1. Census Operations “102” Key Milestones & Counting Activities
Hosts: Sergio Lopez, The Leadership Conference Sonum Nerurkar, The Leadership Conference Guest Speakers: Terri Ann Lowenthal, Census Consultant, The Leadership Conference Andrew Virden, Director of Census Operation and Engagement, Department of Minnesota Administration

2. KEY MILESTONES: 2018
Spring/Summer: states/localities finish LUCA review
Spring: Regional Census Centers (6) open
Now: Hiring for RCCs and Partnership Program (on-line!)
Start recruitment for Area Census Offices
Finish 2018 End-to-End Test

3. KEY MILESTONES: 2019
Jan.-Feb.: 40 Early ACOs open (for Address Canvassing)
January: launch education phase of Communications Campaign targeting HTC pops
Hiring for AdCan operation (~76K jobs, not evenly spread across country); continue hiring for ACOs
July.-Sept.: open remaining 208 ACOs
Summer: In-Field AdCan operation (~30% of addresses)
Fall: Begin recruitment for peak operations census staff

4. Lesson #1: The census does not start on April 1st!
IT’S 2020!
Lesson #1: The census does not start on April 1st!
Late January: count starts in Remote Alaska
MAJOR OPERATIONS/PHASES:
Self-response Nonresponse Follow-up
Update/Leave Group Quarters Enumeration
Service-based Enumeration
Enumeration of Transitory Locations

5. SELF-RESPONSE PHASE Peak operations: mid-March thru early May
Materials mailed in 3 waves over ~7 days
80% of homes get letter inviting Internet response
20% of homes also get paper form in 1st mailing
People can respond on-line without unique code
Telephone response option also available to all
People can self-respond through July

6. SELF-RESPONSE (continued)
SELF-RESPONSE: up to 5 mailings
By mid-April, all nonresponding homes get final letter & paper form
Multi-lingual assistance
Internet: 13 languages Telephone: 13
Paper: English & Spanish Guides: 59

7. UPDATE/LEAVE
~12 million addresses without reliable mail service or with high seasonal turnover
March – April: Census workers hand-deliver materials (on-line invitation + paper form) and update address list as they go
~500K homes counted by Update/Enumerate method (also, AI reservations can request)

8. NONRESPONSE FOLLOW-UP (NRFU)
Door-to-door visits: May 13 through July
Starts earlier (April 9th) in areas with a lot of off-campus college students
Vacant units removed from universe using administrative records (AdRex); will receive one postcard, just in case
Occupied households: at least one visit from census taker
If no answer, “notice of visit” (with on-line response code)
Follow-up postcard one week later (if no response still)

9. NONRESPONSE FOLLOW-UP (continued)
Census Bureau determination: can some occupied housing units be counted using AdRex?
If not, census takers continue to visit (or call) up to six times
After 3rd try, enumerators can ask a nearby reliable “proxy” (e.g. landlord; neighbor; letter carrier; on-site utility worker)
After 6th unsuccessful attempt, Census Bureau uses AdRex or statistical imputation to fill in missing data

10. MEASURING PROGESS
Self-response rate: percent of housing units (not people!) that respond via Internet, phone, or paper form during the initial self-response period
Reported for states, localities, & census tracts on weekly basis
Participation rate: percent of occupied housing units (households) that self-responded, calculated when all field work is done
NRFU progress reported weekly, tracking total housing units counted in given area

11. CENSUS “103”+ FUTURE TOPICS …
Group Quarters enumeration (e.g. prisons, military barracks, college dorms, nursing homes)
Service-based Enumeration (e.g. homeless shelters, soup kitchens, outdoor locations)
Enumeration of Transitory Locations (e.g. marinas, campgrounds, circuses, migrant farmworker camps)
Role of community-based organizations (do’s & don’ts)

13. Why should we form a CCC?
A Complete Count Committee should be formed to:
• Increase the response rate for residents mailing back their questionnaire through a focused, structured, neighbor-to-neighbor program.
• Utilize the local knowledge, expertise, and influence of each Complete Count Committee member to design and implement a census awareness campaign targeted to the community.
• Bring together a cross section of community members whose focus is 2020 Census awareness.

14. Committee Types and Sizes
Government-sponsored CCCs may have a state, regional, or local focus, and operate within the juris- diction of their highest elected official(s). Local govern- ment CCCs may include more than one jurisdiction.
Community-sponsored CCCs may be organized by a community group or a coalition of community groups. A CCC may also be assumed by or assigned to an exist- ing committee or group such as a city planning board, a regional planning commission, or a local community committee.
Local Complete Count Committees are formed by the highest elected official in that jurisdiction, such as a mayor, county commissioner, or tribal leader.
The highest elected official may appoint a chair of the CCC and may then appoint residents of the community to serve as members of the CCC.
Members appointed could be representative of a cross section of the community, be willing and able to serve until the census is over, and help implement a creative outreach campaign in areas that may pose a chal- lenge in Members could include persons from the areas of education, media, business, religion, and community groups.
Most local government CCCs are small to medium size depending on the jurisdiction. A small town may have a small committee with only 3–5 members, while a larger community’s CCC may be medium to large size, with anywhere from 10 to more than 100 members, depending on the size of the city or tribe.
Both county and regional CCCs, since they cover a larger geography, tend to be larger in size with 20–50 members. The size and number of members depends on what works best for each jurisdiction and what will make the most effective and successful committee.
Mayors, county commissioners, and heads of regional boards understand the importance of getting a com- plete and accurate census count and how census data impacts their communities. In previous censuses, experience has shown that local government CCCs are more productive with subcommittee structure.

15. Timeline Stages 2018 – mid-2019: Capacity Building Phase
April 2019-January 2020: Promotion Phase
February - May 2020: Action Phase
Each stage has different actions and messaging.
2018 – mid-2019: Education Phase - The education phase is the period from 2008 through September 2009, and is often referred to as the “raising census awareness” phase. During this period, key community and municipal leaders receive training, informational materials, and one-on-one meetings with U.S. Census Bureau Partnership staff about the importance of the census and the need for local support to ensure a successful count. This is also the period when CCC Chairpersons and Subcommittee Chairpersons work to ensure their respective members fully understand the mission of the CCC in relation to the overall awareness-building effort. It is during this period that CCCs are engaged in raising awareness among all residents in their community.
Action Steps for 2009 Through January 2010 Education and Promotion Phase \ Conduct CCC training for members. \ Develop a work plan for promoting the census and motivating participation in your community. \ Hold regular meetings to report on tasks and other activities, including subcommittee reports as appropriate. \ Proceed with census awareness-building activities generated by the committee or subcommittees. \ Evaluate the effectiveness of CCC activities and adjust accordingly. \ Saturate the community with at least one census awareness-building activity each month.
April 2019-January 2020: Promotion Phase - Beginning April 1, 2019, local governments and community leaders throughout the nation participate in activities highlighting the message that the 2010 Census is imminent and that it is easy, important and safe to participate. The theme of this phase is “The 2010 Census is Coming.” During this period, CCCs implement activities of the work plan through their government, faith- and community-based organization, business, media, and recruitment partners. An effective strategy guarantees that community residents will encounter census messages during times of work, play, leisure, school and worship.
Action steps: Hold monthly meetings and subcommittee meetings. \ Finalize plans for activities surrounding questionnaire delivery and Census Day activities. \ Review task lists and subcommittee plans. \ Proceed with 2010 Census activities. \ Finalize plans for activities to encourage residents to complete and return the census questionnaire. \ Develop and finalize plans for motivating residents who do not return their questionnaire to cooperate with census takers during non-response follow-up activities.
• Identify organizations in the community that can provide space for Questionnaire Assistance Centers and will serve as a Be Counted site. Pass this information on to your census contact person. • Make a list of community-based organizations in your area. Hold a meeting with leaders of the organizations and solicit their help in creating a census awareness campaign targeted for community residents. • Check the community calendar in your area for events. Contact event organizers to see if you can a have a census table or pass out census materials to increase awareness. • Plan and solicit sponsors for a “Census Day/ Night Street Festival” in late Think of creative games or activities where census information can be incorporated. • Develop a 2009 Census Activity Calendar, ask organizations to choose a month in which they will sponsor census activities or promote census awareness.
February 2020 – Action Phase - February 2010 In February 2010, the focus is to motivate each household to take ownership of the census, make a conscious decision to participate, know where to go for assistance in filling out the questionnaire, and be poised and ready to answer the questions on April 1, March 2010 In March 2010, the focus is to increase the number of activities aimed at promoting the message: “The 2010 Census is easy, important, and safe. When the questionnaire arrives, fill it out accurately and return it immediately.” The theme this month is “Countdown to Census Day.” May 2010 The non-response follow-up operation will be the focus in May The message to the community is: “Cooperate with census takers.” The objective is to get non-responsive households to cooperate on the first visit. As the census operation winds down, special thank-you sessions for the work of CCCs will be held throughout the nation.
Action Steps for February 2010 Through May 2010 \ Hold regular CCC and subcommittee meetings. \ Review, and modify as needed, plans for questionnaire delivery and Census Day activities. \ Finalize plans for all activities scheduled for March and April. \ Provide Census Bureau staff all information concerning locations of Be Counted sites and Questionnaire Assistance Centers. Help by publicizing their locations and hours of operation. \ Review and implement activities leading up to Census Day – April 1, \ Send a news release highlighting the 2010 Census activity schedule. \ Encourage residents to complete their questionnaire accurately and return it immediately. \ Implement Census Day activities. \ Hold daily activities to encourage residents to complete and return their questionnaires. \ Review outreach activities to ensure the CCC is using the right activities in the right place. Make changes as needed. \ Prepare to implement activities for residents who do not return their questionnaire. \ The Census Bureau will provide response rate numbers starting in April. These response rates may be used to determine where more outreach activity is needed in your community.

16. Key tasks for this year
Highest elected official or community leader officially forms Complete Count Committee
Recruit committee members and leadership
Hold first Complete Count Committee meeting
Establish subcommittees and chairpersons
Set a schedule for future meetings
Start developing a plan of actions
Consider 2019 and 2020 budget needs

17. Key tasks for your Committee
Educate people about:
- How the census works
- The importance of accuracy
- Confidentiality
- The Benefits of a complete count
Motivate with:
Culturally and linguistically sensitive custom messages
Fun events
Be:
CREATIVE

18. Who is involved?
Regardless of the structure, government CCCs should include members with experience in the following areas: \ Government \ Workforce development \ Faith-based community \ Education \ Media \ Community organizations \ Business
Be inclusive not exclusive
Work at working together

19. Planning
Who are some key players that should be involved in the leadership of your area’s CCC? The general membership?
Think about if there are any communities not represented by organizations on your list…
See Page 10 of the workbook.

20. Recruitment
Just ask! The most important first step in getting someone to join a committee is to just ask them. Make them feel welcomed and needed. 
Make it a “small ask” – the next committee meeting to learn more
Use relationships! Invite organizations you already work closely with and know well, then have them do the same
Set Goals! Who is absolutely critical to engage? How many people is your goal to reach out to?
Give them a reason to join! Why should the Census matter to them and their organization?
Use supporting materials such as flyers, social media, etc.
Set meeting dates for the year in advance at a convenient time and location so people can plan for it. Send reminders!

21. Organization
Here is where subcommittees rest within the organizational structure. What you see here are examples, use what works for your community.
Also note – if your community had a CCC in 2010, they worked through a Census Bureau-employed liaison. In 2020, it’s less clear – but doubtful – that they’ll have the kind of presence in Minnesota that they had in So the liaison will be the State Demographic Center.

22. The point is… Get good people working in the areas they know.
Each subcommittees mission is to produce an effective plan of action for the first three months (and one day) of 2020.

23. Contact Info:
Sergio Lopez:
Terri Ann Lowenthal:
Sonum Nerurkar:
Andrew Virden: