The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) has been thrilled to expand our COVID-19 Response Grant program to all U.S. local election jurisdictions. Backed by a generous $250M contribution, CTCL received grant applications from over 2,500 local election jurisdictions across the country to help ensure they have the staffing, training, and equipment necessary so this November every eligible voter can participate in a safe and timely way and have their vote counted.
The grant application is currently closed.
Questions about your COVID-19 grant application or report? Email us at [email protected].
If you have questions about implementing public health measures, scaling absentee ballot processing, or educating voters, please visit CTCL’s Election Resources for Safe Elections website, a collection of free and easy to use resources devoted to helping you navigate today’s election challenges.
CTCL provided COVID-19 Response Grants to nearly 2,500 election departments across 49 states. In total, CTCL distributed approximately $350 million in grant funds.
All local election offices responsible for administering election activities covered by the CTCL COVID-19 Response Grant program were eligible to apply for grant funds. Every eligible election department that was verified as legitimate was approved for a grant.
You can find a full list of jurisdictions that were awarded COVID-19 Response Grants here. You can find reporting about the use of grant funds here and here.
Election officials have made it clear that one of their most pressing needs is funding. Based on this, CTCL is focusing philanthropic support to directly help election offices administer safe and secure elections.
CTCL is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. By law, CTCL’s financial 990s are available for public review.
Grant funds will be disbursed from the Center for Tech and Civic Life.
Contact [email protected] with any questions about the grant program.
Election offices can use the funds to cover certain 2020 expenses incurred between June 15, 2020 and December 31, 2020. These include, but are not limited to, the costs associated with the safe administration of the following examples of election responsibilities.
Ensure Safe, Efficient Election Day Administration
- Maintain open in-person polling places on Election Day
- Procure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and personal disinfectant to protect election officials and voters from COVID-19
- Support and expand drive-thru voting, including purchase of additional signage, tents, traffic control, walkie-talkies, and safety measures
Expand Voter Education & Outreach Efforts
- Publish reminders for voters to verify and update their address, or other voter registration information, prior to the election
- Educate voters on safe voting policies and procedures
Launch Poll Worker Recruitment, Training & Safety Efforts
- Recruit and hire a sufficient number of poll workers and inspectors to ensure polling places are properly staffed, utilizing hazard pay or stipends
- Provide voting facilities with funds to compensate for increased site cleaning and sanitization costs
- Deliver updated training for current and new poll workers administering elections in the midst of pandemic
Support Early In-Person Voting and Vote by Mail
- Expand or maintain the number of in-person early voting sites
- Deploy additional staff and/or technology improvements to expedite and improve mail ballot processing
If your U.S. election office is responsible for administering election activities covered by the grant, you’re eligible to apply for grant funds.
Your election office will be eligible to apply for a grant amount based on a formula that considers the citizen voting age population and other demographic data of your jurisdiction. Minimum grants will be $5,000. You may choose to receive less than the offered amount if your needs or eligible expenses do not reach that amount.
Matching funds are not required to apply for this grant.
If you share election responsibilities with another local government office, you are encouraged to submit one combined application for grant funds. This means you’ll coordinate with your other local government offices.
You will need to provide the following information in your grant application:
- Number of active registered voters in the election office jurisdiction as of September 1, 2020
- Number of full-time staff (or equivalent) on the election team as of September 1, 2020
- Election office 2020 budget as of September 1, 2020
- Election office W-9
- Local government body who needs to approve the grant funding (if any)
- What government official or government agency the grant agreement should be addressed to
Your election office’s point of contact for the grant should submit the grant application. We leave it to you to determine who should be the point of contact.
You’ll be able to submit your grant application beginning the week of Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Applications close Thursday, October 15, 2020.
After you submit your application, CTCL anticipates that the certification and approval of your grant will take about 2 weeks. The disbursement timeline will depend on your local approval process.
To expedite processing, please be sure you promptly return the grant disbursement form and signed grant agreement to [email protected].
You can choose to receive the grants via wire transfer, ACH, or check. Estimated receipt of funds varies on how you choose to receive the disbursement:
- Wire transfer: 3-5 business days
- ACH: 5-9 business days
- Check: 6-10 business days
All grantees are required to submit a grant report. The deadline to submit an initial grant report is January 31, 2021.
All grantees must submit a grant report by January 31, 2021.
If you have unspent funds when you submit your grant report, you can request a 6-month extension on your grant agreement. If approved, this extension will provide you until June 30, 2021 to expend the remainder of the grant award. You will be required to submit a second report if you receive an extension for your grant agreement.