By Tammy Geenen, Vice President of Community Engagement

Tammy Geenen

As a 2020 U.S. Census partner, the Community Foundation is helping to support local nonprofit organizations in the Fox Valley region that work with people who have been historically underrepresented in the count. This includes young children, immigrants, people of color, complex households and renters.

We recently completed a survey of nonprofit organizations in our region to understand what they might need to help people learn about and complete the census questionnaire, beginning this month. A Census Mini-Grant application is open until April 15 to assist with outreach by local nonprofit organizations, government entities, schools and tribes in Outagamie, Calumet, Shawano, Waupaca and the Neenah/Menasha area of Winnebago counties.
Learn more about this opportunity!

Here are the top four responses from our local survey of what organizations need, along with links to resources and upcoming census informational sessions at area libraries:

1. Printed materials to distribute
U.S. Census Bureau offers a variety of printable materials.
A Census Mini-Grant request can help with printing costs.

2. Online Social Media Toolkit
Appleton Public Library has curated a list of resources for nonprofit organizations.
U.S. Census Bureau Social Media Graphics and Social Media Content.

3. Additional Information and Training
We’ve been working with Andy Wilson, migrant outreach partnership specialist in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Chicago office, to arrange for the following local census training opportunities:

• March 11: 3 pm at Neenah Public Library
• March 23: Noon at Neenah Public Library
• March 24: Noon at Waupaca Public Library
• March 25: Noon at Shawano County Library

 4. Technology to help people complete the survey
Local libraries are equipped with computers for online completion of the survey. If needed,  a Census Mini-Grant request can help with the cost of a technology device for census purposes.

March Forth!
On March 4, we helped the Outagamie County Complete Count Committee launch “March Forth,” a 2020 Census Community Day of Action to ensure our entire community knows that participating in the 2020 US Census is easy, safe and important.

Here is the coverage of the Fox 11 News report on the press conference:

In the coming weeks, all households in the U.S. will receive notice to complete the census survey. It will only take 10 minutes to complete 10 questions that translate into 10 years of critical resources for our region. This is the first time the census will be available online (in addition to mail and phone options). Learn more.