ELECTION 

ASSISTANCE 

COMMISSION 

HELP AMERICA VOTE 

COLLEGE PROGRAM 

SERVICE DAY MINI-GRANT 

APPLICANT TOOLKI T 

OMB Control #:3265-0025 

Expiration Date: 11/30/2026 

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IMPORTANT NOTICES 

Federal Agency Name: U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

Funding Opportunity Title: Help America Vote College Program 

Assistance Listing Numbers (formerly CFDA): 90.400 

THIS KIT IS FOR APPLICANTS REQUESTING ACTIVITIES ONLY FOR HELP AMERICA VOTE COLLEGE 

PROGRAM SERVICE DAY MINI-GRANTS. IF YOU PLAN TO REQUEST FUNDING FOR POLL WORKER 

PROJECT ACTIVITIES, YOU MUST COMPLETE A FULL APPLICATION THROUGH GRANTS.GOV. THE 

INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS APPLICATION KIT IS NOT APPLICABLE FOR APPLICANTS 

REQUESTING ANY POLL WORKER ACTIVITIES. IF YOU USE THE INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS 

APPLICATION KIT TO COMPLETE AN APPLICATION REQUESTING POLL WORKER ACTIVITIES, YOUR 

APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED INELIGIBLE AND IT WILL BE REJECTED. 

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

average 5 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 U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) 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 who do not hold a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) at the time of 

application must hold an active UEI by the time of grant award. The UEI is generated as part of the 

System for Award Management (SAM) registration process. Applicants complete the SAM 

registration and account approval process prior to the issuance of federal funding. Registration on 

SAM.gov is FREE. Obtaining a UEI number assignment is also FREE. The legal applicant’s name and 

physical address must align with the SAM registration. Applications will be accepted from 

organizations without an active UEI; however, the organization must have obtained a valid UEI and 

active SAM registration by the time of award or they will be disqualified from consideration for an 

award. 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. 

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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 E for full Terms and Conditions. 

DO NOT WAIT! Register in SAM.gov as soon as possible. Finalizing these registrations could take a month 

or more. You do not want late registration to prevent your organization from being eligible to accept an 

award offer. 

Submission Instructions: The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official 

representative of your institution who is authorized to request funding on behalf of the applicant 

organization. Email your completed Application Form to HAVCP@eac.gov with the subject “HAVCP Service 

Day Mini-Grant Program Application – [ORGANIZATION NAME]” by the deadline at 11:59 PM Eastern on 

December 18, 2023. 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. 

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FUNDING OVERVIEW 

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 HAVCP 

grant competition includes funding for two separate 

grant programs: The HAVCP Poll Worker Grant 

Program and the HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant 

Program. Applicant organizations may apply for only 

one of the two programs and may not submit more 

than one application. 

The purpose of the HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant 

Program is to elevate civic participation on college 

campuses through a day of service and inspire college 

students to volunteer their time and talents to ensure 

safe, secure, accessible, and transparent elections. 

The U.S. 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. 

FEDERAL AGENCY: 

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: 

December 18, 11:59 

pm EST 

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Table of Contents 

I . OVERVIEW OF EAC FUNDING ................................................................................................... 8 

II. DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROCESS............................................................................................ 9 

III. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY........................................................................................................ 12 

A. Help America Vote College Program.................................................................................................12 

B. Eligible Applicants .................................................................................................................................... 12 

C. Priority Consideration.............................................................................................................................. 13 

D. Other Requirements/Limitations.......................................................................................................... 13 

E. Cost Sharing or Matching......................................................................................................................14 

F. Application Deadline ............................................................................................................................... 14 

G. Technical Assistance ................................................................................................................................ 15 

H. Questions.................................................................................................................................................... 15 

I. Application Evaluation Criteria.............................................................................................................. 15 

J. Review and Selection Process...............................................................................................................16 

K. Reporting.................................................................................................................................................... 19 

IV. HAVCP SERVICE DAY MINI-GRANT PROGRAM ....................................................................... 20 

L. Award Type & Amount.......................................................................................................................... 20 

M. Period of Performance............................................................................................................................ 21 

N. Allowable Activities ................................................................................................................................. 22 

O. Funding Type............................................................................................................................................ 22 

P. Performance Measurement.................................................................................................................. 23 

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

Q. Application Checklist .............................................................................................................................. 23 

R. Submission Dates and Times ............................................................................................................... 23 

S. Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application......... 24 

T. Late Applications ..................................................................................................................................... 24 

U. Extension of Deadlines........................................................................................................................... 24 

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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 

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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. 

Application Submission 

The fully completed HAVCP Service Day MiniGrant Application Form must be submitted by 

email to HAVCP@eac.gov with the header 

“HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program 

Application – [ORGANIZATION NAME]” before 

the application submission deadline. The 

electronic submission of your application must 

be made by an official representative of your 

institution who is authorized to request funding 

on behalf of the applicant organization. 

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. 

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sider monitoring 

Congressional 

authorization and 

a ppropria lions processes 

to anticipate future EAC 

funding opportunities 

LEGISLATION 

EAC develops a 

discretionary funding 

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 program eligibility criteria 

and requirements ou tlined in 

the NOFO Compile an application 

based on program 

requirements 

Receive decision notifica tion 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 l 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 

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III. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY 

A. Help America Vote College Program 

The Help America Vote College Program 

(HAVCP) 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. 

In 2023, the EAC introduced the HAVCP 

Service Day Mini-Grant Program. The 

information in this application kit is specific to 

the Service Day Mini-Grant Program. The 

Mini-Grant program is designed to stimulate 

community action on college campuses and 

increase the visibility of the EAC’s National 

Poll Worker Recruitment Day and Help 

America Vote Day. 

The overall purpose of the Help America Vote 

College 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. 

B. 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. 

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C. 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 C), as 

poll workers. For the HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program, the EAC will provide 

further priority consideration to applicants who have historically not been recipients of 

EAC funding. The EAC is interested in using the Mini-Grant opportunity to engage new 

organizations in supporting and improving the administration of elections. The HAVCP 

Service Day Mini-Grant Program will also provide priority consideration for organizations 

serving populations in an area of persistent poverty and/or historically disadvantaged 

community and for organizations located in a rural area. The EAC is interested in using 

the Mini-Grant opportunity to engage organizations serving locations where barriers to 

participation in the election process are frequently higher. 

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 nonresponsive 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. 

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E. Cost Sharing or Matching 

At the time of award, applicants must demonstrate cash and/or in-kind contributions onhand 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. 

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 nonprofit sector (e.g., community organizations or education and training institutions). NonFederal, 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. 

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. 

F. Application Deadline 

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 fully completed HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Application Form must be submitted 

by with the header “HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program Application – 

[ORGANIZATION NAME]” before the application submission deadline. The electronic 

submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your 

institution who is authorized to request funding on behalf of the applicant organization. 

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. 

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EAC will notify each late applicant that the application will not be considered in the 

current competition. 

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 inputting information into the 

application form and submitting applications by email. 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. 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 C. 

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

 Organizational Characteristics (20 Points) 

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 Program Design/Strategy (5 Points) 

 Budget/Cost Effectiveness (5 Points) See APPENDIX C 

Organizational Characteristics (20 Points) 

The EAC will consider the characteristics of an 

organization based on: 

• The organization’s history of receiving 

funding directly for the EAC; 

• The proposed benefit to areas of persistent 

poverty and/or a historically disadvantaged 

community; and, 

• The proposed benefit to geographically 

rural communities. 

Budget/Cost Effectiveness (5 Points) 

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. 

J. Review and Selection Process 

Program Design/Strategy (5 Points) 

The EAC will consider the quality of the proposed 

design based on: 

• A sound and relevant program that meets 

the unique needs of the communities 

served; 

• A clear description of how the proposed 

activities will encourage college students to 

assist state and local governments in the 

administration of elections by serving as 

nonpartisan poll workers or assistants and 

encourage jurisdictions to utilize these 

efforts; and, 

• The number of targeted college students, 

including how this number was calculated. 

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, 

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• 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 Organizational Characteristics, Program 

Design/Strategy, and Budget selection criteria using the scoring rubric on APPENDIX C. 

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 also 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: 

17 
• 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: 

o Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 

(FAPIIS) 

o U.S. Treasury Bureau of Fiscal Services 

o System for Award Management (SAM) 

o “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 Extent to which any previously awarded amounts will be expended 

prior to future awards 

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Other Programmatic Risks: 

• Publicly available information, including from the applicant organization 

website 

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 one final federal financial report (FFR) and one final 

progress report (PR) submitted by email to HAVCP@eac.gov. Final reports 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. All reports must 

be accurate, complete, and submitted on time. 

The federal financial report required will be the modified version of the Standard Form 

425 (SF-425) used by the EAC for other federal awards. The progress report required will 

consist of a short narrative, listing of the actual number of college students served, and 

images demonstrating the Service Day activities undertaken with federal and nonfederal matching funds. 

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 Final 

Reporting Period End Date 1 Year After Date of Award 

Report Submission Due Date 120 Days After Project Period End 

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FUNDING INSTRUMENT: 

Discretionary Mini-Grant 

ANTICIPATED FUNDING: 

$50,000-$150,000 

ANTICIPATED NUMBER OF 

AWARDS: 

5-15

MAXIMUM AWARD 

AMOUNT: 

$10,000 

MINIMUM AWARD 

AMOUNT: 

$3,000 

GRANT PERIOD: 

12 months 

IV. HAVCP SERVICE

DAY MINI-GRANT

PROGRAM

L. Award Type & Amount

The 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 mini-grants will

support poll worker recruitment efforts on National

Poll Worker Recruitment Day and Help America

Vote Day.

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. 

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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 may request funding for activities related to both eligible service days outlined in the 

Application Kit or only one specific service day. Please note: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

does not anticipate award funding to be available prior to Help America Vote Day on January 30, 2024. 

To address this issue, pre-award costs for Help America Vote Day 2024 may be included as eligible 

activities, if the costs were incurred after the publication of this funding opportunity package on 

Grants.gov. If the applicant subsequently receives an award, they may then request to be reimbursed 

for in actual costs incurred hosting Help America Vote Day 2024 activities that would otherwise be 

allowable under this funding announcement. If the applicant does not receive an award, these costs will 

not be reimbursed by the federal government. The applicant must understand this risk and be able to 

cover this cost if an award is not made. 

Grants will be funded by 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. 

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. 

M. Period of Performance

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

performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities. Pre-award costs for 

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activities necessary to hosting Help America Vote Day 2024 events occurring after the publication of the 

HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program funding opportunity package on Grants.gov and prior to the 

award period start date are also allowable. Requests for no-cost extensions will be considered on a caseby-case basis. 

N. Allowable Activities 

Help America Vote College Program Service Day Mini-Grants will support projects that recruit, train, and 

encourage college students to assist state and local governments in the administration of elections by 

serving as poll workers or assistants. Project funds must be used for tasks and activities carried out 

without partisan bias and without promoting any political point of view regarding election issues or 

candidates. 

Service Day projects may also be used to support educational events intended to encourage 

volunteerism or link student populations with their state or local elections offices. Projects should be 

collaborative in nature, involve a spectrum of community participants, and benefit the larger 

community. Grant awards will be in the range of $3,000 to $10,000. Depending on the amount 

requested, an estimated 5-15 grants will be awarded. 

Consistent with the approved project budget, funds may be used for supplies/materials and volunteer 

support. Funds requested should be commensurate with the scope and required resources for the 

proposed project. Applicants can apply for activities to be performed on National Poll Worker 

Recruitment Day (August 1, 2024) and/or Help America Vote Day (January 30, 2024). 

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 

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must have secured online access to Payment Management System. 

P. Performance Measurement 

HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program awardees will be required to report on the total number of 

college student participants served through the funded Service Day activities. The number of students 

served could include college student participants interacting with staff/volunteers tabling, attending a 

presentation or roundtable, or engaging through digital (i.e., social media, website), print (i.e., college 

newspaper), and/or audio platforms (i.e., radio show, podcast). 

V. APPLICATION SUBMISSION 

Q. 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 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 Service Day: 3,000 to $10,000 

SAM Registration* 

*EAC will accept applications from organizations without 

active SAM registration for Mini-Grant Program only 

HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Application Form 

R. Submission Dates and Times 

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

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

but helps the EAC better plan the review of applications. 

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The fully completed HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Application Form must be submitted by email to 

HAVCP@eac.gov with the header “HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program Application – 

[ORGANIZATION NAME]” before the application submission deadline. The electronic submission of your 

application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is authorized to request 

funding on behalf of the applicant organization. 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. The EAC will notify each late applicant that the application will not be considered in 

the current competition. 

Applicants who do not hold a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) at the time of application must hold an active 

UEI by the time of grant award. Applications will be accepted from organizations without an active UEI; 

however, the organization must have obtained a valid UEI and active SAM registration by the time of 

award or they will be disqualified from consideration for an award. All grant recipients must maintain an 

active registration throughout the performance period. 

S. Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application 

The 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 a 

government system, the applicant may request a waiver to submit an application after the deadline to 

HAVCP@eac.gov. However, the waiver request will not be considered unless it includes a timestamp or 

other data point indicating the issue occurred prior to the application submission deadline. 

T. 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. 

U. 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. 

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