Washington Census Alliance grants $3M to organizations in historically undercounted communities, prepares for census in face of COVID-19
Seattle, Wash. — As the 2020 Census gets underway, the Washington Census Alliance (WCA) today announced it is granting an additional $1 million to encourage participation in the census by people in historically undercounted communities. By Census Day, April 1, it will have awarded grants totaling over $3 million since 2019 to more than 70 organizations of color and tribes across more than 20 counties in Washington state.
Organizations can still apply for funding from the Washington Census Alliance through March 15 via surveymonkey.com/r/washingtoncensusalliancefundingapplication.
“Communities of color bear the brunt of less funding and political representation as a result of an undercount, and that is exactly why they are the ones we want leading this effort,” said Kamau Chege, manager of the Washington Census Alliance. “To assuage the fear and confusion lingering around the census among historically undercounted communities, we’re putting funding where it can be most effective: in the hands of the organizations and leaders in those communities.”
In this latest round of funding, Na’ah Illahee Fund, a founding member of the Washington Census Alliance, will receive $347,000 to regrant to tribes and Native-led nonprofit organizations.
Another $300,000 is being deployed to 2019 WCA grantees to increase census outreach capacity; and more than $350,000 in grants will be awarded to new organizations through an open RFP application.
Funding for the grants come from the Office of Financial Management’s Census Education and Outreach program, in partnership with Seattle Foundation, Na’ah Illahee Fund, Latino Community Fund and Washington Progress Fund.
Between March 6–8, 250 community organizers, nonprofit leaders and elected officials from around the state attended WCA’s Spring Convening in Tacoma to share challenges and best practices for conducting census outreach to historically undercounted communities. Lack of translated outreach materials, distrust of government, and widely dispersed households in rural communities are just a few of the reasons that a complete census count is challenging in some communities.
COVID-19 response
Meanwhile, the spread of COVID-19 in Washington state introduces new challenges.
As in-person outreach and large public events are increasingly being canceled, WCA members are pivoting their outreach to leveraging ethnic media channels and creating social media content that resonates with their local communities.
WCA is also introducing an interactive text messaging tool that organizations can customize and use to engage community members remotely. By texting “Census” or “Censo” to 332020, people can engage in conversation, get their questions answered, connect to resources, and opt-in for regular reminders and updates about the census.
As of February of 2020, WCA grantees and members have recruited and trained more than 450 Trusted Messengers and engaged over 8,300 households across the state in one-on-one conversations and these figures continue to increase every day. With this new round of funding, WCA is on-track to recruit more than 600 Trusted Messengers and engage more than 12,000 households by Census Day, April 1st.
“With a decade of resources and representation at stake, addressing the historic undercount of people of color is essential to an equitable future for our state,” said Aaron Robertson, managing director, Policy & Civic Engagement at the Seattle Foundation. “Seattle Foundation is proud to support the Washington Census Alliance, ensuring our outreach is done in community, by community.”
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON CENSUS ALLIANCE
Washington Census Alliance is a statewide coalition of 60 organizations led by and working in communities of color. We advocate for the unique needs of our communities.
Together, we’re launching an unprecedented relational organizing campaign to ensure that historically undercounted communities throughout Washington state are counted in the 2020 Census.
2019 WASHINGTON CENSUS ALLIANCE GRANTEES
Na’ah Illahee Fund
Nooksack Indian Tribe
Cowlitz Indian Tribe
UIATF (United Indians of All Tribes Foundation)
Quinault Indian Nation
American Indian Community Center
Lummi Nation
Tlingit and Haida Washington Chapter
Yakama Nation
Spokane Tribe of Indians
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
Haida Heritage Foundation
Unkitawa
Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe
Suquamish Tribe
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Jamestown S’klallam
Port Gamble S’klallam
Hazel Pete Institute of Chehalis Basketry
Whitney Lewis
Ndn Girl Spirit Boy Creations
Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Washington
Allottees Association and Affiliated Tribes of the Quinault Reservation
Tana Stobs Canoe Family
Native Unite in Journey
Latino Community Fund
Casa Latina
Entre Hermanos
Raiz of Planned Parenthood
Latinos En Spokane
Casa Hogar
Nuestra Casa
CAFE (Community for the Advancement of Family Education)
Community to Community
OneAmerica
Para Los Niños de Highline
El Centro de la Raza
Yakama-Yakima El Censo
Friends of the Black Lens/Carl Maxey Center
LGBTQ Allyship
The Noble Foundation
SW WA Communities United for Change
CIRCC (Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees and Communities of Color)
Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
Equal Rights Washington
Latinos Unidos of South Sound
Tri-Cities League of United Latin American Citizens
Korean Community Service Center
Congolese Integration Network
Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition
Khmer Anti-Deportation Advocacy Group
Northwest Kenyan Community Association
Muslim Community and Neighborhood Association
Cair WA
APIC-SPS (Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of South Puget Sound)
APIC-YKM (Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Yakima)
APACEVotes (Asian Pacific-Islander America Civic Empowerment Votes)
Wakulima
Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle
Channel A-TV
Somali Family Safety Task Force
Iraqi Community Center of Washington
PEARS (People Empowerment and Renewal Services)
Ethiopian Community in Seattle
# # #
Contact:
Kamau Chege
(253) 632–6404 — mobile
kamau@wacensusalliance.org — email
