California Endowment Commits $4 Million To Promote Census Participation

The California Endowment has announced a $4 million commitment to a statewide campaign to promote the importance of participating in the 2010 census.

Grants will support outreach efforts in ten California counties that have been identified as among the hardest to count in the nation: Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Fresno, Riverside, Alameda, Sacramento, Kern, and San Francisco. The ten counties are home to large populations that have been historically underrepresented in the census, including immigrants, people of color, low-income individuals, and people living in rural areas or multi-family housing. The endowment will collaborate with other funders, the state, and the U.S. Census Bureau to coordinate efforts and stretch limited resources.

The federal government makes funding allocations based on population counts determined by the census. According to the Brookings Institution, for every resident not counted, a state loses an estimated $11,500 in federal funding over the course of ten years.

"At a time when the state is facing declining revenues, it is critical to the people of California that we ensure every resident is counted so we don't lose out on federal funding essential to the health and well-being of all Californians," said California Endowment president and CEO Robert K. Ross. "If 10 percent of California's population of 37 million is not counted, the state stands to lose $42.4 billion in federal funding over the next decade."