Opportunity Information: Apply for H98210 24 1 0001
EASE 4.0 is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the Department of Defense through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP). The program is aimed at improving the absentee voting experience for voters covered by UOCAVA, meaning Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act voters such as military members, their eligible family members, and overseas citizens. The core purpose is to reduce the real-world barriers these voters face across the absentee voting lifecycle and to encourage practical, innovative approaches that make it more likely their ballots are successfully received and counted.
A central requirement in this opportunity is a firm prohibition: funded projects cannot involve electronic transmission of a voted (completed) ballot back to election offices. Any system that actually transmits the marked ballot electronically is not eligible for funding. Applicants are expected to be explicit in their proposals about how their approach avoids electronic return of voted ballots, since FVAP flags this as a key point for reviewers.
The main objective for EASE 4.0 is research-driven: produce data that helps FVAP advance its responsibilities around supporting electronic absentee voting practices for states and UOCAVA voters. In practice, this means projects should focus on research, development, testing, and evaluation of electronic absentee voting support tools and processes. The expectation is that funded work will generate measurable evidence about cost-effective methods that can be adopted and sustained by election offices, rather than one-off pilots that cannot scale or be maintained.
The types of activities highlighted include building or improving electronic tools that strengthen parts of absentee voting that are allowed to be electronic, especially on the outbound and administrative sides of the process. Examples called out include better electronic transmission of blank (outbound) ballots from election offices to voters, improved tracking of outbound mailed ballots, and identity or document authentication methods such as digital signature verification, including approaches comparable to using the Department of Defense Common Access Card on election documents. These examples point to a focus on speed, reliability, verification, and transparency for voters and election officials without crossing the line into electronic ballot return.
FVAP is also looking for work that increases the percentage of ballots successfully returned by UOCAVA voters using permitted return methods, and that reduces failure rates at multiple stages where UOCAVA voters commonly encounter issues. The opportunity specifically names voter registration, absentee ballot request, delivery of the blank ballot, ballot marking, ballot tabulation, and return verification. An important performance concept here is closing the gap between UOCAVA voters and the general electorate: success is framed as reducing UOCAVA failure rates relative to comparable stages and similar demographic groups in the broader voting population.
Another goal is building a continuing pipeline of ideas, techniques, and best practices that election officials can use to serve UOCAVA voters. In other words, FVAP is not only funding tools, but also the learning and operational know-how that can be reused by other jurisdictions, improved over time, and shared as proven practices.
Eligibility is limited to government entities: state governments and local governments at the county and city or township levels. The total funding available across all awards is $5,321,655.50, and FVAP indicates that multiple awards may be made from that total. The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number H98210 24 1 0001, CFDA 12.219, with an original application closing date of April 30, 2024.Apply for H98210 24 1 0001
- The Department of Defense in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "EASE 4.0" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.219.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-03-04.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,321,655.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - EASE 4.0 (FVAP)
What is EASE 4.0?
EASE 4.0 is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the Department of Defense through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP). It supports work that improves the absentee voting experience for voters covered by UOCAVA (the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act).
Who is the program intended to help?
The program is aimed at UOCAVA voters, including military members, their eligible family members, and overseas citizens who use absentee voting.
What is the main purpose of EASE 4.0?
The core purpose is to reduce real-world barriers UOCAVA voters face across the absentee voting lifecycle and to encourage practical, innovative approaches that increase the likelihood ballots are successfully received and counted.
What is the most important restriction applicants need to know?
Funded projects cannot involve electronic transmission of a voted (completed) ballot back to election offices. Any system that transmits a marked ballot electronically is not eligible for funding.
Does the electronic return prohibition mean any electronic tools are disallowed?
No. The prohibition is specifically about electronic return of voted (marked) ballots. The opportunity highlights electronic tools and processes that support other parts of the absentee voting process that are allowed to be electronic, especially outbound and administrative functions.
How should applicants address the prohibition on electronic return of voted ballots?
Applicants are expected to be explicit in their proposals about how their approach avoids electronic return of voted ballots. FVAP identifies this as a key point reviewers will look for.
What is the main objective of EASE 4.0-funded work?
The main objective is research-driven: to produce data that helps FVAP advance its responsibilities related to supporting electronic absentee voting practices for states and UOCAVA voters.
What types of projects does EASE 4.0 emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes research, development, testing, and evaluation of electronic absentee voting support tools and processes, with an expectation that funded efforts will generate measurable evidence.
What does FVAP mean by “measurable evidence” and “cost-effective methods”?
Based on the opportunity description, FVAP is looking for outcomes and data that demonstrate which approaches work, at what cost, and how they can be adopted and sustained by election offices (rather than one-off pilots that cannot scale or be maintained).
What are examples of allowable electronic-focused activities mentioned in the opportunity?
Examples highlighted include improving electronic transmission of blank (outbound) ballots from election offices to voters, improving tracking of outbound mailed ballots, and developing identity or document authentication methods such as digital signature verification, including approaches comparable to using the Department of Defense Common Access Card on election documents.
Is improving blank ballot delivery (outbound ballots) within scope?
Yes. The opportunity specifically calls out better electronic transmission of blank (outbound) ballots from election offices to voters as an example area of focus.
Is ballot tracking within scope?
Yes. The opportunity specifically mentions improved tracking of outbound mailed ballots as an example of the kinds of improvements EASE 4.0 may fund.
Are identity verification or document authentication approaches within scope?
Yes. The opportunity highlights identity or document authentication methods such as digital signature verification, including approaches comparable to using the Department of Defense Common Access Card on election documents.
Is the grant focused only on tools, or also on research and evaluation?
It is explicitly research-driven and emphasizes development, testing, and evaluation. FVAP is seeking data and evidence that can inform broader adoption by election offices.
What parts of the absentee voting lifecycle does EASE 4.0 care about improving?
The opportunity names multiple stages where UOCAVA voters commonly encounter issues: voter registration, absentee ballot request, delivery of the blank ballot, ballot marking, ballot tabulation, and return verification.
Does the opportunity aim to increase successful ballot returns?
Yes. FVAP is looking for work that increases the percentage of ballots successfully returned by UOCAVA voters using permitted return methods and that reduces failure rates across stages of the process.
How does FVAP define success for reducing “failure rates”?
Success is framed as reducing UOCAVA failure rates relative to comparable stages and similar demographic groups in the broader voting population, helping close the gap between UOCAVA voters and the general electorate.
What does FVAP mean by a “pipeline” of ideas and best practices?
FVAP is seeking not only tools, but also reusable learning and operational know-how that election officials can apply across jurisdictions, improve over time, and share as proven practices.
Who is eligible to apply for EASE 4.0?
Eligibility is limited to government entities: state governments and local governments at the county and city or township levels.
Are non-government entities eligible to apply?
Not based on the information provided. The eligibility statement limits applicants to state governments and specified local governments.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The total funding available across all awards is $5,321,655.50.
Will FVAP make one award or multiple awards?
FVAP indicates that multiple awards may be made from the total available funding.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for EASE 4.0?
The Funding Opportunity Number is H98210 24 1 0001.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 12.219.
What was the application closing date?
The original application closing date listed for this opportunity was April 30, 2024.
Why does the opportunity emphasize sustainability and scalability?
FVAP’s stated expectation is that funded work will produce evidence about methods that election offices can adopt and sustain. This indicates a preference for approaches that can scale beyond a one-time pilot and be maintained operationally.
What is the overall theme of the work FVAP is trying to fund?
Improving speed, reliability, verification, and transparency in the absentee voting experience for UOCAVA voters, while staying within the firm restriction that voted ballots cannot be transmitted electronically back to election offices.
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