CENSUS 2020 UPDATE
FOR NEW YORK STATE GRANTMAKERS
To keep grantmakers up to date about the latest events, news, and resources for Census 2020,
this bi-weekly newsletter is curated for you with support from the New York State Census Equity Fund .
NYS Census Equity Fund (NYSCEF) Fundraising
 Reaches $1 Million of $3 Million Goal

Established in 2018, the New York State Census Equity Fund is a joint effort of local, regional, national foundations, and individual donors to ensure that every resident in every county in New York state is counted in the 2020 Census. Generating a sufficient response from hard-to-count communities could mean the difference between New York State losing one congressional seat or two, not to mention billions of dollars in federal funds for vital community assets (i.e., schools, hospitals, etc.) and programs for vulnerable New Yorkers like Medicaid, Section 8, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Head Start, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, all of which which are allocated based on census data.

The Fund will coordinate the allocation of philanthropic resources to ensure coverage of the State’s hard-to-count communities and constituencies, as well as share Census-related information with the philanthropic sector.

To learn more about the Fund, click here.
Thank you to the following foundations for contributing to the NYSCEF:

  • Anonymous donors (donor advised fund holders)
  • Brooklyn Community Foundation
  • Central New York Community Foundation
  • Charles H. Revson Foundation
  • Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley (pooled fund of HV grantmakers/donors)
  • JP Morgan Chase
  • Long Island Community Foundation
  • Mertz-Gilmore Foundation
  • New York Foundation
  • New York Women’s Foundation
  • The New York Community Trust
  • The Scherman Foundation
  • Westchester Community Foundation
  • Zegar Family Foundation


To learn more about how your foundation or donor advised funds can contribute to the NYSCEF, click here .
NYS Census Equity Fund
Steering Committee


Jennifer Drake – Dyson Foundation
Sabrina Hargrave - Brooklyn Community Foundation
Sol Marie Alfonso Jones – Long Island Community Foundation
Randi Hewi t – Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes
Maria Marcantonio – Charles H. Revson Foundation
Maria Mottola – New York Foundation
Katie Pieri — Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Robyn Smith — Central New York Community Foundation
Pat Swann (chair) -The New York Community Trust

As the NYS Census Equity Steering Committee Fund prepares to announce upcoming RFP processes*, they are asking foundation's throughout the state to send information about grantees they think/know will be involved in census related activities in the following categories:

  • Census technical assistance or capacity building
  • Get out the count efforts

**Grantees need to have a profile in the NY Community Trust grants portal to be eligible for funding .**

All lists need to be sent to Pat Swann as soon as possible to be included in RFP announcements.
New York State Complete Count Commission Announces Public Events to Prepare for 2020 Census
The New York State Complete Count Commission has announced six public hearings across the state to gain public input and hear from Census experts and advocates, beginning March 4 in Rochester. 

The Complete Count Commission, appointed last month , is tasked with building upon the sweeping efforts already underway to prepare for next year’s federal Census. With these meetings, the Commission is undertaking a multi-year, collaborative strategy involving all state agencies, local and county governments, non-profits and local stakeholders across the state. 

Events will be held in Rochester, Bronx, Loch Sheldrake, Smithtown, Utica, and Albany.

NYS COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEES
The Nassau County Complete Count Committee (CCC) was announced by County Executive Laura Curran on Feb. 5 and plans its first working meeting on Feb. 26. With a grant from the Long Island Community Foundation, the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island will play a key role in helping to support the Committee's work.

The Suffolk County Complete Count Committee, announced in January, is holding its first business meeting in February.


Complete Count Committees already exist in:


Need answers on how to set up a Complete Count Committees? Here are resources for your foundation and your local municipalities:

2020 CENSUS FUNDER TOOL KIT
The Funders' Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP) has updated their tool kit for funders to use to support their Census related activities. This guiding document will continue to evolve as more information, data, and resources become available.

To download this resource, clic k here .
CENSUS IN THE NEWS
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments regarding the Citizenship question being added to the 2020 census forms. This case is being rushed due to the timing of when census forms are set to be printed, which is June 2019.





April 2, 2020 is the Next Census Day: Everyone Should be Counted, but How? , Social Education, National Council for the Social Studies
GRANTEE RESOURCE
For grantees looking to engage in census-related activities, refer them to   NY Counts 2020.   NY Counts 2020 is a coalition of nearly 100 diverse nonprofits/groups from across New York State developing a state-strategy focused on advocacy efforts, and providing information, resources and technical assistance as it relates to 'get out the count' measures to community-based organizations. 

This email was generated by Engage New York in support of the NYS Census Equity Fund; a pooled fund focused on supporting and mobilizing get out the count efforts to ensure every New Yorker is counted in Census 2020.