General Information and Resources U.S. Census Bureau Census 101: What You Need to Know Counting Young Children Count All Kids You Tube Video How do I contact my regional Census Office? Video preview of the 2020 Census Online Form and how people will be able to choose from multiple languages. Florida and the Census Florida Counts Census 2020 Training What Florida communities are hard to count? Florida Facts/Census Did you Know (English and Spanish) The importance of the 2020 Census for: Child Welfare Early Childhood Funders Legislators How does the Census affect me? Counting For Dollars FL Count All Kids Household Living Scenarios: Who Counts Where? 2020 Census Arab American Toolkit How do I get involved? Complete Count Committees How the 2020 Census will Invite Everyone to Respond Funders - Philanthropic Funders and the 2020 Census Funders Committee for Civic Participation (FCCP) Why Your Foundation Should Become a 2020 Census Official Partner Educators U.S. Census Bureau Bringing Census Bureau Data to the Classroom Business U.S. Census Bureau Why Your Company Should Become a 2020 Census Official Partner Libraries American Library Association Legislators Legislators and the 2020 Census National Council of State Legislators

Census 2020

The 2020 Census is extremely important to Florida!  In fiscal year 2016, more than $44 billion dollars was returned to Florida for healthcare, nutrition, education, transportation and other federal programs. In 2010, Florida’s population increases resulted in our state gaining two Congressional seats. These determinations are based on Census data.  But Florida is at great risk of undercounting its residents and stands to lose millions if we do not act to ensure a complete count of our residents. The people who need these programs the most are those who are most likely to go uncounted.

These funds are used to ensure our state’s children and families are prepared to be productive students and employees. They are used to maintain and improve our state’s roads and bridges, pay for Medicaid, and ensure college students can afford tuition through Pell Grants. Young children get quality preschool education through HeadStart, and children who have experienced abuse and neglect are protected and nurtured.

What needs to be done to ensure everyone in our state is counted? 

• The Legislature needs to establish and fund a Complete Count Committee to guide and coordinate statewide activities.
• Local municipal and county governments also need Complete Count Committees, such as those already formed, for example, in Broward County to build the infrastructure in every community.

Who gets missed?

• Very young children, ages 0-4, are the most likely to be underrepresented. In Florida 6.2%, or 71,307 young children were missed in 2010.
• Those living in modern family structures including:
  • Single parent families
  • Households headed by young parents or grandparents
  • Households including unrelated people, and
  • Those living in rental properties.

Why do people get missed? 

• Most people are not aware that the Census affects them personally.
• In 2020, the first online Census will be launched, so those without access to the Internet or who are uncomfortable with this media are at-risk of not being counted.
• While Florida overall has an underserved rate of 10%, the areas most affected by limited Internet access are rural communities and those communities with high poverty rates, where the Internet underserved rate can reach 50% or more.
• In the wake of large data breaches that have occurred recently, people are also reluctant and mistrusting that their data will be protected.

What else can be done? 

• The work of the Complete Count Committees, once established, will be to mobilize the early childhood community to help ensure that all young children are counted.
• Complete Count Committees need to identify trusted community members, such as the faith community who champion the Census and who make opportunities for their members to complete the Census in safe and familiar locations. It is vital that efforts to support this outreach are funded.

A fair and accurate Census that reflects our communities is absolutely vital. Getting the count wrong would be detrimental to the needs of our diverse communities in Florida.

Over the next year, Florida KIDS COUNT will be working tirelessly across the state to ensure the most complete count possible.

What can you do?

As a citizen:

• Visit the Census Bureau website and learn more.
• Insist that members of both state and federal Houses step up and make sure the Census has the funding it needs to do the job right.
• Get involved in your local Complete Count Committee. Many are forming right now. Don’t know where to look?  Ask us.
• Host an information session at your place of worship, your office or groups or clubs you belong to. We can help you spread the word.
• Keep your eyes here and on our social media and we will keep you up to date.

Help keep Florida's children from being left out of the 2020 Census and ensure Florida receives all of its federal funding.

Will Your Children Count? Help keep Florida's children from being left out of the 2020 Census and ensure Florida receives all of its federal funding.	Household Living Scenarios: Who Counts Where? Remember: Your household’s 2020 Census response should count everyone who lives at your address all or most of the time.	U.S. Census 2020 Did You Know... English and Spanish Fact Sheet