diff --git a/styles/components/_empty_state.scss b/styles/components/_empty_state.scss
index 0e102a4d..12405e05 100644
--- a/styles/components/_empty_state.scss
+++ b/styles/components/_empty_state.scss
@@ -1,28 +1,20 @@
 .empty-state {
-  text-align: center;
-  padding: 5rem ($gap * 2) 2rem;
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  align-items: center;
+  padding: $gap * 3;
   max-width: 100%;
+  background-color: $color-gray-lightest;
+  margin-top: $gap * 5;
 
-  > .icon {
-    @include icon-size(50);
-    @include icon-color($color-gray-light);
+  hr {
+    margin-left: -$gap * 3;
+    margin-right: -$gap * 3;
   }
 
-  &__message {
-    font-weight: $font-bold;
-  }
+  &__footer {
+    text-align: center;
 
-  &__sub-message {
-    @include h4;
-
-    color: $color-gray;
-    max-width: 100%;
-
-    @include media($large-screen) {
-      @include h3;
+    a.usa-button {
+      width: 60%;
+      display: inline-block;
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/templates/applications/index.html b/templates/applications/index.html
index bc7ae431..2d3e7d42 100644
--- a/templates/applications/index.html
+++ b/templates/applications/index.html
@@ -24,12 +24,11 @@
   {% if not portfolio.applications %}
 
     {{ EmptyState(
-      'This portfolio doesn’t have any applications',
-      action_label='Add a new application' if can_create_applications else None,
-      action_href=url_for('applications.create_new_application_step_1', portfolio_id=portfolio.id) if can_create_applications else None,
-      icon='cloud',
-      sub_message=None if can_create_applications else 'Please contact your JEDI Cloud portfolio administrator to set up a new application.',
-      add_perms=can_create_applications
+      header="You don't have any Applications yet",
+      message="You can manage multiple Applications within a single Portfolio as long as the funding sources are the same.",
+      button_text="Create Your First Application",
+      button_link=url_for("applications.view_new_application_step_1", portfolio_id=portfolio.id),
+      view_only_text="Contact your portfolio administrator to add an application."
     ) }}
 
   {% else %}
diff --git a/templates/components/empty_state.html b/templates/components/empty_state.html
index a9d9ff5e..9989e4f8 100644
--- a/templates/components/empty_state.html
+++ b/templates/components/empty_state.html
@@ -1,20 +1,14 @@
-{% from "components/icon.html" import Icon %}
-
-{% macro EmptyState(message, action_label, action_href, icon=None, sub_message=None, add_perms=True) -%}
-  <div class='empty-state'>
-    <p class='empty-state__message'>{{ message }}</p>
-
-    {% if icon %}
-      {{ Icon(icon) }}
-    {% endif %}
-
-    {% if sub_message %}
-      <p class='empty-state__sub-message'>{{ sub_message }}</p>
-    {% endif %}
-
-    {% if add_perms and (action_href and action_label) %}
-      <a href='{{ action_href }}' class='usa-button usa-button-big'>{{ action_label }}</a>
-    {% endif %}
-
+{% macro EmptyState(header, message, button_text, button_link, view_only_text, user_can_create=True) %}
+  <div class="empty-state">
+    <h3>{{ header }}</h3>
+    <p>{{ message }}</p>
+    <hr>
+    <div class="empty-state__footer">
+      {% if user_can_create %}
+        <a href="{{ button_link }}" class="usa-button usa-button-primary">{{ button_text }}</a>
+      {% else %}
+        <p>{{ view_only_text }}</p>
+      {% endif %}
+    </div>
   </div>
-{%- endmacro %}
+{% endmacro %}
diff --git a/templates/portfolios/reports/application_and_env_spending.html b/templates/portfolios/reports/application_and_env_spending.html
index e43ebf0c..8accd0e6 100644
--- a/templates/portfolios/reports/application_and_env_spending.html
+++ b/templates/portfolios/reports/application_and_env_spending.html
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@
     %}
 
     {{ EmptyState(
-      ('portfolios.reports.empty_state.message' | translate),
-      action_label= ('portfolios.reports.empty_state.action_label' | translate) if can_create_applications else None,
-      action_href=url_for('applications.create_new_application_step_1', portfolio_id=portfolio.id) if can_create_applications else None,
-      icon='chart',
-      sub_message=message,
-      add_perms=can_create_applications
+      header='portfolios.reports.empty_state.message' | translate,
+      message=message,
+      button_text="Add a new application",
+      button_link=url_for("applications.view_new_application_step_1", portfolio_id=portfolio.id),
+      view_only_text="Contact your portfolio administrator to create an application."
     ) }}
+
   {% else %}
     <spend-table
       v-bind:applications='{{ monthly_totals['applications'] | tojson }}'
diff --git a/templates/task_orders/index.html b/templates/task_orders/index.html
index aca7b052..dae2715f 100644
--- a/templates/task_orders/index.html
+++ b/templates/task_orders/index.html
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@
     {{ TaskOrderList(task_orders) }}
   {% else %}
     {{ EmptyState(
-      'This portfolio doesn’t have any active or pending task orders.',
-      action_label='Add a New Task Order',
-      action_href=url_for('task_orders.form_step_one_add_pdf', portfolio_id=portfolio.id),
-      icon='cloud',
-      add_perms=user_can(permissions.CREATE_TASK_ORDER)
+      header="Add approved task orders",
+      message="Upload your approved Task Order here. You are required to confirm you have the appropriate signature. You will have the ability to add additional approved Task Orders with more funding to this Portfolio in the future.",
+      button_link=url_for('task_orders.form_step_one_add_pdf', portfolio_id=portfolio.id),
+      button_text="Add Task Order",
+      view_only_text="Contact your portfolio administrator to add a Task Order."
     ) }}
   {% endif %}
 </div>