation: Program authorization and funding appropriation by Congress 

1. Pre-Award: Funding opportunity announcement, applicant solicitation, and application 

submission 

2. Award: Application evaluation, award decisions, and grant recipient notifications 

3. Post-Award: Project execution, monitoring, and closeout 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY 

Help America Vote College Program 

The Help America Vote College Poll Worker Program was established in 2004, and through fiscal year 

2009, distributed over $2.3 million to colleges and non-profits to recruit, train and support students 

serving as poll workers on Election Day. 

The purpose of this grant program is to: 

1. Encourage students enrolled at institutions of higher education (including community 

colleges) to assist State and local governments in the administration of elections by serving as 

nonpartisan poll workers or assistants; 

2. Encourage college students to become cognizant of the elections process and civic education, 

and to assist in the administration of elections in their community; and 

3. Encourage state and local governments to use the services of the students participating in the 

program. 

College Student means any individual enrolled either on a part-time or full-time basis in 

any undergraduate, graduate, or professional college accredited by an agency 

recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in the United States. 

A. Eligible Applicants 

EAC encourages applicants to forge robust partnerships to implement the grant and to sustain 

activities beyond the grant period of performance. The recommended partners for the HAVCP 

are institutions of higher education as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 

1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001); Nonprofit Organizations, community and technical colleges and systems, 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal 

Colleges and Universities (TCUs); state and local election offices; and other Minority Serving 

Institutions Program (MSIs) as designated by the Higher Education Act’s Title III and V funding. 

B. Priority Consideration 

All selection criteria and application quality being equal, EAC will give priority consideration to 

projects from institutions and organizations that engage historically underrepresented groups, as 

defined by the federal government (see Appendix D), as poll workers. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C. National Days of Recognition and Mini-Grant Program 

Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to incorporate Service Day project activities that 

promote and utilize National Poll Worker Recruitment Day and Help America Vote Day to help 

elevate civic participation on college campuses. 

National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, August 1, 2024, is a national awareness day established 

by the EAC to encourage people to help America vote by serving as poll workers. 

By encouraging more people to become poll workers in their communities, National Poll Worker 

Recruitment Day aims to address the critical shortage of poll workers, strengthen our democracy, 

inspire greater civic engagement and volunteerism, and help ensure free and fair elections. 

Help America Vote Day, January 30, 2024, a second day of action created by the EAC aims to 

address the nationwide shortage of poll workers. 

Poll workers are critical to the success of an election and provide a positive voting experience by 

ensuring voters receive the assistance they need at the polls. National Poll Worker Recruitment 

Day and Help America Vote Day can be used to kick off recruitment efforts or supplement 

ongoing recruiting for poll workers in their community. Applicants of the Poll Worker program 

may include all service day activities in their grant application and budget. 

Service Day Mini-Grants: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announces the 

availability 5-15 Help America Vote College Program Service Day Mini-Grants to help elevate civic 

participation on college campuses and inspire college students to volunteer their time and 

talents to help others participate in the democratic process as poll workers. The Service Day 

Mini-Grant Program will allow grantees to support poll worker recruitment efforts through 

activities related to National Poll Worker Recruitment Day and Help America Vote Day only. 

Applicants can apply for either the 2-year Poll Worker Grant Program OR the 1-year Service Day 

Mini-Grant Program. Applicants requesting only Poll Worker project activities or Poll Worker and 

Service Day project activities should apply to this Poll Worker Grant Program funding 

opportunity. Applicants requesting only Service Day activities should not apply to this Poll 

Worker Grant Program funding opportunity. Rather, applicants only interested in conducting 

Service Day project activities should apply to the separate Service Day Mini-Grant Program. More 

information on the Service Day Mini-Grant Project can be found at Grants.gov and on the EAC 

website at https://www.eac.gov/grants/help-america-vote-college-program. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D. Other Requirements/Limitations 

Applicants may not use any part of an award from the EAC to fund religious instruction, worship 

or proselytizing, voter registration, get out the vote (GOTV) drives, or other political activities 

that could be construed as lobbying. Project funds must be used for tasks and activities carried 

out without partisan bias and without promoting any political point of view regarding any 

election issue or candidates. 

Applications that propose voter registration or GOTV efforts will be considered non-responsive 

and will not be eligible for funding under this announcement. 

Any organization described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 

501(c)(4) that engages in lobbying activities is not eligible to apply. 

The applicant nor its principals cannot be presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, 

declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal 

department or agency. Federal regulations prohibit supplanting of funds, such as replacing routine 

and/or existing State or local expenditures with the use of Federal grant funds and/or using Federal 

grant funds for cost of activities that constitute general expenses required to carry out the overall 

responsibilities of state or local government. 

E. Cost Sharing or Matching 

At the time of award, applicants must demonstrate either cash and/or in-kind and “on-hand and/or 

commitments, or a combination thereof, to meet the required 10 percent match, based on the amount 

of Federal grant funds requested. Match must be met by the project end period. 

Grantees may recover indirect costs under this grant up to 10 percent of the total Federal share 

of the grant. If an applicant has an approved federal indirect cost rate, the remainder of the 

indirect costs can be used as a matching contribution. 

EAC encourages applicants to leverage additional resources beyond the required match to supplement 

grant activities. Both matching and leveraged resources can come from a variety of sources, including, 

but not limited to the private sector (e.g., businesses or industry associations); the philanthropic 

community (e.g., foundations); and the non-profit sector (e.g., community organizations or education 

and training institutions). Non-Federal, public-sector funds (e.g., from States or local governments) may 

be used for matching funds, if necessary. Federal funds from other Federal agencies are not a 

permissible source of match, unless specifically authorized by the award pursuant to 2 CFR 200.306. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applicants may consult with EAC on sources of match to determine permissibility. 

F. Application Deadline 

The deadline for receipt of applications is 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Monday, December 18, 2023. 

Please submit an e-mail stating your intent to apply to HAVCP@eac.gov. This Notice of intent is not 

required but helps EAC better plan the review of applications. 

The full application kit including: the SF-424, the SF-LLL, HAVCP Application, and Budget Worksheet must 

be submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on Monday, December 18, 2023. 

EAC urges applicants to create accounts and submit their Grants.gov submissions prior to the due dates 

with sufficient time to correct any errors and resubmit by the submission deadlines if a rejection 

notification is received. 

The applicant’s authorized representative must be the person who submits the application. The 

authorized representative must use their own Grants.gov account to sign and submit the applications. A 

copy of the governing body’s authorization for this official representative to sign must be on file in the 

applicant’s office. 

Applicants should contact HAVCP@eac.gov if they have a problem when they create an account, 

prepare, or submit the application. Be prepared to provide the application ID, organization’s name, and 

the funding opportunity to which the organization is applying. 

G. Technical Assistance 

This funding opportunity is part of a competitive grant process. EAC will only answer direct questions 

pertaining to the technical aspects of submitting applications at grants.gov. All other questions should 

be asked during one of the live sessions listed below or through the Q&A process. 

H. Questions 

Submit questions to HAVCP@eac.gov. 

Answers will be posted within 5 business days to the Q&A document on the EAC website. Please review 

the Q&A document before submitting your question to confirm that it has not already been answered. 

Deadline for receipt of written questions: 5 PM on December 13, 2023. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

2023 Training Calls: Calls will be recorded and posted on the EAC website. 

To Register: Email HAVCP@eac.gov 

Funding Overview | Tuesday, November 21 | 2:00 PM Eastern 

How to Apply for the Poll Worker Program | Tuesday, November 28 | 2:00 PM Eastern 

How to Apply for the Mini-Grant Program | Tuesday, November 28 | 3:00 PM Eastern 

Technical Assistance Office Hours | Thursday, December 14 | 2:00 PM Eastern 

I. Application Evaluation Criteria 

The EAC has instituted procedures that provide for an objective review of applications and to assist 

applicants in understanding the standards against which applications will be judged. The evaluation 

criteria are based on the information required in the application. See APPENDIX D 

Reviewers will award points based on the evaluation criteria described below: 

 Program Design/Strategy (50%) 

 Organizational Capacity (35%) 

 Budget/Cost Effectiveness (15%) 

See APPENDIX B for details on Budget Worksheet and Narrative 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program Design/Strategy 50% Organizational Capacity 35% 

The EAC will consider the quality of the 

proposed design based on: 

• The soundness, relevance, and creativity 

of the applicant’s proposed project; 

• The applicant’s approach to measuring 

achievement of outcomes and how data 

collected will be used to modify and 

improve strategies, products, and 

services; 

• The applicant’s approach and expertise 

in using innovative solutions to 

implement new, or expand existing 

efforts to increase the number of 

college poll-workers including efforts 

focused on recruiting historically 

underrepresented individuals; 

• The extent to which the proposed 

program considers information found in 

EAC’s Guidebook for Recruiting College 

Poll Workers; and, 

• The scope of the project including the 

number of targeted college poll 

workers. 

J. Review and Selection Process 

The EAC will consider the capacity of the applicant to 

deliver the proposed services based on: 

• Demonstrated relationships/partnerships with 

relevant State and local entities needed to make 

the project successful; 

• Ability to manage a federal grant as evidenced by 

previous federal grants experience or similar size 

and complexity grant; 

• Experience with managing volunteer recruitment 

efforts including experience working with historically 

underrepresented groups, as defined by the federal 

government, within the college student body, as 

appropriate for the proposed program model; and, 

• Experience of the organization and staff as 

evidenced by brief staff biographies and other past 

organizational programs. 

Budget/Cost Effectiveness 15% 

The EAC will consider the budget based on: 

• Cost-effectiveness of the proposed activities in 

relation to the scope of the project; 

• Clarity and completeness of the budget and 

budget narrative; and, 

• Cost sharing identified by the applicant. 

The review and selection process are intended to produce a diversified set of high-quality 

programs that represent the priorities described in this Notice. The determinations made by the 

EAC may be different from what the applicant self-determined upon submission of its 

application. The stages of the review and selection process follow: 

Initial Application Compliance and Eligibility Review 

The EAC will conduct an initial Compliance and Eligibility Review to determine if an application 

meets the eligibility requirements published in this Notice and advances to the next stage of the 

review process. 

An application is compliant if the applicant: 
 

 

 

 

 

• is an eligible organization, 

• submitted an application by the submission deadline, and 

• requested Federal funds in the range provided by the Notice. 

Reviewing for eligibility is intended to ensure that only applications eligible for award are further 

reviewed. However, determinations of eligibility can take place at any point during the 

application review and selection process. Applicants that are determined to be ineligible will not 

receive an award. 

Application Review 

The EAC will assess the applications based on the Program Design/Strategy, Organizational 

Capability, and Budget selection criteria using the scoring rubric on APPENDIX D. The EAC will 

also consider the priorities and strategic considerations detailed in this Notice. All staff reviewing 

applications will be screened for conflicts of interest. 

Applicant Clarification 

The EAC may ask applicants for clarifying information during the Clarification Stage of the review 

process. An Operational and Financial Management Survey will also be requested at this time. 

The EAC staff will use this information to make funding recommendations. A request for 

clarification does not guarantee an award. Applicants may be recommended for funding even if 

they are not asked for clarifying information. An applicant’s failure to respond to a request for 

clarification adequately and in a timely manner may result in the removal of its application from 

consideration. 

Pre-Award Risk Assessment 

The EAC staff will assess the risks posed by applicants to determine an applicant’s ability to 

manage federal funds. This assessment is in addition to the Compliance and Eligibility Review and 

the Application Review. Results from this assessment will inform funding decisions. If the EAC 

determines that an award will be made to an applicant with assessed risks, special conditions 

that correspond to the degree of assessed risk may be applied to the award. Additionally, if the 

EAC concludes that the reasons for applicants having poor risk assessment are not likely to be 

mitigated, those applications may not be selected for funding. 

In assessing risks, the EAC may consider the following criteria: 
 

 

 

Due Diligence: 

• federal debt delinquency 

• suspension and debarment 

• information available through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-designated 

repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information, 

such as: 

• Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) 

• U.S. Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Services 

• System for Award Management (SAM) 

• “Do Not Pay” 

• Reports and findings from single audits performed under Uniform Administrative 

Guidance and findings of any other available audits or investigations 

• IRS Tax Form 990 

• Oversight.gov 

• Public Litigation Records 

Operational and Financial Management: 

• Financial stability 

Past Performance: 

• An applicant’s record in managing previous HAVA awards, cooperative agreements, or 

procurement awards, including: 

o timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirements 

o accuracy of data reported 

o validity of performance measure data reported 

o conformance to the terms and conditions of previous federal awards 

o applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other 

requirements imposed on award recipients 

o timely closeout of other awards 

o meeting matching requirements 

o the extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended prior to 

future awards 

Other Programmatic Risks: 

• Publicly available information, including from the applicant organization website 
 

 

-

AMERICA VOTE: 

BECOME 

A POLL 

WORKER 

The EAC reserves the right to adjust or make changes to the review process, if unforeseen 

challenges or urgent circumstances make it impossible, impracticable, or inefficient to conduct 

the review process as planned. Any such adjustments or changes will not affect the selection 

criteria used to assess applications. 

K. Reporting 

Recipients are required to provide federal financial reports (FFR) and progress reports (PR) semiannually through EAC’s web-based grants management system. All reports must be accurate, 

complete, and submitted on time. 

In addition, at the end of the award period, a grantee must submit final financial and progress 

reports that are cumulative over the entire award period and consistent with close-out 

requirements. The final reports are due 120 days after the performance period ends. 

Once the grant is awarded, recipients will be expected to have in place data collection and data 

management policies, processes, and practices that provide assurance that they are reporting 

high quality performance measure data. Failure to submit accurate, complete, and timely 

required reports may affect the recipient’s ability to secure future EAC funding. 

Financial (FFR) & Progress Report (PR) Dates Annual Semi Annual 

Reporting Period End Date September 30 March 31 

Report Submission Due Date December 29 April 30 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FUNDING INSTRUMENT: 

Discretionary Grant 

ANTICIPATED 

FUNDING: 

$1,000,000 

ANTICIPATED NUMBER 

OF AWARDS: 

10 - 15 

MAXIMUM AWARD 

AMOUNT: 

$100,000 

MINIMUM AWARD 

AMOUNT: 

$45,000 

GRANT PERIOD: 

2 Years 

IV. HAVCP POLL 

WORKER GRANT 

PROGRAM 

L. Award Type & Amount 

EAC plans to make approximately 10-15 awards 

under the HAVCP Poll Worker grant. Applications 

that propose a federal share of the budget outside 

of the funding range ($45,000-$100,000) will not be 

as competitive as applicants that fall within the 

prescribed range. 

Requests for funding must be commensurate with 

the scope and scale of the project. Applicants must 

propose to train a specific number of participants 

based on the size of the award requested and other 

considerations, such as the population of the 

proposed service area, local student population, and 

demand for local election workers. Awards made 

under this Announcement are subject to the 

availability of federal funds. 

If additional funds become available, the EAC 

reserves the right to use such funds to select 

additional grantees from applications submitted in 

response to this Announcement. 

Note: EAC is not restricted to these projections and 

may deviate from the number of awards and 

amounts stated in this Applicant Toolkit depending 

upon the quality of the applicant pool. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M. Period of Performance

The period of performance is 2 years with an anticipated start date of February 1, 2024. This performance

period includes all necessary implementation and start-up. The EAC expects grantees to begin enrolling

participants no later than six months after the grant award date.

EAC strongly encourages applicants to develop their project work plans and timelines to account for this 

implementation phase accordingly. Grantees must fully expend grant funds during the period of 

performance. 

N. Allowable Activities

The EAC is particularly interested in supporting programs that propose partnerships between various 

student and university organizations and local election officials to garner college student interest in

elections and create meaningful activities for students leading up to and on Election Day. As applicants 

develop their proposals, they should keep in mind that a successful poll worker program should be 

designed to encourage participation among college students without partisan or ideological bias. 

Allowable activities may include, but are not limited to: 

• Salaries for Project Coordinators and assistants

• Recruitment materials such as flyers, brochures, and t-shirts

• Websites and social network strategies for marketing

• Training materials

• Community volunteer recruitment and training

• Travel expenses for students serving as poll workers on Election Day

• Surveys and analysis of participation rates, reactions, and recommendations

• Establishing operational policies and procedures that help ensure student poll workers

will be used in a constructive and effective manner on Election Day

• Stipends for poll worker training and for service on Election Day

• Increase the visibility of the EAC’s National Poll Worker Recruitment Day and Help

America Vote Day through subgrants, service days, social media campaigns and other

outreach activities

The eligibility requirements and responsibilities for poll workers vary across the states, and 

successful applicants will have proposals that reflect the realities of being a poll worker in their 

state/jurisdiction (See EAC’s poll worker Guidebook for Recruiting College Poll Workers.pdf). 

Depending on the jurisdiction, poll worker duties may include: 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

as a Voting 

Equipment Technician 

Helping With Sign-In or 

Voter Identification 

Assisting Voters with 

Disabilities 

Counting and Canvassing 

Ballots 

Greeting and Directing 

Voters 

Assisting With Voter 

Registration 

Conducting Election 

Equipment Testing 

Setting Up and Tearing 

Down Polling Places 

Some key points about poll worker requirements for applicants to consider are: 

 Poll workers are required to attend training conducted by the local election jurisdiction prior 

to Election Day; 

 Most training sessions occur in the month prior to Election Day and last, on average, two to 

three hours; 

 Poll workers generally are required to be at polling locations to help set up prior to the 

opening of polls (sometimes before dawn) and should plan to stay at least 45 minutes after 

the close of polls on Election Day; 

 In some jurisdictions options to split a shift are available; 

 College poll workers may be required to remain at the polling location the entire day on 

Election Day. It should also be noted that poll workers may be paid a stipend by the local 

election office both for attending training and for their service on Election Day. The stipends, 

paid by the election jurisdiction, vary widely [Note: Stipends may not be available for “poll 

assistants”]; and, 

 Most states require that poll workers be registered voters in the state in which they serve; 

other states require that poll workers be registered voters in the county in which they serve. 

In some states, students may be exempt from registration requirements and may serve 

under various titles, such as assistant or interpreter. 

All applicants must discuss the nature of their partnerships with education entities and local election 

offices in their proposals. Establishing successful partnerships is a key element of a quality program. 

Successful applicants will have realistic, well-documented and substantiated plans to partner with local 

election officials to ensure that college student poll workers will be used constructively on Election Day. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plans can include the use of community volunteers to help recruit and train college volunteers. 

EAC is particularly interested in funding innovative outreach, communication and training strategies, 

including use of social media and online training for the recruitment and support of college poll workers. 

EAC especially encourages applicants to focus on recruitment and use of individuals historically 

underrepresented as poll workers, including ethnic and language minority groups. Applicants should 

review and plan to use the EAC-developed model college poll worker practices and procedures, 

including the EAC’s Guidebook for Recruiting College Poll Workers. Grant recipients are encouraged to 

use the EAC materials in executing their programs. 

Applicants must provide a detailed project plan and budget that includes activities for planning, 

recruiting, training, and supporting poll workers for the next election cycle. The project plan should 

address the above stated priorities and show how the applicant will meet the performance measure 

requirements outlined below. 

O. Funding Type 

Funding will be provided in the form of a discretionary grant. EAC will authorize the Treasury 

Department to disburse funding identified in the agreement through the Payment Management System 

(PMS) to the applicant as an advance to be drawdown as expenses arise. Per 2 CFR §200, the timing and 

amount of advance payments must be as close as is administratively feasible to the actual 

disbursements by the non-Federal entity for direct program or project costs and the proportionate share 

of any allowable indirect costs. The non-Federal entity must make timely payment to contractors in 

accordance with the contract provisions. Grantees will be able to request payments as often as practical 

for their program. Cash and in-kind match expenditures require the same documentation as federal 

funds under 2 CFR §200. Grantees must request a drawdown of funds for incurred costs using the 

electronic Payment Management System (PMS). Prior to initial drawdown of funds, all Grantees must 

have secured online access to Payment Management System and EAC’s grants management software. 

P. Performance Measures 

Grant recipients will be required to report on at least three performance measures, one required 

universal measure and two optional measures selected by the applicant from the list below. Every 

recipient must report on the number of college students served (PW-1 below). Beyond this universal 

performance measure, each recipient should select at least two additional Performance Measures from 

a set of standardized capacity-building performance measures. Selected performance measures should 

accurately reflect grant recipients’ accomplishments, improve EAC’s ability to report on the impact of its 

grant programs, and standardize measures across programs where appropriate. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

When selecting performance measures, applicants should also consider their proposed project design, 

such as geographic scope; recruitment and outreach activities; training type and length of training 

offered; and other factors relevant to the achievement of each performance measure. Applicants must 

include numerical targets for the full grant period for each of the required and selected option 

performance outcome measures; percent increases, or other types of data projections, are not 

acceptable. The standardized performance measures to select from are identified and defined in the 

table below. Applicants can also propose additional measures that are appropriate for their project. 

HAVACP 2-YEAR GRANT 

EAC Required Performance Measure (one) 

PW-1. Total number of college student participants served. 

This performance outcome measure includes the total number of unique 

college student participants served during the grant period of performance. 

Reporting will include the total number of college students who: (1) enrolled in 

training, (2) received training, (3) registered to serve as a poll worker, and (4) 

completed work on election day. 

EAC Standardized Performance Measures (select two) 

PW-2. Partnerships Developed. 

Total number of partnerships established. 

PW-3. Outreach plans developed and executed 

Number of outreach materials developed (provide counts for any used): 

telephone scripts, panel discussions, poll-worker program training materials or 

workshops developed, promotional videos created, newsletters, social media, 

websites, blogs, podcasts etc. 

PW-4. Social media engagement, impressions, reach, share of voice, referrals 

and conversions and response rate and time (cumulative 2-year total for 

College Program) 

This performance outcome measures the social media campaigns targeting 

college students. The EAC is looking for strong measures proposed by 

applicants in this category depending on what is proposed. 

PW-5. Workshops, Presentations, Trainings, Conferences - number of college 

students served (in-person or virtual audience): 

Total participants reach for live event audiences by tracking attendees via signin sheets, digital registrations, RSVPs, completion of pre-event surveys, etc. 

Q. System or Process for Tracking, Collecting, and Reporting Participant Data 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applicants must provide specific details about the procedures for tracking performance outcome 

measures and other participant data such as demographic information, training provided, and describe 

staffing, technology, computer applications, and other resources already available to accomplish this 

task. Applicants should also provide a specific plan for procuring the resources needed to meet this 

requirement if the resources are not already possessed by or accessible to the applicant. 

Applicants are encouraged to align their goals with specific activities. Sample activities may 

include project administration and ramp-up; partnership engagement, outreach, and 

recruitment; enrollment and training; poll-worker placement; and follow-up with students to 

track outcomes. 

For planning purposes, the applicant should identify key deliverables and the timeframe for 

achieving each deliverable, including any milestones to indicate the progression of activities. The 

applicant should also provide the name of the lead or supporting institution engaged in each 

activity or producing each deliverable, including any partner organizations. 

Poll workers are critical to the success of an election and provide a positive voting experience by 

ensuring voters receive the assistance they need at the polls. National Poll Worker Recruitment 

Day and Help America Vote Day can be used to kick off recruitment efforts or supplement 

ongoing recruiting for poll workers in their community. 

The EAC reserves the right to increase or decrease the total number of grants awarded or reject all 

applications and make no awards under this announcement. Such changes may be necessary as a 

response to the quality of applications received by the EAC or the amount of funds available. 

If additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made, the EAC reserves the right 

to make additional awards under this announcement consistent with Agency policy and guidance. Any 

additional selections for awards will be made no later than nine months after the original selection 

decisions. Awards may be fully or incrementally funded, as appropriate, based on funding availability, 

satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations. 

V. APPLICATION SUBMISSION 

1. Application Checklist 

Applicants should use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your application package to ensure 

that the application has met all the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for 

applicants and should not be included in the application package. We urge you to use this checklist to 
 

 

 

 

 

ensure that your application contains all required items. If your application does not meet all the 

screening criteria, it will not move forward through the merit review process. 

Application Requirement Complete? 

The deadline submission requirements are met 

Eligibility requirements are met 

The components of the application uploads are saved 

in pdf or docx format and are not corrupt. (We will 

attempt to open the document, but will not take any 

additional measures in the event of problems with 

opening) 

Funding request is within allowable range 

HAVCP Poll Worker: $45,000 to $100,000 

SAM Registration 

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance 

SF-424 includes a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) 

Budget Worksheet 

HAVCP Application 

2. Submission Dates and Times 

The deadline for receipt of applications is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, December 18, 2023. 

Please submit an e-mail stating your intent to apply to HAVCP@eac.gov. This Notice of intent is not 

required but helps EAC better plan the review of applications. 

The full application kit including: the SF-424, the SF-LLL, and the Grants.gov Attachments Form must be 

submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on Monday, December 18, 2023. 

Submit the following application components as uploads to the Grants.gov Attachments Form: 

1. HAVCP Application – Fillable form including Project Narrative and Budget Narrative 

2. Budget Worksheet 

3. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

EAC urges applicants to create accounts and submit their Grants.gov submissions prior to the due dates 

with sufficient time to correct any errors and resubmit by the submission deadlines if a rejection 

notification is received. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be considered timely, the full application must be submitted in Grants.gov by the application 

deadline. Failure to begin the SAM.gov, Grants.gov registration process in sufficient time (i.e., waiting 

until the date identified in this solicitation) is not an acceptable reason for late submission. 

EAC uses Grants.gov to submit and receive applications. Applicants must ensure successful submission 

no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 18, 2023. Grants.gov will subsequently validate the 

application. The process can be complicated and time-consuming. You are strongly advised to initiate 

the process as soon as possible and to plan for time to resolve technical problems. Note that validation 

does not mean that your application has been accepted as complete or has been accepted for review by 

the agency. Rather, grants.gov verifies only the submission of certain parts of an application. 

3. Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application 

EAC will only consider a request to submit an application after the deadline when the applicant can 

document that a technical issue with a government system prevented application submission prior to 

the application deadline. If an applicant misses a deadline due to unforeseen technical issues with 

SAM.gov or Grants.gov the applicant may request a waiver to submit an application after the deadline. 

However, the waiver request will not be considered unless it includes a tracking number generated 

when the applicant contacts the applicable service desks to report technical difficulties. Tracking 

numbers are generated automatically when an applicant emails the applicable service desks; and for this 

reason, applicants are encouraged to email the appropriate service desk, even if they also intend to call 

the service desk for phone support. Experiencing wait times for phone support does not relieve the 

applicant of the responsibility of getting a tracking number. 

An applicant experiencing technical difficulties must contact the associated service desk indicated below 

to report the technical issue and receive a tracking number: 

SAM.gov - contact the SAM Help Desk (Federal Service Desk), Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET 

at 866-606-8220. 

Grants.gov - contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on 

federal holidays, at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, or support@grants.gov. 

4. Late Applications 

Applications received after the deadline date and time are considered late applications and, absent 

extreme circumstances to be determined by the EAC, will not be reviewed. EAC will notify each late 

applicant that the application will not be considered in the current competition. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Extension of Deadlines 

EAC may extend application deadlines when circumstances such as acts of Nature (floods, hurricanes, 

etc.) occur, or when there are widespread disruptions of online service. Determinations to extend or 

waive deadline requirements rest with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. If extended, the new 

deadline will be posted at www.eac.gov and at www.grants.gov. 

6. Application Instructions 

The following steps and tips will assist potential applicants in completing discretionary funding 

applications: 

1. Register with SAM or confirm that your SAM registration is active and up to date. You must 

renew and validate your registration every 12 months. If you do not renew your SAM 

registration, it will expire. 

2. Register with Grants.gov and create an applicant profile. Effective February 21, 2022, all 

Grants.gov users and applicants will need to use Login.gov credentials. 

3. Submit all required application forms in Grants.gov. Search for an open EAC funding opportunity 

in Grants.gov and review the solicitation requirements. Complete and submit the required 

documents in Grants.gov at least 48–72 hours prior to the deadline to allow for time to correct 

any problems or errors. This includes the SF-424*, the SF-LLL*, HAVCP Application*, budget 

worksheet*, and indirect cost rate agreement if applicable. 

*Note: Items designated with an asterisk must be submitted for an application to meet the basic 

requirements review. If EAC determines that an application does not include the following 

elements, it will neither proceed to peer review, nor receive further consideration. 

The Grants.gov Workspace Status will change from “In Progress” to “Submitted” once the application 

has been successfully submitted in Grants.gov. Within 48 hours after submitting the Grants.gov 

application, the applicant should receive four email notifications from Grants.gov: a submission receipt, 

a validation receipt, a grantor agency retrieval receipt, and an agency tracking number assignment. If 

confirmation email or validation is not received, or if an error notification is received: Contact 

Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, Grants.gov customer support, or 

support@grants.gov regarding technical difficulties and notify the EAC Grants team at HAVCP@eac.gov. 
1 

Register with System for 

Awa rd Management 

Grantee Organization will be assigned 

a Unique Entity Identifier (U EI) 

After registering, send SAM: 

• A notarized letter, 

• An Employer Identification Number 

(E IN) 

• Or Tax Identification Number (TIN) 

STEP 2 

Register with Grants.gov and 

create an applicant profile 

Organization's E-Biz POC must 

respond to the registration email to 

authorize applicant's role and access 

STEP 3 

Complete and submit application in Grants.gov Workspace 

addressing al l requirements. 

STEP 4 

J 

Grants.gov will 

send you a 

registration email 

Verify EAC's receipt of application 

using Grants.gov tracking number