2020 Census

With census data guiding how more than $800 billion a year in federal funding is distributed, helping to create jobs, provide housing and build schools, roads and hospitals, GTCF aligned efforts with the Pierce County Auditor’s Office to support a complete count in Pierce County for the 2020 Census.  

Historically, important communities including immigrants, people of color, and young children have gone uncounted in the census. When individuals and communities are excluded, we all miss out on the wealth of perspectives and experiences that make our county strong.

“The strategies that will be necessary to reach our hardest-to-count people are also the strategies that are necessary to better engage our community in shaping its future.” – Chris Jordan, Fab-5 Tacoma

In 2019, GTCF and the Pierce County Auditors Office partnered to organize the Pierce County Complete Count Committee, a collective of Pierce County organizations that recognize the importance of a complete and accurate census count for the well-being of our community – in 2020 and beyond. The committee included representatives from organizations including Bethel School District, the Commission on Hispanic Affairs, Multicare, Puyallup Tribe, Cowlitz Tribe, Puyallup Watershed Initiative, Tacoma Community House, the University of Washington – Tacoma, and officials from city and county government. 

40 organizations received funding for census outreach through GTCF, thanks in large part to a grant from the State of Washington Office of Financial Management.

“By funding organizations with trusted relationships to do more of what they’re already doing, they can be the most creative and effective in reaching their networks without taking on extra work that makes it harder for them to achieve their mission. Community-based organizations know best the activities and strategies that reach the members of their communities. These organizations are experts at reaching their networks and so our goal is to support them in doing more of what they already do incredibly well,” – Seth Kirby, GTCF VP of Community Impact.

With partnerships across communities, municipalities, tribes, agencies, and organizations, Pierce County’s 2020 census response rate beat the 2010 rate despite COVID-19 conditions.

Learn which organizations received funding for 2020 Census outreach.

2020 Census News

DESPITE COVID-19 CONDITIONS, PIERCE COUNTY BEATS THE 2010 CENSUS SELF-RESPONSE RATE
(June 30, 2020)

Local Organizations Encourage 2020 Census Participation While Responding to COVID-19 (April 10, 2020)

Community Conversations Open Doors to Census Participation (March 10, 2020)

‘Everyone counts!’ Census gets creative in Pierce County (January 31, 2020 – KUOW)

2020 Census Outreach Depends on Community Connections (December 12, 2019)

Funding Available to Make Sure Communities Count in the 2020 Census (October 10, 2019)

Partnering for Census 2020: Dr. Ali Modarres, Director of Urban Studies, UW-Tacoma (September 12, 2019)

“Fill Out the D@?? Form”, and Other Ways Pierce County Groups are Raising Awareness of the 2020 Census (September 11, 2019)

Partnering for 2020 Census: Philanthropy Northwest, Kiran Ahuja (May 8, 2019)

2020 Census to Make Sure ‘Everyone Gets Counted’ (December 14, 2018 – Tacoma Weekly)