What it is: The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States, regardless of age or citizenship status, and the Constitution requires the Census to take place every 10 years. Originally designed to ensure equal representation in political districts, the Census is now used to determine funding at state and federal levels.

Why it's important: The 2010 Census will help local communities across the country receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for the next 10 years – or over $4 trillion - for things such as emergency services; hospitals, bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects; schools, job training centers; and senior centers. In addition, residents themselves have used Census data to support community initiatives involving environmental legislation, quality-of-life issues, and consumer advocacy.

The problem: Lower income and more mobile populations, precisely those served by many nonprofits, are frequently undercounted by the Census, leading to underfunding of critical services and infrastructure and under-representation in government. 

Our answer: Nonprofits, which are often considered a trusted resource, can play an important role in making sure their communities are fully and accurately counted by educating these communities on the importance of the Census and how to participate.

What you can do: Make sure everyone is counted.

The Census is around the corner: forms are being mailed mid-March. At stake is a decade of federal funding, political representation, and public and private investment. Go to NonprofitsCount, the most comprehensive website on the 2010 Census for the nonprofit community. There you can:

• Request a free Census Toolkit that will help you ensure your constituents are counted.
  
• Stay informed about what's going on in Wisconsin.

What's at Stake - By the numbers:

$4 trillion

Federal funds distributed to the states based on Census data over the next 10 years.

$5.8 billion

Census-based federal funds Wisconsin received in 2007 alone!

$1,032.55

Amount each person counted in the 2000 Census earned for Wisconsin in federal funds in 2007

Warning Wisconsin Could Lose Population Count Due to Snowbird Confusion in Census, Help Needed, Job Opportunities. Dec 16, 2009
The results of the census are used to determine Congressional seats, legislative districts, and the distribution of over $400 billion in federal funds. Localities use census data to site hospitals and schools. Businesses use them to determine where to build new plants and site stores. “Wisconsin already ranks low in receiving federal dollars,” says Kaminski, “We don’t want an undercount to exacerbate that situation.”