April 1st was “Get Ready for Census Day” in Minnesota. Getting an accurate census count is important for a couple of reasons:
- $300 billion in federal dollars, as well as billions of additional state dollars, are apportioned to local communities for health, education, transportation and other programs, based on census data.
- The reapportionment of legislative seats at the federal, state, and local levels are determined based on census data.
- Census data can be used for planning purposes, to understand population distribution and needs.
There are a number of ways that foundations, nonprofits, governments, and individuals can prepare for the 2010 Census, to be held on April 1, 2010.
The Population Resource Center, which was originally established to encourage foundations to fund “population” programs and to provide them with population data, has a collection of relevant links and information, including the Foundation Guide to the 2010 Census. The guide includes information for foundations interested in assisting with census-related community outreach efforts.
The Minnesota Participation Project offers information on why accurate census data matter to nonprofits around the state. MPP will be convening nonprofits to plan a coordinated, targeted census outreach effort.
The State Demographic Center is hosting a series of Town Hall meetings in communities around the state designed to help local governments increase participation in the census.
At 75%, Minnesota had one of the highest response rates to the 2000 census; let’s aim even higher in 2010.
–Juliana Tillema, MCF research manager
