Elections

April 18, 2024

Federal Work Study funds eligible for variety of elections-related activities
Coalition of organizations create toolkit to help

Federal Work Study funding for community service has always been permitted for use with community groups and local governmental agencies, but until recently there wasn’t much guidance as to whether this was also true for voter engagement work.

Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a “Dear Colleague” letter reminding institutions of higher education of their obligation under the Higher Education Act to “make a good faith effort” to distribute voter registration forms to their students. 

The letter also stated that “If a student is employed directly by a postsecondary institution, the institution may compensate a student for Federal Work-Study employment involving voter registration activities that take place on or off-campus.” 

In an additional “Dear Colleague” letter issued in February of 2024, the Department clarified that higher education institutions can partner with local or state elections offices to place FWS student workers in positions that support nonpartisan and non-political activities such as broad-based get-out-the-vote activities, voter registration, providing voter assistance at a polling place or through a voter hotline, or serving as a poll worker.