29-Deliberate and act on appointment of 2010 Census Complete Count Committee

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January-March 2010 ■ Add a census message to all meetings, events, and correspondence. ■ Provide information on federally funded programs that have benefited the community. • Plan a major promotional event around the mailout of census questionnaires. • Saturate public access areas with easy-to- read and understandable census information customized for your community. ■ Ask elected officials to encourage residents to complete and return questionnaires immediately. • Place a census message on all municipal marquees urging residents to complete and return their questionnaires. April 2010 ■ Place public service announcements in local media encouraging residents to cooperate with census workers. Excamples af --omitissnity Conrplete Costne Committee Strategieg A number of organizations formed community Complete Count Committees in Census 2000. Some examples of these organizations are Community Action groups, Hispanic Service Center, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and Human Development Commission. Here are some suggested strategies that worked for them: • Set clear, achievable goals and objectives for your committee. Identify what your committee will focus on. Some examples include increasing the response rate in public housing communities among cultural/ethnic groups in your area or among students in colleges/universities, outreach and promotion to youth or elderly in the community, or a global approach if no other CCCs are in the area. • Develop an action plan that will include activi- ties, events, etc., which will support your efforts and help you meet your goals and objectives. • Create promotional materials that appeal to your focus areas, if resources are available. • Implement special events that will generate interest and participation in the census. Community Complete Count Committees are often formed in areas that do not have a government CCC or areas that may require a more targeted outreach approach. Community CCCs may be formed by a community group/organization or a coalition of several organizations. For example, an organization in a predominantly elderly community may want to form a community CCC in order to build awareness among that population and encourage them to respond when questionnaires are delivered. A tenant's association may form a committee to educate tenants about the census and help those needing assistance in completing their questionnaire. Community CCCs identify their own chair and committee members. They may choose residents who are influential leaders or gatekeepers in the community to serve as members or others that will help accomplish the goals of the committee. Community CCCs are usually small to medium in size with anywhere from 5 to 25 members depend- ing on the sponsoring organization(s) and the size of the community it represents. Small committees may not need subcommittees, however, larger committees may find this structure helps them focus and work more effectively. Ssrmple Activaties of Commu►iity Compfete Caul?t CcSS9i1'11t$@eS 2008-2009 • Identify organizations in the community that can provide space for Questionnaire Assistance Centers and will serve as a Be Counted site. Pass this information on to your census contact person. ■ Make a list of community-based organizations in your area. Hold a meeting with leaders of the organizations and solicit their help in creating a census awareness campaign targeted for community residents. ■ Check the community calendar in your area for events. Contact event organizers to see if you can a have a census table or pass out census materials to increase awareness. ■ Plan and solicit sponsors for a"Census Day/ Night Street Festival" in late 2009. Think of creative games or activities where census information can be incorporated. ■ Develop a 2009 Census Activity Calendar, ask organizations to choose a month in which they will sponsor census activities or promote census awareness. 12 2010 Census Complete Count Committee Guide '2~~~