Grant availability of funding
Voter Education Grant Program offers $210,000 in grant funds. Up to 14 grants will be awarded:
Three Direct Voter Contact Grants
Six Community Education Grants
Five Communications Grants
A combination of grants will be awarded from the Grant Applications. The application, review process, and grant terms for small and large implementation grants is identical. The reason for setting target numbers by grant size is to ensure a mix of small and large projects and to ensure space for smaller organizations and a diversity of tactics for voter education.
Organizations can apply for multiple grants in the funding cycle and within any, or multiple, funding category(ies). Projects must fall under one or more of the following categories: direct voter education, community education and/or communications, and all projects must include mock election(s) using City-provided tools and resources.
Grant categories
Direct Voter Education
Applicants have citywide reach and a track record of educational opportunities provided to the listed priority populations. View the Sample Activities section for more examples.
Total expected funding is $90,000 - $110,000, with grant sizes ranging from $30,000 - $50,000.
Community Education
Applicants are culturally specific or population based organizations with paid staff (priority to language groups). Please see View the Sample Activities section for more examples.
Total expected funding is $90,000, with grant sizes of $15,000.
Communications
Applicants may be priority population based social service providers. View the Sample Activities section for more examples.
Total expected funding is $20,000, with grant sizes of $4,000.
Types of allowed expenses for voter education grants
These grants can be used for projects that conduct voter education about the new elections system to specified populations. Projects can include direct voter education, community education, and communications. Ways that grant funds can be used include:
Pay for staff time
Contracted work
Purchasing equipment
Purchasing materials and supplies
Other items needed to complete the project
Some planning can be part of a voter education grant, but voter education must be the primary focus of the application. Voter education grant activity should be completed by the Nov. 5, 2024 General election, with final reporting in December 2024.
Use of funds Requirements
It is important to thoroughly review and understand how grant funds can be used before applying. Please see the Sample Activities section and review each funding category for the types of activities and additional detail. We encourage applicants to think creatively when designing projects that meet voter education goals.
Grantsmay not be used for political campaigning or electioneering. Use of funds are to be used solely for non-partisan voter education on City of Portland’s new election methods. Project activities are strictly prohibited from being used for or combined with any activities in support of or opposition to any candidate(s) for public office. Grantees will be required to sign legal agreements agreeing to how the use of funds may be used. Grantees may be removed from the program with funding rescinded if violations of this policy occur. In addition to legal liability under the law, misuse can result in the grantee having to repay 100% of grant funding to the City regardless of any incurred expenses, or may result in grantee not qualifying for future grants.
Please be advised that the City of Portland is a governmental entity that is subject to the Oregon public records law.
All documents and information submitted as part of a City grant application and award may be deemed public records subject to public disclosure under Oregon public records law. Any member of the public has the right to request the documents and information submitted in a City grant program.
If you believe that any portion of your submitted application contains confidential information, please promptly contact the City’s grant manager and identify what portion of your submission is confidential information and the legal exemption under the Oregon Public Records Act that would be applicable to permit the City to withhold the identified confidential information from public disclosure.
In the event the City receives a public records request applicable to your documents or information, the City will make an independent determination regarding exemptions that may apply to documents or information properly marked as confidential in the grant application. All application documents and information submitted in a grant program to the City may be subject to public disclosure in the event of a public records request (1) upon the City’s determination that the documents or information are subject to disclosure under public records law, (2) upon an order of the Multnomah County District Attorney, or (3) upon an order of a court.
Sample Proposal Activities
These are potential activities, not required activities, for each category of grant.
Direct Voter Contact ($30,000 - $50,000): based on organizational capacity; citywide with paid staff, including organizers, and a track record of voter education.
Direct voter contact programming such as phone banking, text banking, canvassing, and ballot assistance centers prioritizing harder to reach voters.
Canvassing and preparing door lists, phone bank lists, and mail lists from the voter file and creating canvasses, virtual phone banks, text banks, which other organizations can join to streamline data management and citywide coverage.
Distribution of printed materials to members and voters.
10 town halls / community education events.
Link or widget on organization’s website to voter education website for more info.
10 emails to membership, monthly social media posts during education and engagement blitz, and weekly social media posts during Get Out The Vote.
10 member to member outreach events.
Identify and facilitate an introduction to community or civic groups for RCV outreach.
5 mock RCV elections.
Train the trainers for staff and/or core organizational leadership.
Community Education ($15,000): culturally specific or community based with paid staff (priority to language groups).
2-5 town halls/community education events (in language).
Assist in assuring accuracy of materials in relevant language(s).
Collaborate with project team’s communications team and assist in outreach to relevant organizations, leaders, and local media.
Distribution of printed materials to members and voters.
5 emails to membership with RCV education.
10 member to member outreach events.
3-5 mock RCV elections (utilizing culturally-specific candidates).
Train the trainers for staff and/or core organizational leadership.
Join and recruit volunteers for at least two phone banks or canvasses of an organization with a direct voter contact grant.
Communications ($5,000): community based social service providers.
Distribution of voter education materials.
1-2 town halls.
5 emails to membership with RCV education.
5-10 member to member outreach events.
1-3 mock RCV elections.
Train the trainers for staff and/or core organizational leadership.
Join and recruit volunteers for at least one phone bank or canvass of an organization with a direct voter contact grant.