St. Louis Regional Census Fund Grants Available
The St. Louis 2020 Census Funders Working Group (Census Funders Group) invites organizations in the St. Louis region to apply for funds to conduct outreach and education activities that encourage participation in the 2020 Census. This effort aims to support a complete and accurate census count for Missouri, with a specific focus on improving participation in communities that have been historically under-counted. The full request for proposals (RFP) and application may be found on the St. Louis Community Foundation website.
The census provides an official count of the United States’ population and information about important demographic changes over a 10-year period. The data collected helps to determine the distribution of federal funding to states for numerous programs aimed at helping under-served communities. The census is also used to guide decision making by federal, state, and local governments, philanthropy, and businesses in determining where resources should be directed and how efforts should be evaluated.
A complete and accurate census count helps to ensure states are being fairly represented, both in the allocation of federal dollars and in the number of congressional districts. Low participation in the 2020 Census could have substantial negative consequences for the St. Louis region and for the State of Missouri. Achieving a complete count will already be a challenge for many areas across our region, with 43 percent of the population living in hard-to-count communities during the 2010 Census. Households most at risk of being under-counted include those who are low income, renters, people of color, young children, and immigrants. For every person under-counted, Missouri forfeits an estimated $1,300 in federal dollars.
The goal of the Census Funders Group is to support coordinated efforts that:
- Decrease under-counts and increase overall participation in the 2020 Census, with a particular focus on hard-to-count communities
- Reduce real and perceived barriers to census participation in the community
- Increase availability of culturally responsive and accurate census information to traditionally underrepresented communities
- Build the capacity of traditionally under-counted communities to engage in the 2020 Census
For the purposes of this RFP, the St. Louis region is defined as the eight counties of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Franklin County, Jefferson County, Lincoln County, St. Charles County, Warren County, and Washington County. For information on the Illinois census, please go to IL Count Me In 2020.
On Friday, September 20, 2019, the Census Funders Group will hold an information session for organizations interested in applying for funding. The session will be held from 2 pm – 4 pm at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being, 1000 N. Vandeventer, St. Louis MO 63113. Please RSVP to Deaconess Foundation.
Grant applications are due at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15.
The St. Louis Census Funders Working Group includes the Clark-Fox Family Foundation, Deaconess Foundation, Incarnate Word Foundation, Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis, Marillac Mission Fund (formerly Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis), the Missouri Foundation for Health, St. Louis City Senior Fund, St. Louis Community Foundation, and St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund. The Gateway Center for Giving and United Way of Greater St. Louis serve as partners in this work.