SupportingtheCensus&ACS:AToolkitforCoalition-Building- HowStateandLocalVoicesCan

MakeaDifferenceMarch2,2016

AfreepublicationisnowavailableonTheCensusProjectwebsitetohelpbuildalocalstakeholdercoalitiontosupportcensusdata.

A Toolkit for Coalition-Building

Engaginglocalvoicesiseasy.

Toolkit Contents

Building an Effective Local CoalitionORGANIZE• Getup-to-speedandstayinformed http://www.thecensusproject.org/• Chooseanindividualororganizationtoleadandcoordinatethecoalition• Createasteeringcommittee,boardofdirectors,oradvisoryboard• Chooseanameforyourcoalition• Createamissionstatement• Determineyour legalstatusandpotentialsourcesoffunding, ifappropriate

Yourmissionstatement:• Keepitshortandsimple• Makeitrelevanttostakeholdersand

lawmakers• Describewhyaccurate, timelycensusand

ACSdataareimportant toyourstateandcommunities

Checklist:BuildinganEffectiveLocalCensusCoalition

Building an Effective Local Coalition

OUTREACH• Starttobuildthecoalition

• Makethe“ask”fororganizationsandindividuals tobecomecensusdatasupporters

• Geography

• Business and economic development

• Local units of government

• NGOs – Nonprofits, foundations, and the faith community

• Civil rights organizations

• Newsmakers

BuildingBlocksforanEffectiveState-LevelCoalition

The MACS ModelMinnesotans for the American Community Survey

• Founded in2013inresponsetochallengestotheACSinCongress• Grewfrom12to100membersbetweenMarch&year-end2013• Over150organizationalandindividual supportersnow

• Relationshipsdevelopedwithall10MNcongressionaloffices• StaffinbothD.C.anddistrictoffices&meetingswithmembers• Lawmakerstookactionin2014and2015topreserveandfundcensus

datainboth theHouseandSenate.7of10areactivesupporters!

• MACSMission:ToeducateMinnesota’scongressionaldelegationandthepublicabouttheimportanceofconsistent,reliableACScensusdataforahealthyeconomyandtoimprovethewell-beingofallMinnesotans.

Constituent voices matter

Managing a Coalition; Advancing the Work

• Setpriorities• Makepolicystatements• Encourageactionbystakeholders• Encourageactionbylawmakers

• Workwithnationalpartners

• Createinformationmaterials

• Goodcommunication isessential• Leveragetechnology– website,social

media,contacts• Internalcommunicationskeep

everyoneinformed &engaged• Externalcommunications tellyour

story

TechnicalTools

Managing a Coalition; Advancing the Work

• Continue toengagelocalsupportersandpartners• Makeiteasytoact• Leveragesupporters’

congressional contacts• Anticipatefrequentlyasked

questions

• Leveragethesteeringcommittee/board’snetworkandexpertise

• Engagethemedia– thepressisabigconsumerofcensusandACSdata

Knowingwhentoact

Your Primary Goal: Educating Members of Congress

• Identifylawmakers’intereststhatareilluminatedbycensusdata

• Gettoknowcongressional staff

• ArrangemeetingswithstaffintheDistrictandWashingtonoffices, ifconvenient

• Keepstaffmembersinformed aboutlegislativeactivitiesthataffectthecensusandACS.

Sampleemailrequestingameetingwithacongressionaloffice

What do lawmakers hear about the ACS and census?

“Theprimarymission oftheRespondentAdvocateistoadvocateforrespondentsinallmattersrelatedtoCensus surveysandcensuses.”

Isthissurveylegit?Isita

scam?

Alternative Models for Supporting Census Data

• Sector-BasedCoalition• Partnersandcolleaguesinyour

existingnetwork,industry,orsector

• TargetingCongressionalCommittees• Appropriations Committees• Authorizing/Oversight Committees

• RapidResponseStrategy• Hybridcoalitionacrossstates,sectors,

andinterests.

“Big7”- stateandlocalgovernment

LeadershipConferenceonCivilandHumanRights

BusinessCommunity

Bringactionstothestateandlocallevel

Conclusion

• Constituents rarelymentionsupport forcensusdatatomembersofCongress.Yet,censusdataareusedwidelyacrossallsectorsofeverylawmaker’sdistrictandstate.

• Congressholds thepowerto:• provideadequateandtimelyfunds forthe2020CensusandACS.• maintaintheACSasamandatorysurvey.

• ConstituentsmattertomembersofCongress– yourvoicehasimpact.

Imagine…. if5-10censusstakeholdersineverycongressionaldistrictinformedtheirmemberofCongressandbothsenatorsthatcensusdataandtheACSarecriticallyimportanttotheirlocaleconomyandthewell-beingofall,censusdatawouldhavemuchstronger support inCongress.

Get started. It’s easy!

Local voices can change this outcome.

Questions?Comments?

Downloadyourfreecopyof

“SupportingtheCensus&AmericanCommunitySurvey:AToolkitforCoalition-Building”

athttp://www.thecensusproject.org/

Thankyouforattendingtoday’sAPDU/CensusProjectWebinar

SupportingtheCensus&ACS:AToolkitforCoalition-Building- HowStateandLocalVoicesCanMakea

DifferenceMarch2,2016

HostBrendanBuff,AssociationofPublicDataUsersIntroductionWarrenBrown,President,AssociationofPublicDataUsersPresenters• PhilSparks,Co-Director,TheCensusProject• JoanNaymark,ExecutiveDirector,MACS– Minnesotansforthe

AmericanCommunitySurvey