2010 Census Partnership Program Presented By Mary L. Peeler Partnership and Data Services Coordinator United States Census Bureau Charlotte Region 1

Partnership Program Purpose To develop and foster partnerships with state, local, and tribal governments; community-based organizations; faith- based groups; educational institutions and groups; media outlets; businesses; and other grassroots entities to increase participation in the 2010 Census 2

Goals of the Partnership Program Increase mail response Improve accuracy and r educe the differential undercount Improve cooperation with enumerators 3

4 Increase Mail Response A self-generated mail response is more accurate than an enumerator-filled response Census 2000 exceeded expectations! The 2010 Census mail response goal is INTENSE!

5 Improve Accuracy – Decrease Differential Undercount 1990 was tough 2000 reversed every expectation 2010 will be ???

6 Improve Cooperation with Enumerators Enumerate approximately 40 million housing units during Nonresponse Followup Recruit nearly 3.8 million applicants in 2009 and 2010 Hire 1.3 million workers across all census operations

Partnerships: Reach into local communities, especially those hardest to count Generate public awareness to increase mail response Heighten buzz within hard to count communities to make the 2010 Census theirs Mobilize community leaders to exponentially engage their constituents to be counted 7

8 How Many Partnership Staff? Core Regional Partnership Team hired and trained in 2008 – 120 staff Peak Partnership Staffing between January 2009 and June 2010 – 680 staff Ramp down of Partnership Program in 2011 – 48 staff Each RCC will have 55 partnership staff on average

9 Challenges Post-9/11 Terrorist Psyche Charged Political Environment Hyper-Charged Immigration Debate Katrina and Federal Governments Response Greater Diversity in Our Nations Population Measuring Up to the Census 2000 Best Census Ever

Strategies Complete Count Committee Tribal Liaison Program Targeted Outreach to Hard to Count Populations Language Support Program 10

Strategies (continued) Census in School Program Be Counted Sites Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Questionnaire Assistance Centers Localized Promotional Materials 11

Complete Count Committee Volunteer committee established by local or tribal government Members are appointed by the highest elected official Charged with developing and implementing plans to increase participation in the Census 12

Tribal Liaison Program Government to government relationship with federal or state recognized tribe Tribe appoints individual to serve as the tribal liaison Main contact for the sharing of information between Census Bureau and tribe 13

Language Assistance Program Questionnaires will be available in the following languages: English Chinese (Simplified & Formal) Korean Russian Spanish Vietnamese 14

Language Assistance Program (continued) Targeted mailing of 10 million bilingual Spanish/English questionnaires in 42 states. Language Assistance Guides available in 51+ languages. 15

Language Assistance Program (continued) Language Identification Flashcards include a minimum of 38 languages and potentially all Language Assistance Guide languages. 16

17 Census In Schools Curriculum and teaching materials that introduce students to the purpose and importance of the census and census activities/products Engage students to get them to encourage their parents to complete and return their census questionnaires

18 Be Counted Sites Provides a means for people to be included who believe they did not receive a questionnaire or were excluded otherwise. Boxes with Be Counted questionnaires will be located in sites where these potential respondents would most likely see them.

19 Telephone Questionnaire Assistance A toll-free number for respondents to call to get help completing questionnaire Assistance provided in language for: Chinese (Simplified & Formal) Korean Russian Spanish Vietnamese

20 Questionnaire Assistance Centers Census Bureau staff will: –Provide assistance in completing questionnaires –Provide special language assistance –Answer general questions

Localized Promotional Materials Partners Portal on the Census website will contain promotional materials that can be customized for local use. Partners may customize other census- related promotional items for their use. 21

2010 Census Its In Our Hands 22