We are just 23 days away from Census Day. Beginning April 1, everyone who lives in the U.S. and participates in the census will be counted at the place where they reside most of the year.

This week invitations to complete the census will arrive in mailboxes around the country. The outreach is the first in a series of planned mailers from the U.S. Census Bureau to U.S. households between now and the end of April.

A complete count is critical for our state, as Michigan stands to lose $1,800 for every person who isn’t counted, not just once, but every year for the next decade.

That’s why there’s a final push happening on the state level to encourage residents around Michigan to participate. This week, the state’s Complete Count Committee is hosting a series of town halls to encourage census participation and to answer residents’ questions.

Meanwhile, a multi-media campaign from the Nonprofits Complete Count Campaign (NPCCC) continues in hopes of educating the public about the importance of a complete count when it comes to critical programs such as nutrition assistance, education, medical care and infrastructure funding.

The targeted campaign is expected to run until the summer as households have until July to fill out the census.

“The census is such a great way to participate in our democracy,” Joan Gustafson, external affairs officer, Michigan Nonprofit Association (MNA) said. “We are working to ensure everyone is counted, especially those from traditionally underrepresented populations across our state. We want to make sure everyone completes the census to ensure a brighter future for all Michigan residents.”

In addition, the NPCCC supports MIVoiceCounts.org, which provides further information on the census, including important dates and a preview of census questions. The site also allows for residents to share their census completion status as part of the larger media campaign.

As for direct outreach in communities, 260 nonprofit organizations have received mini grants to do on-the-ground outreach in their area to encourage participation from historically undercounted communities in Census 2020. These mini grants have been deployed by regional census hubs via the NPCCC, many of which are led by or in partnership with CMF member community foundations.

All CMF members can help to highlight the importance of the census by filling out the form and encouraging colleagues, friends and community members to participate.

Want more?

Learn more about the NPCCC and visit MIVoiceCounts.org