How to Engage

There are many ways funders can support a fair and accurate census, from learning about how the census connects with their foundation’s mission, to amplying the importance of the census, to funding the work.

How to Fund

Funders have the choice of providing grants directly to organizations/projects supporting the CFC Plan of Action and/or providing a grant to the pooled fund. Examples of specific projects include supporting Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) efforts, ACS outreach, state-specific work, or community-specific support.

The pooled fund is housed at New Venture Fund—our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor—and is overseen by CFC’s Steering Committee of funders.

CFC developed a four-part Plan of Action to advance the work based on input from a range of partners. The success of this Plan depends on increasing the number of funders involved and coordinating engagement in census activities. Funders can get involved within three categories: Getting Started, Ramping Up, All In

If you are interested in learning more about funding opportunities and want to get involved, email info@censusfunders.org.

Funder Menu

Getting Started

  • Explore how your foundation and your grantees use census data, including the decennial and American Community Survey data.
  • Contact us to learn more, stay informed, and look for opportunities that align with your mission and strategy.
  • Attend Census Collaborative Convenings. Email us to learn more about upcoming convenings.
  • Host or share training opportunities with your grantees on how to use census and ACS data in their work so that there is more understanding of the need for full participation.
  • Be a census ambassador.

Ramping Up

In addition to the items listed in Getting Started…

  • Share within your foundation how your grantees are impacted by census and ACS data so that other program staff understand the impact.
  • Include add-on dollars to your current grants to help interested grantees include census and ACS education and outreach activities in their regular program work.
  • Provide grants to organizations to work on census education and community engagement, research, advocacy, and coalition building.
  • Contact us to get information about funding opportunities
  • Be a census ambassador.

All In

In addition to items listed in Getting Started and Ramping Up…

  • Develop a strategic funding and convening plan for your foundation and support and encourage planning by your grantees.
  • Get more involved in census funder collaborative efforts. Email us to learn more about projects planned and in need of funding between now and 2030.
  • Get more involved in state or local census efforts.
  • Be a census ambassador and promote the 2030 Census and ACS.