The Community Foundation (TCF) serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties is one of 10 organizations the State Census Office is partnering with to encourage participation of all Inland Empire residents in the Census count. Today in Sacramento the Census Office is officially kicking off the Census 2020 Call to Action Campaign, a week-long effort from April 1-7 to promote the state’s efforts to ensure a complete count in California – one year out from Census Day.
Designated by the Census Office as an Administrative Community-Based Organization (ACBO), TCF will fund and mobilize local organizations in hard-to-count communities for their on-the-ground outreach efforts. TCF is playing a groundbreaking role to draw down $2.4 million in state funds to empower community-based organizations (CBOs) from the Inland Empire, and demonstrating that local organizations have capacity and are best equipped with the deepest roots and greatest trust among hard-to-count populations.
In partnership with the CBOs, seven regions were identified in order to create manageable goals and promote local coordination and learning among the groups. Participating CBOs will also receive training and support through seven Regional Coordinators and three Technical Assistance Providers to ensure complete coverage of both geography and communities of interest.
“The Community Foundation and our Regional Coordinators are proud to spread the message that every Californian counts, particularly in the Inland Empire where we have large populations that are historically hard to count,” said Michelle Decker, President and CEO of The Community Foundation. “The local organizations that each Regional Coordinator will support are trustworthy messengers and will be critical to our success.”
The seven Regional Coordinators are:
· San Bernardino Metro & Mountain Communities Region: Warehouse Workers Resource Center
· Southwest Riverside: Family Services Association
· Central Riverside County: Family Services Association
· Coachella Valley: Alianza
· High Desert: TBD
· Morongo Basin: TBD
All seven of these organizations bring local knowledge, distinct expertise, and proven strategies for reaching hard to count communities. The Technical Assistance Providers are UCR Center for Social Innovation, Inland Empowerment and NALEO Education Fund. Together, they will provide CBOs with training, data management and innovative mapping support to empower organizations in their outreach work.