CHICAGO, IL — Earlier today, the Institute for Responsive Government opened applications for A More Responsive Government 2024 Grant Program, a new, nonpartisan grant program that aims to support local elections offices in states that have prioritized the future of their voting systems. The program will award up to $6 million in grant funding. Grant funds can be used to cover eligible election administration expenses incurred between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025.

A More Responsive Government 2024 Grant Program is open to any local election office in the seven states that received the highest grade on the Institute for Responsive Government’s Election Policy Progress Reports from 2021-2023. Those states are Colorado, Delaware, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, and Washington, D.C. The organization’s progress reports found that these seven states took the most significant ​​steps towards making their election laws more responsive and user-friendly for voters and election administrators over the past three years. Grant award amounts are based exclusively upon the 2022 Citizen Voting Age Population of the local election office’s jurisdiction, as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Every eligible American voter should have the opportunity to have their vote counted and their voices heard, which requires three things: Pro-voter, pro-democracy, and pro-election security policies and the resources for election offices to implement them,” said Sam Oliker-Friedland, executive director of the Institute for Responsive Government. “Many states that passed innovative, pro-voter policies in the last three years are working on implementing those changes over the next year — while election officials are still tasked with running a high-cost, high-turnout federal election. Yet year after year, our federal government has failed to provide the consistent, adequate funding required to keep our democracy running smoothly and securely.”

“In the face of chronic underfunding, the Institute for Responsive Government is proud to put our money where our mouth is and support jurisdictions in states that have demonstrated a commitment to improving our elections,” Oliker-Friedland added. “Election officials around the country are on the frontlines of our democracy, and it’s only right that we provide them the resources they need to make our elections more secure, efficient, and accessible.”

Grant funds may be used to cover expenditures for planning and operationalizing secure, efficient, and accessible election administration. Examples of these nonpartisan public purposes include the key human, physical, and technological assets that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has identified as necessary to conduct elections – from pens and paper to election staffing to cybersecurity technology.

Local election officials decide how to allocate grant funds among the particular nonpartisan election administration needs in their jurisdiction. Responsive Gov will have no role in reviewing or approving expenditures. In addition, Responsive Gov will have no role in the operation or administration of elections conducted by these election offices.

Announcement of Responsive Gov’s grant program comes as the House has advanced an appropriations bill that removed all Help America Vote Act federal election administration funding for the year ahead; while the Senate version includes $75 million.

The Election Infrastructure Initiative estimates that a sustained investment of $53 billion is necessary over the next decade to strengthen and secure our election infrastructure; and have called on lawmakers to approve $400 million in FY25 appropriations.

For a full list of eligibility requirements, permissible grant funding uses, and other grant program information, please click here.

To speak with Sam Oliker-Friedland about the grant program and adequately funding U.S. elections, please contact dan@responsivegov.org.