“We knew we’d be doing some online promotion, including outreach through our different social media channels. We’ve really expanded that to where we’re almost entirely online, now – in addition to placing posters and signs where people still go, and distributing postcards to local businesses that are open.”
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Census Bureau has extended the 2020 Census to Oct. 31. The national count, taken every decade, helps determine where billions in federal funding goes, and how many seats in Congress each state has.
“In-person data collection has been suspended until June, but we’re still finding ways to spread awareness and get the word out,” says Katherine Harvey, a Census outreach coordinator with TEENS, Inc. – a grantee of your Community Foundation – in Nederland. “Originally, we’d planned a lot of in-person outreach, including events and other opportunities that allow us to meet people where they’re at – to explain the importance of the Census, and to help them fill out paper Census forms.
“About 90 percent of our efforts shifted really dramatically in March.”
To provide context, state and local self-response rates are much lower than expected to date, due to the postponement of the Census Bureau’s in-person data collection, which normally would have happened by now. Today, Colorado’s self-response rate is 58%, and the U.S. self-response rate is 54%; in Boulder County, the current self-response rate is 66%, compared to a final self-response rate of 73% in 2010. Drilling down further, self-response rates in our mountain communities are between 15-30%, compared to 26%-52% by the close of self-response period in 2010.
“This means the extension of the self-response period through mid-August is helpful, as it normally would have ended in mid-May,” says Chris Barge, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. “But the odds of meeting the self-response benchmarks set in 2010 are not good due to Census field operations being absent until now, given the safety concerns related to the pandemic.”
Nevertheless, countywide Census 2020 outreach efforts are adapting and continuing. Says Katherine, “We knew we’d be doing some online promotion, including outreach through our different social media channels. We’ve really expanded that to where we’re almost entirely online, now – in addition to placing posters and signs where people still go, and distributing postcards to local businesses that are open.”
Specifically, Katherine put her creativity (and sense of humor!) to work in a couple videos – view them here and here – promoting the theme #mountainfolkscount. She also recorded a 35-second radio promo for Way High Radio, the community radio station based out of Ward, and submitted numerous letters to the editor to local newspapers – all promoting the Census.
Additionally, postcards have been distributed via food pantries in Nederland, Allenspark, and Lyons; as well as via Nederland Area Seniors meal delivery. Marrocco’s – the sole restaurant in Ward – also has a stash of postcards to give to customers. And Census posters and signs have been placed on outdoor bulletin boards in Lyons, at the Allenspark post office, and at the Brainard Lake and Sourdough trailheads.
“Gold Hill has a listserv for residents, and my contact there has emailed a message promoting the Census to the listserv – as well as posting it on NextDoor,” adds Katherine. “I’ve also reached out to a pastor in Jamestown, asking him to send the same message to his congregation.”
Next up, Katherine isn’t wasting any time hanging more posters and signs at additional trailheads, outdoor bulletin boards, and some indoor bulletin boards at essential businesses in Nederland, Pinecliffe, Eldora, and unincorporated areas. She’s also reaching out to local restaurants, asking them to distribute postcards with to-go orders.
Still, there’s less awareness and urgency around the Census than before COVID-19 hit.
“We always face low response rates in our mountain areas,” says Pamela Craig, Boulder County 2020 Census Campaign Manager. “Even more so now.” That’s not helped by the fact that, according to Katherine, almost everyone in Nederland has a P.O. box – and mail-in Census questionnaires and follow-up reminders aren’t sent to P.O. boxes.
“At this point, we have to be much more forward-acting – including calling people to remind them to complete the Census online.”
Concludes Pamela, a former mountain resident herself: “Among Boulder County mountain residents, there’s a very strong, shared awareness of why they choose to live in the mountains – they want to be away from the citified life. What’s different about living in mountain communities is what matters to them.
“Katherine is really keyed in to that. She understands what mountain area residents need to hear. Her message is all about what’s different and what works for mountain residents versus flatlanders – and why the Census matters to that way of life.”
Your Community Foundation established the Boulder County 2020 Census Fund to help ensure a complete and accurate count of our community – the basis for how federal funds are distributed to such programs as WIC, Head Start, education, transportation, public transit, and much more. Learn more, join the movement…and get counted!
