News for Nonprofits

Important Census 2010 information for nonprofits

From the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network

April 1 is Census Day. As the 2010 Census approaches, nonprofits need to support an accurate count through outreach and promotion activities that educate their constituencies about the importance of the census. The Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network has created a website nonprofitscount.org and a Census Toolkit for nonprofits.

This kit, available on CD-ROM and online, features everything a nonprofit needs to get involved with the 2010 Census.  Contents of the CD-ROM include a popular fact sheet series in both English and Spanish, sample Census forms, a Census Bureau partnership form and many more resources.

Why is the Census so important to the nonprofit community?

Lower income and more mobile populations, precisely those served by many nonprofits, are frequently undercounted by the census, leading to under funding of critical services and infrastructure and under-representation in government.  Nonprofits can play an important role in making sure their communities are fully and accurately counted by educating them on the importance of the census and how to participate.  The Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network is committed to providing tools and resources to help nonprofits engage their communities in the 2010 census through our Nonprofits Count campaign.

How is Census Data Used?

The data collected by the Census next year will be used to determine a host of issues critical to the nonprofit community, including but not limited to: Decisions about what community services to provide and how to distribute more than $300 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year for the next 10 years.  Examples include spending on:

  • Title 1 grants to educational agencies (school districts across the nation)
  • Head Start programs
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) (food grants)
  • Public transportation
  • Road rehabilitation and construction
  • Programs for the elderly
  • Emergency food and shelter
  • Empowerment zone
  • The drawing of Congressional, State House and State Senate district lines
  • Distribution of Congressional seats to states
What You Can Do

Every person counted in your community brings funding, representation and resources to the people you serve and engage every day. Nonprofits can communicate the importance of the census just by including it in their ongoing activities, services and communications. Here are basic activities your nonprofit can do to “get out the count” in the 2010 Census.

  • Educate – Educate yourself and your organization on Census 2010. Assign a lead person – assign someone at your nonprofit to take the lead on the Census. Read our fact sheets. Get informed. Put the Census on the agenda of your next staff or board meeting. Find out what’s at stake for your state and community in federal funds, political representation and public and private investment. Learn about which populations are hardest to count and the eight steps the Census is taking to count everyone
  • Communicate – Add the Census to all your communications from now through April. Put news items or facts from our website in your e-newsletter, on a blog or in other social media. Make the Census visible in your agency, on your website (download a Nonprofits Count web badge) and in the community. As the April 1st count gets closer, announce the Census at meetings. Ask a media partner like a local radio station or respected community leader, such as a board member, to help your nonprofit get the message out
  • Activate – Activate your staff. Make sure your staff and volunteers understand the importance of the Census. Train them to answer basic questions about the Census or know where to send people for help.

    Activate your constituents. Find simple ways to engage your constituents about the Census during intake or home visits, at meetings or events, in communications and printed materials and in regular services, classes or training programs

    Activate your community. Ask staff and constituents to get their friends and neighbors to fill out their forms. Make the Census a top community activity for late March and early April 2010. 

For more information about Nonprofits Count or the 2010 Census visit NonprofitsCount.org or the 2010 Census homepage.