That’s why the Joyce Foundation and nine other Illinois leading foundations are providing $1.2 million in grants to 60 nonprofit organizations in Chicago and throughout Illinois to boost census participation, especially in hard-to-count, poor and minority communities. Known as the Count Me In campaign, this is currently the nation’s largest coalition of philanthropic funders in the 2010 census in a single state.

By conducting public education campaigns, community outreach, special events and other grassroots activities, these groups will work to increase the mail-back rate of census forms from 37 targeted low-income, immigrant, limited-English speaking, and minority communities which are at risk for being under-counted.

The 2010 census is particularly critical because it will help determine the distribution of roughly $400 billion a year in federal funds to state and local governments, including more than $14 billion each year to Illinois. Researchers predict Illinois will lose $12,000 in federal funds during the next ten years for each uncounted person.

Working to overcome these odds, the Illinois Action for Children, an advocacy and service organization focusing on affordable child care, will reach the low income families that use its child care resources through its “I Promise to Return my 2010 census Form” postcard-pledge campaign.

Voto Latino, which works to increase American Latino youth civic participation, will engage Latino youth to participate in the census through social media, celebrity-driven activities, and text messaging activities.

And, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which promotes the rights of newcomers, will help coordinate Census Fellows, local bilingual youth who will develop neighborhood volunteer networks. These volunteers will then engage in door-to-door activities to encourage completion of census forms.

"Trusted voices in the community are critical when it comes to convincing hard-to-count populations that the 2010 census is important, easy and safe to participate in, " said Dr. Robert M. Groves, U.S. Census Bureau director. "The Census Bureau looks forward to working alongside the Count Me In grantees to help ensure an accurate and complete count of all Illinois residents next year."

Census data is used by government officials to make decisions about where to build new roads, schools and hospitals and where to locate job training centers and services for the elderly. It’s also used for drawing congressional districts and monitoring and enforcing civil rights laws in employment, housing, voting, lending and education.

Count Me In is funded by the Joyce Foundation, The Boeing Company, LISC/Chicago, the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Grand Victoria Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Polk Bros Foundation, Steans Family Foundation and Woods Fund of Chicago.

To view Count Me In press coverage, visit here.

Find out more about Special Opportunities programs funded by the Joyce Foundation by clicking here.