On July 7th, the Arlington County Board Office held a virtual information session to answer technical questions about the applications. The full video is available here. Questions and responses are listed below.
Will the County Board staff tell us where to target our efforts?
While consulting with County Board Office staff, and other resources such as the existing feedback form results, is recommended; the expectation of this NOFA is for the awarded organization to determine where best to engage. On Page 2, Proposal Requirements, 2.C: “Identification of the specific communities or populations the organization intends to reach, providing a rationale for their selection.”
Were the feedback forms available to anyone who wanted to participate? Were they administered in a scientific manner?
The feedback forms were open to the public and anonymous but did not follow a scientific methodology as a formal survey would. These forms were meant to capture a “snapshot” of public feedback for Board consideration. The platform used for these feedback forms was PublicInput. The forms were anonymous and distributed via email, press releases, and our website.
Would asking for funds to print door hangers and then distribute them qualify under the guidelines?
Yes. However, strategies must further the stated objective of increasing voter knowledge and comfort, and should also address a mix of digital, print, and grassroots strategies.
As noted on Page 2, Proposal Requirements, 2.D: “A high-level overview of the planned outreach and education strategy, highlighting key methods and anticipated outcomes”
Do you have any information about registered voters? Is this information publicly available?
Yes. The Office of Voter Registration and Elections centralizes this information, as well as annual reports on this webpage. As of June 2025, there are 168,672 active voters.
Note: Arlington has 180,310 voters as of July 1st. This includes active and inactive. “Inactive voters” is short for voters with inactive addresses. They are voters that likely have moved.
Will registered voter mailing and phone information be made available to engage on this project?
Mailing information can be requested through the Virginia Department of Elections, here. Any non-profit organization providing outreach/education is eligible for the list. Applicants are encouraged to include the costs of acquiring this information in their proposal.
How will the money be divided up among different groups?
Funding is intended for one recipient, but it may be possible to award funding to more than one recipient depending on the scope of their submissions. Recipient(s), however, is (are) encouraged to work with any local organizations to achieve goals and objectives.
Can the groups work together on a project?
Groups are encouraged to leverage community connections and partners.
When are the start dates and completion dates of these education efforts?
These details are detailed in the RCV NOFA template agreement, but copied below for ease of reference:
- August 1, 2025 (Estimated) – Selection of Project
- September 12, 2025 – Wind up Meeting
- September 30, 2025 – Progress Report
- October 14, 2025 – Status Meeting
- January 30, 2026 – (Post-Election) Written report to the Board
- February 2026 – In-Person Public Presentation at the February 2026 Recessed Board Meeting
Would the Arlington County Board be open to applications from organizations that are registered as for-profits but implement grant-funded, nonprofit activities?
No. Grant funds are intended for nonprofit organizations only.
It is required in the NOFA application to list a business license. What if my non-profit doesn’t have one?
Providing this information is “as-applicable”. If your non-profit is also registered as a business in Arlington County, that information will be used to determine if it is in good standing.
What RCV Education Materials are currently available, and how did local organizations use them in the past?
RCV education materials, including FAQs, educational videos, and workshop toolkits, are publicly available at this webpage. In 2023, when RCV was first being piloted in County Board primary election, the Office of Voter Registration and Elections held 20 stand-alone outreach events with local organizations, civic associations, and political parties (June 2023 Report). In subsequent election cycles, RCV education resources and presentations have been provided as part of the standard operating outreach this office conducts. Local organizations have continued to utilize these materials in their own individual capacities.
Can the recipient of this grant expect to work closely with the County Board Office?
Yes, collaboration is welcomed and expected. While any proposal ultimately needs to stand on its own, the Board Office welcomes—and encourages, on page 2, under section 4 of proposal requirements, that proposals: “consider opportunities to partner with community organizations, or with County Board Members themselves as trusted messengers within the community in furtherance of the plan’s educational or outreach activities.”
Are there plans/expectations for engaging underrepresented groups through this process?
Yes. The RCV NOFA asks applicants the consider in their proposals the following questions from the County’s RACE Framework:
- Who benefits? Who is positively impacted by this policy, program, or decision?
- Who is burdened? Who might be negatively impacted or left out?
- Who is missing? Whose voices, perspectives, or experiences are not represented or considered?
- How do we know? Who might be negatively impacted or left out
Appendix 1 of the NOFA application also explains how proposals will be scored on Equity considerations.
Who will be assessing applications?
An independent panel will assess the applications and proposals of this NOFA.
Will the proposal require both a technical proposal and a budget?
Yes. Appendix 2 of the NOFA document lists how to scope out these details in a proposal.