Me Census 2020 Kansas City Regional Communications Plan #CountMeInKC Census 2020 Kansas City Regional Communications Plan This plan was produced with funding support from the Health Forward Founda on and REACH Healthcare Founda on and guidance from the Regional Complete Count Commi ee convened by the Mid-America Regional Council for use by local governments and community organiza ons in the Greater Kansas City region to help ensure a complete count in Census 2020. Madison West Consul ng and Shockey Consul ng assisted in the prepara on of the plan. Me August 2019 Mid-America Regional Council 600 Broadway, Suite 200 Kansas City, MO 64105 816-474-4240 • [email protected] Executive Summary April 1, 2020, is Census Day, and the Kansas City region has a lot riding on an accurate count. The census only happens once every 10 years, but census data is used every day. It guides the distribution of approximately $675 billion in federal funds each year for vital programs impacting housing, education, transportation, health care, public safety and more. Local governments use the results to plan new roads, hospitals and schools, as well as to ensure public safety and emergency preparedness. Me Businesses use census data to decide where to build factories, offi ces and stores. And census data determines our representation in state legislatures and in Congress. COUNT EVERYONE In the 2010 Census, experts estimate the population was undercounted by 1%. A similar undercount in 2020 would cost the ONCE, region approximately $48 million each year. Local governments, ONLY ONCE nonprofi t agencies and other community organizations are eager to help ensure a complete count. and in the RIGHT The Census Bureau is focused on counting everyone once, only once PLACE and in the right place. But getting an accurate count may be more challenging than ever before. Our population is increasingly diverse and increasingly mobile, with more complex living arrangements and high levels of distrust in government. Also, for the fi rst time, the Census Bureau is encouraging residents to complete the census form online. Raising awareness about the census and motivating people to participate is a big task, and time is short. With support from the Health Forward Foundation and REACH Healthcare Foundation, the Mid-America Regional Council convened a Regional Complete Count Committee (RCCC) in March 2019 to help support local and regional efforts to ensure an accurate census. One of the fi rst tasks the RCCC took on was development of a coordinated regional communications plan. Outreach Plan Phases Following the same outline as national outreach efforts, the regional communications plan includes a timeline for fi ve distinct phases: 1. Planning, April-August 2019 — convening partners, building support networks and identifying outreach strategies. 2. Education and Engagement, September 2019-April 2020 — sharing information with partner organizations and trusted messengers. 3. Awareness, January-March 2020 — focused public outreach about when, how and why to complete the census and where to get help. 4. Motivation, March-April 2020 — intensifi ed calls to action to encourage residents to complete the census promptly. 5. Reminder, May-July 2020 — monitoring response rates and supporting efforts to follow up with non-responders. The regional communications plan outlines tools, tactics and activities for each phase. Census 2020 Regional Communica ons Plan 3 Reaching Hard-to-Count Populations To make the best use of limited resources, the RCCC will focus its communications efforts on reaching traditionally hard-to-count populations. These include: • Young children under the age of fi ve • People experiencing homelessness • Adults age 65 and older • Immigrants (documented and undocumented) • Renters and residents of multi-unit housing • Individuals who self-identify as LGBTQ • Racial and ethnic minorities • People with mental or physical disabilities • People with limited English • Households that lack internet access • Low-income people • People living in rural areas The plan defi nes each of these populations, providing data at the regional and county levels and mapping their distribution by census tract where tract-level data is available. In addition to providing general messages that can be used by all partner organizations to help residents understand that the census is easy, safe and important, the plan takes a close look at each of the hard-to-count populations, examining perceived barriers to census participation and what messages might best motivate each group to complete the census. The plan also suggests organizations and individuals who could help encourage each targeted population to take action and provides sample messages for each group. Message Delivery Next, the plan focuses on how best to deliver key information about the census and calls to action. The RCCC has identifi ed partner organizations and trusted messengers to help spread the word, along with a list of community events that provide an opportunity to reach large numbers of people. Additionally, the plan recommends a coordinated social media strategy, earned media opportunities and a paid advertising campaign that will target specifi c hard-to-count groups and supplement the national ad campaign planned by the Census Bureau. The RCCC developed a regional logo and tagline, “Count Me in KC,” which can be customized by communities across the region. Common branding, along with a shared hashtag on social media, #countmeinkc, will help raise awareness and extend the reach of census messages. The committee also launched a website, www.Census2020KC.org, with information about the census, how to get involved and resources for communities. The site will be updated regularly through all fi ve phases of census outreach. How to use this plan The regional communications outreach plan was developed not only to guide outreach efforts conducted by the Regional Complete Count Committee (RCCC), but also to provide resources for local committees and other agencies that are working to ensure a complete count in their own communities. Partners in census outreach efforts are encouraged to Me use elements of this plan — including data, outreach strategies, sample messages and branding — to meet their own needs. Additional resources are available online at Census2020KC.org. 4 www.census2020kc.org | #CountMeInKC Me Census 2020 Kansas City Regional Communications Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .......................................................................................................................................7 Census 2020: Why a Complete Count Matters.............................................................................7 Regional Communications Plan Overview .................................................................................10 Outreach Plan Phases ..................................................................................................................11 Timeline of Outreach and Communications Activities .............................................................12 Tools and Tactics ..........................................................................................................................14 Hard-to-Count Populations .......................................................................................................17 Regional Hard-to-Count Data .....................................................................................................18 Hard-to-Count Data by County ...................................................................................................19 Messaging ........................................................................................................................................21 General Messages.........................................................................................................................22 Targeted Outreach for Hard-to-Count Populations ..................................................................23 Social Media Messages ................................................................................................................36 Message Delivery ..........................................................................................................................39 Community Partners ....................................................................................................................40 Infl uencers .....................................................................................................................................42 Events ............................................................................................................................................43 Social Media Strategies ...............................................................................................................44 Regional Ad Campaign ................................................................................................................45 National Ad Campaign .................................................................................................................46 Regional Complete Count Committee Members ...............................................................47 Appendices State and Local Complete Count Committees ..........................................................................49 Media Contacts .............................................................................................................................51 Branding