Election Assistance Commission December 3, 2009; Noon, EST HAVA Funds Effective Practices and Competencies Project

1. Election Assistance CommissionDecember 3, 2009; Noon, ESTHAVA Funds Effective Practices and Competencies Project

2. Purpose/Outcomes of Call: • Introductions • Purpose of Project • How We Will Gather Input and Information • Key Role of EAC Federal Assistance Recipients • Background on Practical Strategy LLC and MLKenefick LLC • Potential Topics • What We Will Be Asking of You • Developing Useful Tools • Timeline • Your Questions / Suggestions and Next Steps Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

3. Purpose of Project To identify and share practices that allow both states and the EAC to implement HAVA more efficiently and effectively: 1) Program effectiveness 2) Compliance with federal laws and other requirements Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

4. Collect Information and Perspectives from Four Information Pathways: Primary Pathway: 1) EAC Federal Assistance Recipients Additional Pathways: 2) EAC Commissioners, personnel and documents 3) Feedback from EAC site visits with states (conducted with EAC and MLKenefick LLC) 4) Other federal agencies and outside experts known for effective management of federal funds Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

5. Primary Pathway: EAC Federal Assistance Recipients Feedback from Site Visits (conducted by MLKenefick LLC) Other Federal Agencies and Experts Four Information Pathways EAC Commissioners, Staff, and Documents Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

6. Two organizations provide support to the EAC on this project: Practical Strategy LLC and MLKenefick LLC. Practical Strategy has the overall lead on the effort with a primary focus on the HAVA Funds Effective Practices and Competencies Project. MLKenefick LLC is in the lead on the Technical and Policy Support to Fund Recipients (which as noted in this presentation is also a “pathway” of information for the Effective Practices and Competencies project). Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

7. Practical Strategy LLC • Provides consulting services that improve performance for federal government, state agencies, non-profit organizations, and foundations. • Relevant projects include: streamlining grants management processes for the Corporation for National and Community service and developing core competencies on effective grants management for Learn and Serve America Sally Sachar leads practical strategy and has more than 25 years of experience as a proven leader of government agencies and non-profits. She served as Deputy Chief of Staff at the US Department of Labor, a tenure at the National Governors Association, and President and CEO of the Washington Scholarship Fund (a non-profit and federal grantee), among many others. The experience as a grantor and grantee gives her an understanding of the issues facing federal and state agencies and the challenges they face. She has an M.B.A. with a concentration in Public Management, Boston University, Highest Honors; a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University with honors in Political Science and has three times completed executive education at the Social Enterprise Program an Harvard Business School. Jennifer Molinoff has 15 years of experience in corporate and non-profit settings. At Practical Strategy she has conducted research and analyzed policies to recommend strategic, legislative, and programmatic improvements to federal agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. She holds an M.A. in education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a B.A. in history from Rutgers University where she graduated phi beta kappa with highest honors. Liz Plant has experience prior to Practical Strategy of leading a small non-profit organization focused on education reform, and previously worked at an organization, launching a historic federally funded program through a competitive federal grant. She has an M.P.P. from Georgetown University in Education, Social, and Family Policy and a B.A. in psychology and public policy from the College of William and Mary. For more information on Practical Strategy and its focus, mission, and prior experience go to: www.practicalstrategy.org Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

8. MLKenefick LLC • Provides financial and organizational development assistance and training and support services to state and federal governments and local and national nonprofits involved in a variety of federally funded grant programs. Mike Kenefick, the principal of MLKenefick, LLC has more than 35 years of experience in contracts and grants management with extensive knowledge of OMB Circulars, federal acquisition regulations and federal grant administration practices and audits and serving in many federal leadership roles as director of grants and contracts, most recently for the Corporation for National Service. Through his LLC, he assists federal, state and nonprofit clients by: evaluating administration of federal programs at the state level; training commissioners; providing grant and financial oversight of sub-grantees; audit resolution and grant and financial management training. John Webster, CPA, CGFM, is an experienced and highly regarded instructor delivering Financial Management training to Federal Government, states, nonprofit and commercial clients. The former Chief Financial Officer for the Library of Congress, he is an expert in and teaches appropriation law, accounting and internal controls and OMB Circulars for federal grant recipients. He also provides specialized services and analyses to a wide variety of clients in the management of grants and finances. How will MLKenefick. LLC be involved in this project? • Audit Checklist: Develop an audit checklist for use by EAC and states reflecting standard audit practices and focusing on specific findings and issues related to HAVA audits. This checklist will help states identify their needs and assistance that may be available before audit. • Onsite and Remote Visits: Aside from assisting states, will capture information on capabilities, challenges, etc. and provide important information to the EAC Effective Practices and Competencies Project. Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

9. Key Objectives for Project: The primary objectives for the EAC Effective Practices and Competencies Project is to apply knowledge gained from the four pathways to: 1) Learn about State capabilities, needs, challenges, and successes 2) Create tools that will be useful for communicating information about Federal Assistance Recipient effectiveness (programmatic and financial management) 3) Streamline and Reform EAC business practices to better meet state’s needs Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

10. Topics for Inclusion in Project Might Include: • Meeting HAVA Statutory Requirements -- Maintenance of Effort Instructions / Templates -- Developing State Plans • OMB Circulars -- Inventory Control -- Managing Sub-Recipients -- Program/Financial Reporting • Performance Reporting—showing impact of HAVA funds Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

11. Two Main Phases of Project: Phase A: Collect Information December through Mid-May, 2010 EAC Federal Assistance Recipients are the central contributors, partners, and focus as we gather input and compile information to help support them. --------- Phase B: Tool Development/Roll-out Mid-May through August, 2010 In partnership with States, we will develop tools and supports focused on practices (EAC and States) and competencies Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

12. EAC Federal Assistance Recipient Ongoing Focus Group: Your expertise and input is essential for success. We hope after hearing about this project, you are willing to participate so we can learn from you – the experts. We will be respectful of your time and use it as efficiently as possible. What will we be asking of you? We anticipate regular conference calls, listening sessions, site visits, an online survey, individual conversations, and products/tools for you to contribute or react to in an iterative way but one that will not be burdensome. Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

13. Developing Useful Tools: In partnership with States, we will develop tools and supports focused on practices and competencies. Tools based on needs and effective practices determined from our research and your input, and may include: • Webinars on key topics • Electronic self-assessment tools • Policies that EAC may need to develop/clarify • Briefing Documents Or other tools/practices or policy changes recommended through our information gathering, with a focus on user-friendly, useful, and concise products and a more customer-service oriented approach by EAC. Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

14. Timeline and Key Milestones: December 2009: Project Launch – “Effective Practices and Competencies for HAVA Federal Assistance Recipients” Dec 2009 – Feb 2010: Collect information from the four pathways March 2010 – Mid-May 2010: Submit, revise, and finalize content to inform tools. Additional information may be collected during this period. Mid-May 2010 – June 2010: Develop and test tools in collaboration with EAC Federal Assistance Recipients July 2010 – Aug 2010: Revise, finalize, and disseminate tools Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients

15. Questions / Suggestions: We welcome your feedback, suggestions, questions, and ideas for the best way to get your input going forward. What are the next steps? We will be following up with the Federal Assistance Recipients focus group members to schedule individual conversations. We will develop an interview guide and ask for input on that from a few of you who volunteer to offer input and reaction. For more detailed information or questions please contact Liz Plant: eplant@practicalstrategy.org Election Assistance Commission’s Effective Practices and Competencies Project For Federal Assistance Recipients