In Flint and Genesee County 34 nonprofits have been tapped to do on-the-ground outreach in the area to encourage participation from historically undercounted communities in Census 2020.

The Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) which is one of 11 CMF member community foundations serving or partnering as a regional hub through the Nonprofits Complete Count Campaign (NPCCC), announced more than $300,000 in grants to nonprofits to promote an accurate census.

“The community foundation is pleased to support local nonprofits that are key to get out the count efforts, particularly in hard-to-count populations,” Sue Peters, vice president of community impact, CFGF said in a news release. “Those with the most to lose from an undercount are the hardest to count, including people of color, immigrants, young children, and those traditionally served by nonprofits.”

The nonprofits will use the funding in a wide spectrum of “get out the count” activities and supports including hosting community events, providing training and computer access.

Highlights of CFGF’s grantee announcement include:

• Latinx Technology & Community Center of Greater Flint will address mistrust to support a complete count for the census by serving as a hub for technology access.

• Valley Area Agency on Aging will conduct a minimum of 30 outreach events targeting seniors to complete the census, including outreach to 1,000 seniors in their homes.

• Flint Innovative Solutions will share Census 2020 information throughout Smartphone Technology Literacy training sessions.

Other regional census hubs including the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan have also made major announcements recently, sharing how they are deploying mini grants in the communities they serve to encourage a complete census count.

In the U.P., "Vote and Be Counted: Local Elections and the Census," a new exhibit, opened last week at the Marquette Regional History Center focusing on the importance and history of the census. The exhibit is supported through a grant awarded by the regional census hub in the U.P. which is a partnership between the Community Foundation for Marquette County (CFMC) and Community Foundation for the Upper Peninsula (CFUP).

Census Day is April 1. Invitations to fill out the census are scheduled to be sent in waves starting in March, with every household having the option to self-respond online, via the phone or a paper questionnaire. Households will have until July to complete the census.

In an effort to encourage participation and combat misinformation about the census, the federal government is asking anyone who sees false information being spread about the census to contact them via email.

Want more?

Connect with the Michigan Nonprofits Complete Count Campaign.

Access NPCCC campaign materials, including graphics for social media, videos and audio files.

Check out the state’s Be Counted materials and information.