2010 Census ~ Do Your Part
Thursday, February 11, 2010 | Comments Off
This month, 2010 Census forms will be mailed to every resident in the United States and Puerto Rico. Under the U.S. Constitution, a national census must be completed every 10 years in order to get a clear picture of changes in the nation’s population and demographics. The goal is to count everyone residing in the United States, including both citizens and non-citizens, and every household is required to account for everyone living there as of April 1, 2010.
Census data is used to determine the number of seats each state occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives. It also helps to determine how $400 billion in federal funding will be allocated each year for infrastructure and services, such as hospitals, schools, emergency services, roads and bridges, and job training centers. For businesses, census data is critical to help companies make strategically and fiscally sound decisions that spur economic growth.
The Census Bureau says small businesses can help local residents understand why the census is important for their communities and to encourage them to participate in the count. The Bureau’s toolkit for businesses provides tips and resources for helping them promote the census in their own communities. You can download a toolkit and other promotional documents, such as newsletter templates, brochure templates and Web site copy, here, and a sample Census questionnaire is available here.
Key Dates: 2010 Census
March 2010 – Census questionnaires are mailed or delivered to households.
April 1, 2010 – Census Day
May – July 2010 – Census takers visit households that did not return a questionnaire.
December 2010 – By law, the Census Bureau delivers population counts to the president for apportionment.
March 2011 – By law, the Census Bureau completes delivery of redistricting data to states.
from: CRS-Member Connect news update