Do you live or work in a hard-to-count community?
With census forms hitting mail boxes this month, census activities across the state of Michigan are in full swing. The Community Research Institute (CRI) at Grand Valley State University and the Detroit-Area Community Information System (D-ACIS), in collaboration with the Michigan Nonprofit Association, developed the Michigan 2010 Census Planning Web site to assist organizations throughout the state in targeting census outreach efforts by geography and particular demographic segments where mail non-response is anticipated to be low.
What is a Hard-To-Count Score?
Every census tract in the country was assigned a “Hard-To-Count” (HTC) score, summarizing the “measured” degree of enumeration difficulty, based on the 12 variables most highly correlated with non-response rates in 1990 and 2000. HTC scores can range from 0 to 132. The higher the score, the more difficult enumeration is expected to be. Areas with the highest scores (e.g., over 70) are likely to be the areas with relatively high non-return rates and undercount rates while areas with the lowest scores are likely to be areas with low rates.
We encourage you to check out the Michigan 2010 Census Planning Web site to help you determine if your community’s hard-to-count score.
For more information about the 2010 Census and how nonprofits can help ensure a complete and accurate count, visit www.MNAonline.org/census.asp.
Submitted by Sam Singh, Census Consultant for Michigan Nonprofit Association.
Bookmark and share : 
Filed under: Federal Budget, Planning, State Budget Tagged: | 2010 census, Federal Budget, nonprofit blog, State Budget
Some people have said that the US immigration office is going to trace census respondents, find out if they are in this country legally, then locate and deport them if they are not. It’s part of a crackdown on undocumented workers — SO wrong!