Census 2010

The decennial census, occurring again in 2010, is crucial to ensuring all citizens are represented and served by our democracy. Census data help determine the distribution of federal funds to state and local governments, influence community and economic planning, and control how many seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and how congressional and legislative districts are drawn. Certain populations are commonly undercounted in the census, causing their under-representation in government as well as the underfunding of crucial services and infrastructure.

Nonprofits are needed to obtain a complete count. State Voices' state networks and their partner organizations are already working toward this goal, focusing on hard to count communities and areas:

• In Nevada, the table is using the Census as an opportunity to deepen relationships with marginalized communities. Planned activities include holding trainings for community leaders on the relationship between census work and community organizing and empowerment, canvassing at least 6 Hard-to-Count Precincts in Reno and Las Vegas to mobilize census participation prior to Census Day, and organizing Census rallies in both Reno and Las Vegas. Additionally, at least 6 out of 10 table partners will have one representative on a Complete Count Committee in either Reno or Las Vegas.

• The Minnesota Civic Engagement Table (MN CET) assisted 5 groups in their applications for Partner Support Program funds from the US Census Bureau to use in their outreach programs by connecting partner organizations to Census Bureau specialists, assisting in the development of specific plans and writing for fund requests to implement their plans.  In this first round, MN CET partners have applied for a total of $27,000.  Three groups have been awarded grants, and the rest are currently under review.  MN CET staff are assisting partners in designing outreach plans that extend from fall 2009 to summer 2010.  As MN CET staff collect partner plans, they are coordinating work to avoid duplication and analyzing the gaps in Census outreach. The staff is currently developing a census field plan to address the gaps in partner plans.

For detailed state plans on these and other issues, click here.