Census Communications Toolkit
2020 Census Communications
There are so many potential materials, messages, and images to share while spreading the word about the 2020 Census that it can be overwhelming. To help our partners cut down on the time needed to decide what messages and images to share and when, we’ve created a sample plan. The messages and images reflect our focus, which is on outreach among Hard-To-Count populations in suburban Cook County.
Sample Messages & Timeline
Below are some messages, graphics, and videos for you to post on Facebook and Twitter or include in other updates you send out during the next few months. Keep scrolling down for longer newsletter copy and other resources.
March
Census mailers go out during March 12 – 20.
The census is critical for Illinois. It determines how many seats Illinois has in Congress & affects billions of dollars in funding for housing, health care, education, & more. We need to make sure everyone gets counted! #Census2020 #ILCountMeIn2020
The Census counts EVERYONE: renters, people experiencing homelessness, babies, non-citizens, students, your neighbors, and definitely YOU. Fill out your form today: Census.gov #Census2020 #ILCountMeIn2020
Did you get your census mailer? Have you responded? If not help Illinois get the resources we need to support our communities by replying now: Census.gov #Census2020 #ILCountMeIn2020
April
Census day is April 1.
Reminder letters and postcards go out, as well as a paper questionnaire.
The census will reshape the financial and political landscape of Illinois. Help ensure our communities get the resources we need by responding today: Census.gov #Census2020 #ILCountMeIn2020
#Census2020: It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s incredibly important. Take a moment and respond online, by phone, or by mail. Census.gov #ILCountMeIn2020
Every 10 years, we get the chance to fill out a form that usually takes less than 10 minutes–but affects our communities for years. Have you responded to the census? Census.gov #Census2020 #ILCountMeIn2020
May
You filled out your census, right? Census.gov #ILCountMeIn2020
For each person who goes uncounted by the census, Illinois could lose as much as $1,800. We can’t afford to leave that money on the table! Let’s make sure we get the funding we need for vital housing programs, roads and bridges, health care, and more. Census.gov #ILCountMeIn2020
June
Have you made sure everyone you know has taken a moment to fill out the census? Census.gov #ILCountMeIn2020
Everyone in your community matters. Everyone in our community counts. Let’s make sure that #Census2020 data includes us all! Census.gov #ILCountMeIn2020
July
The deadline for established households to fill out the census is July 31.
This it our last chance! The deadline to respond to the census is just around the corner. If you haven’t yet, please, please make sure you’re counted: Census.gov #Census2020 #ILCountMeIn2020
For the next ten years, we’re going to see the effect of #Census2020 data in the funding for our housing programs, roads and bridges, healthcare, and more. It’s now or never: respond before the deadline! Census.gov #Census2020 #ILCountMeIn2020
Newsletter Blurb
Let’s Make It Count: Census 2020
Starting on March 12, the Census Bureau will mail out census forms to every household in the country. The census, required by our constitution and conducted every 10 years, is a count of every individual living in the United States. The federal government uses census data to determine critical decisions, including:
- How many legislators each state gets in the House of Representatives. Because of recent population loss and a below average participation rate in the last census (75% in 2010), Illinois has continually lost representation in Congress since 1950, when we had 24 representatives. Today, we have just 18, and 2 more seats are at stake during the 2020 census.
- How to allocate billions of dollars for vital programs over the course of the next 10 years. This funding goes towards housing and homelessness programs, road and bridge repairs, energy assistance, Medicare and Medicaid, and much more. For each Illinoisan who doesn’t get counted, we leave as much as $1,800 on the table.
Do your part: fill out the census! Once you receive your invitation in the mail, you can fill out the form online, by phone, or by mail. After you’ve finished, make sure your friends and family have filled it out, too. Together, we can make sure Illinois gets the investment we need to take care of our communities.
Print Materials
Posters
See below for two examples of posters you can request from us. Just send an email letting us know you’re interested in physical copies!
Other Resources
There are a lot of resources out there to help you understand and spread the word about the 2020 Census. Here are some we recommend.
National Resource Library
The Census Bureau has compiled a wide array of educational materials, including flyers and fact sheets for specific audiences, which you can download as PDFs. If you would like printed versions, email us at census@housingactionil.org.
Cook County Toolkit
The Cook County toolkit includes a PSA, postcards, social media graphics and text, stickers, and posters of several sizes in both English and Spanish. The materials have bright, dynamic graphic design that helps catch the eye.
Learn More
Want to learn more about the census? Here are some places to get started.