Census Toolkit for Nonprofits: Let’s Stand Up and Be Counted!

Last Updated (Friday, 09 October 2009 10:55) Written by Administrator Friday, 09 October 2009 10:46

October 9, 2009

CLPI Colleagues:

Nonprofits Count, a project of the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network (NVEN), has just announced its release of a new Census Toolkit for Nonprofit Organizations. This toolkit is available free at www.nonprofitscount.org and includes information to help nonprofits get involved with the 2010 Census.

Too often in the public policy arena, if you're not counted, you don't count.

Many nonprofits serve low-income and other underserved populations, and they are often undercounted by the Census, leading to underfunding of critical services and infrastructure for their communities. Thus, the Census will play a vital role in determining how federal funds are distributed and which community services are provided for the next ten years.

The Census also is integral to political representation in our democracy. It determines the drawing of state legislative lines and the number of members allocated to states in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next ten years. So, the Census will have an impact on whether traditionally undercounted nonprofit constituents will be fully represented in government.

Let's stand up and be counted!

Larry Ottinger
CLPI President

P.S.  CLPI partners closely with NVEN in promoting effective nonprofit advocacy at the state and local level. I proudly serve on NVEN's Advisory Board.