Tulsa Regional Complete Count Committee Invites Individuals to Apply for 2020 Census Mini-Grants

12/20/2019

In light of the upcoming 2020 Census, Tulsa area residents looking to make sure members of their communities get counted can now apply for mini-grants of up to $500.

The US Constitution requires a Census once every 10 years, and its results affect the future of American communities. The Census helps determine the federal funding we get that supports Tulsa area school lunch programs, infrastructure, early education, healthcare and other core services. Census results also help draw our congressional and state legislative districts so we have fair political representation. Historically, racial/ethnic minorities, children under 5, low-income earners and other groups have commonly been undercounted. With this grant funding, the Tulsa region aims to change that.

“After four Tulsa Counts workshops focused on community engagement, I am excited for this opportunity to better include everyone in this process,” Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “These mini-grants are a great way to get Tulsans and our neighbors engaged and counted in the 2020 Census.”

Those living in the seven-county Tulsa metro area (Tulsa, Rogers, Wagoner, Okmulgee, Creek, Pawnee or Osage County) are eligible to apply for the grants. Each grant-funded event must occur in a low-response Census tract between Jan. 13, 2020, and April 30, 2020.

Example Event Ideas:

1. A local house of faith could use the grant funds to purchase an iPad to keep in the foyer so households could conveniently fill out the Census online after the services
2. An apartment complex manager could use the funds to cater food for two events: one where residents can get interested to sign up for Census jobs, and another where residents could fill out the Census online
3. A group of teachers could use the funds to purchase project materials aimed to teach students about using Census data - 2020 Resources for educators can be found here:
   www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sis/2020census/2020-resources.html

Eligible areas:

• Events should take place in Census tracts with low response scores of 25.0 or higher (the two deepest shades on the ROAM map)
• The ROAM map gives a self-response rate prediction by Census tract to the 2020 Census
• Event audiences should be groups of people who have been historically undercounted

Selection Process:

• Tulsa Regional Complete Count Committee Planning Committee members will review the applications within three weeks of receiving them
• Selected grantees will be notified once the committee approves their application
• All grantees will be required to complete a grant agreement form and submit a report documenting use of funds

The link to the application can be found at https://bit.ly/2020minigrants. It’s available in both English and Spanish and features the new logo for Tulsa’s 2020 Census outreach efforts, designed by Trey Thaxton, Communications Consultant for the Tulsa Regional Complete Count Committee.

Grant funding comes from philanthropic organizations who are donating to a Tulsa Community Foundation fund, a component fund of the Tulsa Regional Complete Count Committee.