2020 Census Resources

We're just one year out from the decennial Census. GCN has put together some of the most vital resources and news sources to support your Census-related efforts.

A complete and accurate count has critical implications on our organizations and those we serve on a daily basis:

• legislative redistricting, shaping power and policy for the next decade
• federal and state allocations to public and nonprofit agencies
• enabling accurate market research to inform your programming decisions and, more broadly, investments in your communities

The following resources are curated for nonprofits and community leaders who want to ensure that their constituents are represented in the 2020 count.

NEWS & UPDATES

For the most up-to-date news, insights, and deep-dives, Hansi Lo Wang (@hansilowang) is on the Census beat for NPR.

If you’re more into podcasts, check out Code Switch on your favorite listening platform. Codeswitch covers race, identity, and culture with periodic reporting on the Census.

RESOURCES

Timeline 
As a general guide for coordinating Census-related programming and communications, the Census has put together a timeline of key activities and milestones.

For the first time, people are encouraged to complete the Census online. In fact, 80% will be classified as "internet first" respondents. Everyone will receive notifications and instruction by mail. Here's what that campaign will look like (click the image for full-size).

Hard-to-Count
The City University of New York (CUNY) developed an interactive mapping tool to highlight areas that are projected to be underrepresented in 2020. In Georgia, these communities are often comprised of rural, low-income, people of color, or some combination of these characteristics. 

Messaging 
Multiple agencies have studied how to message the Census to maximize the completion rate among specific segments, especially hard-to-count populations. The findings can be found here:

• Institute for Southern Studies: "2020 Census Messaging Research" [PDF]

• US Census Bureau: "2020 Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Study (CBAMS)" [PDF]

The Carl Vinson Institute of Government has developed Georgia-specific branding guidlines [PDF] for use in any collateral and campaigns community organizations may be conducting.

Additional Resources
Georgia-specific info and resources can be found at census.georgia.gov.

Local governments and public agencies can find specific resources at the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) sites.

The Funders Committee for Civic Participation is supporting the philanthropic community with fact sheets, webinars, and other materials. They are also actively convening and engaging stakeholders around the country.

GET INVOLVED

The Georgia-wide Governor’s Complete Count Committee is the primary planning entity for Census 2020 in the state. 

If you are interested in creating or joining a local CCC, sign-up here. Local CCCs are particularly useful in understanding, connecting, and motivating your communities to complete the Census.