Ferroelectric ceramics are important candidates for actuators in off-resonance applications. Recently, two aspects have been in the focus concerning this class of materials: (i) the flexoelectric effect for additional actuation capability and as fail-safe option at high temperatures, (ii) enhancing the actuation capability of lead-free ferroelectrics by composite design. The first part of this presentation deals with the concept of improving the actuation of lead-free piezoceramics by combining so-called non-ergodic and ergodic relaxors in composite structures. One key idea here is to understand the role of the transport of space charges in screening polarization charges at interfaces. Furthermore, by extensive parameter variations, the key end member properties and the volume fractions have been identified that lead to a composite effect with improved actuation capability beyond the rule of mixtures. In the second part of this talk, we present a Finite Element Method for the full spectrum of ferroelectric and flexoelectric non-linear electromechanical coupling phenomena based on variational formulations. This tool has been applied to the analysis of wafers having single sided micron scale interdigitated electrode configuration with respect to their capability to show a recognizable flexoelectric effect due to field gradients.