Numbers matter, especially when affecting the future of underserved communities.
Every ten years, the US census paints the picture of an evolving nation. It’s much more than a snapshot – – an accurate counting impacts resource allocations from the federal government to every municipality in America.
It’s especially critical to National City, California, designated as a ‘hard to count’ community. Census participation is often lower in high-poverty areas with large immigrant populations, resulting in fewer federal grant dollars for programs and services.
Our mission was to boost census participation throughout the City, a task made doubly difficult by the devastating Covid-19 crisis. Plans for ambitious door-to-door personal outreach were quickly revised to meet California’s pro-active social distancing standards.
Pivoting to a ‘digital first’ strategy, we implemented an integrated plan that prioritized social media, targeted text messaging and influencer-focused outreach. Virtual Town Halls became a key component of a bilingual campaign that has demonstrated immediate and escalating results.
When our effort commenced in mid-March, the City’s response rate was just three-quarters of California’s overall rate. By mid-May, National City had met the state’s rate, and surpassed it by mid-June.
We’re proud to “help make National City count.”
