March 16, 2020 Census Media Strategies Conference Call Canceled
The conference call that had been scheduled for this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. to discuss social media strategies and how to handle misinformation regarding the 2020 Census has been cancelled due to more pressing matters regarding COVID 19.
The U.S. Census Bureau has issued a statement regarding COVID 19 and how it may impact Census 2020 deadlines and collections for college students. You can find this statement below.
2020 Census
Since 1790, the U.S. Census Bureau has conducted a national census every ten years. The purpose of the census is to establish an accurate count of the nation’s population. States and local governments are currently in the process of preparing for the upcoming 2020 Census, which will begin on April 1, 2020. To ensure that counties are well informed and taking all the necessary steps, ACCG created this resource center.
The Role of Counties in the Census
Ensuring that each county has an accurate census count is very important. The George Washington Institute of Public Policy reported that Georgia received almost $24 billion ($2300 per person per year ) in federal funding from the 55 largest federal programs based on 2010 census data.. Failure to count just 10 households containing 2.5 people in your county could result in the loss of $575,000 over the 10-year census period. In addition to federal funding, census data is used for local planning purposes, LOST renegotiations, service delivery, redistricting, state and federal grant eligibility, tier designation, economic development, business expansion and location, and insurance premium tax distributions.
Failing to properly prepare for and promote the census in your county can lead to an undercount which will impact your county for a 10-year period following the census. Hear directly from county manager, Merv Waldrov, and county administrator, Bob Sprinkel, on the importance and impact of census data on county government.
Local Complete Count Committees
The State Complete Count Committee was created in 2018 to provide educational and marketing tools and coordinate statewide census efforts for local communities to use in promoting the 2020 Census. Local Complete Count Committees (LCCCs) are the grassroots committees that work directly with their communities to spread awareness and should formed at the county level. LCCCs are established to educate and inform the public about the importance of participating in the 2020 Census and how census data impacts their community. These committees should be made up of a wide variety of stakeholders including county and municipal leaders, local schools and colleges, regional commissions, extension services, media, faith based organizations, community organizations, ethnic/cultural organizations, employers, or any other groups in your county that can help maximize participation. Creating a LCCC in your county will strengthen the planning and execution of outreach efforts, especially in hard to count areas. There are numerous toolkits available to help LCCCs plan and market their outreach strategies.
SCCC Toolkit for Local Complete Count Committees
US Census 2020 Census Toolkit for State and Local Officials
Media and Marketing Resources
The SCCC and the US Census Bureau have created dozens of downloadable fact sheets, posters, videos, merchandise, and other materials that can be used to promote the 2020 Census. The SCCC has even created posters that can be customized with photos of local community leaders and issues that reflect the needs of your community. Additionally, Voices for Georgia’s Children and Georgia Family Connection have partnered to create a website with resources that include videos, fact sheets, and printed material that provide specific Georgia based information on the census impact to children, education, and healthcare. Further, the Valdosta State University Center for South Georgia Regional Impact has free Census posters and table tents available for their 41 county service area.
SCCC TV, Video, and Radio Spots
Center for South Georgia Regional Impact Resources
US Census Taglines and Logos in Different Languages
US Census Promotional Materials and Guidelines
ACCG-GMA 2020 Census Workshops and Webinar Materials
ACCG and GMA held a series of census workshops in the spring of 2019 on creating local complete count committees. ACCG and GMA also hosted a webinar on January 9, 2020 on LCCC timelines, strategies, and available marketing materials. Workshop materials by location as well as the webinar video and PowerPoint are provided below.
Macon-Bibb County (Video Link #1; Video Link #2)
Georgia and County Census Facts
Facts sheets, infographics, statistics, articles, and maps have been created from a variety of sources that show Georgia based county and state level information on the census.
County Population Gains and Losses
County 2010 Census Response Rates and Internet Access Statistics
County Level Census Data
GWU Counting for Dollars Georgia
Is Your County Prepared for the 2020 Census?
Hard-to-Count Areas
After each census, the U. S. Census Bureau reviews response rates. Areas that have low response rates are considered to be hard-to-count. Reasons for low response rates may be language barriers, low trust in government, or poor communications with citizens in certain groups or communities. There are several resources that will help your county to identify previous areas that were previously noted as hard-to-count.
Georgia Hard to Count Maps
Using Census tools, DCA and OPB created maps that show the hard-to-count areas in Georgia by each DCA District, Congressional District, and county.
Resource: DCA Maps; Congressional Maps; County Maps
CUNY Mapping Service
The City University of New York (CUNY) Mapping Service at the Center for Urban Research has developed a map of hard-to-count (HTC) communities to highlight areas of the country whose populations had low mail return rates for the 2010 Census. The map provides information to help stakeholders ensure these hard-to-count areas and populations are fully counted.
Resource: https://www.censushardtocountmaps2020.us/
The Response Outreach Area Mapper
The Response Outreach Area Mapper (ROAM) is designed to show characteristics of hard-to-count areas. This map shows the Low Response Score (LRS) for an area. The higher the number, the more difficult the area may be to survey. If the LRS is low, the area has a high probability of returning their census form immediately.
Census Engagement Navigator
The Census Engagement Navigator was specifically created to prepare for the 2020 census. It allows users to understand what areas of the country had high or low return rates in the 2010 Census, and the current demographic makeup of these neighborhoods.
Resource: https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/engagement.html
2010 Response Rates
Response Rates from the 2010 Census are available and can be broken down by state, county, city, and more. It also compares the participation rate from 2000 to 2010.
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