Chicago awards $700,000 in grants to boost 2020 Census participation rates
The city of Chicago has announced $700,000 in grant funding to boost the city’s education and engagement efforts ahead of the upcoming 2020 US Census.
According to the city, the grants will be used to “support targeted community outreach and other initiatives to help increase Census participation for hard-to-count communities.”
Where is the funding coming from?
The city contributed $500,000 toward the community outreach effort. Meanwhile, Uber provided an additional $100,000, the Illinois Department of Aging contributed $75,000, and the McCormick Foundation contributed $25,000.
What will the grants achieve?
Awardees are expected to use grant dollars to encourage city residents to participate in the all-important once-in-a-decade headcount of every man, woman, and child in the United States. The grants will be used to organize community events, social media campaigns, accessible materials, and other on-the-ground outreach designed to build awareness and activate Chicago residents to complete the 2020 Census.
The Census is used to determine Congressional representation along with the number of electoral votes in each state. The population counts in each state are also important in determining how much federal funds will be distributed to each state.
“Achieving a full and fair count in the upcoming census is critical to determining the necessary federal funding levels for our city, appropriate representation in Congress, and securing the continued strength of our regional economy,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
“These grants stand as a vital tool to supporting Chicago’s many passionate and committed community partners who will be on the ground and working hard to include all our residents in this important process, and ensuring every voice is heard, felt and accounted for,” Lightfoot added.
It’s estimated that nearly half of Chicago’s 2.7 million residents are considered “hard-to-count” by the US Census Bureau. According to the city, this includes “families of color, children under five, the elderly, veterans, returning residents, individuals with high rates of mobility and housing instability, residents with disabilities, those with limited access to the Internet, and those who may be afraid to participate.”
Which organizations were awarded a grant?
A list of organizations that received funding, along with their respective communities served, can be found below:
| ORGANIZATION | COMMUNITY |
| Center for Changing Lives | Humboldt Park |
| Center on Halsted | Citywide |
| Chicago Veterans | Citywide |
| Claretian Associates | South Chicago |
| Community Organizing and Family Issues | Humboldt Park, Englewood |
| Faith in Place | North Lawndale, Englewood |
| Fathers Who Care | West Garfield, East Garfield |
| Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corp. | Englewood |
| Hanul Family Alliance | Citywide |
| I AM ABLE Center for Family Development Inc. | North Lawndale |
| Institute for Positive Living | Washington Park |
| Japanese American Service Committee | Asian American Community |
| Latin United Community Housing Association | Lower West Side, West Englewood |
| Leave No Veteran Behind | Citywide |
| Metropolitan Tenants Organization | Lower West Side, South Chicago |
| Midwest Asian Health Association | Citywide |
| Muslim Community Inc | Citywide |
| Northwest Side Housing Center | Citywide |
| Peace and Education Coalition | New City |
| Puerto Rican Cultural Center | Humboldt Park |
| Red Clay Dance Company | Fuller Park, Englewood |
| Resident Association of Greater Englewood | Englewood, West Englewood |
| Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference | West Garfield, New City, Washington Park |
| Sinai Community Institute | Humboldt Park, North Lawndale, South Lawndale |
| South Asian American Policy and Research Institute | Citywide |
| Spanish Coalition for Housing | Lower West Side, South Chicago |
| St. Paul Church | Lower West Side |
| STM Reader LLC (The Chicago Reader) | Citywide |
| Teamwork Englewood | Englewood, West Englewood |
| United African Organization | Citywide |
| Westside Health Authority | West Garfield, East Garfield |
| Workers Center for Racial Justice NFP | Citywide |
To learn more about the City’s 2020 Census efforts, please visit census2020.chicago.gov.
Photo Credit: US Census Bureau
