BALTIMORE CITY CENSUS 2020 ACTION PLAN II CeIIsus TO DOS EVERYONE CONTAMOS EN COUNTS IN BALTIMORE BALTIMORE CENSUS 2020 CENSUS 2020 1 Page INTRODUCTION The importance of a complete and accurate Census cannot be overstated. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the Census count impacts our most fundamental rights and ability to adequately plan for our collective future. The Census determines how we will be represented in Congress, in the Maryland General Assembly, and in City Council. It directly affects the allocation of over $880 billion per year in federal assistance for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, social services, transportation, and much more. For Baltimore City, it is estimated that $1800 in federal funding per resident, per year is allocated based on Census data. Census data serve as the basis for how we characterize and understand our community and its needs. Community leaders in both the public and private sectors rely heavily on the accuracy of Census data to make important decisions affecting the future of Baltimore City. Indeed, the importance of Census data pervades nearly all forms of decision-making. Government leaders rely on it for a host of local decisions, businesses rely on it in evaluating markets and choosing where to locate development, residents rely on local data in choosing where to live, and foundations and other philanthropic organizations rely on it as a primary basis for the funding decisions that enable many important community improvement efforts to succeed. CENSUS 2020 MISSION, BACKGROUND, and GOALS MISSION To count every resident in Baltimore City to secure a fair allocation of government resources and accurate legislative representation. BACKGROUND WHAT IS THE CENSUS? The Constitution requires a count of the population every ten years to determine the number of seats each State has in the U.S, House of Representatives for the next decade, which in turn affects the number of Electoral College votes each State receives. The United States has required a census, and Baltimore City has participated in the census count, every decade since 1790. For Baltimore City, the stakes are high: the allocation of more than $880 billion per year in federal funding for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, social services, transportation and more will flow from the census count. 2 Page HOW DOES THE CENSUS WORK? HOW IS THE 2020 CENSUS DIFFERENT? Historically, the census has relied on mailed paper questionnaires and temporary field staff going door-to-door in neighborhoods and communities to count the population. The 2020 Census is the first time that the census will offer an online response option, although all households will have a choice to participate by phone or using a paper form, as well. When the census starts in 2020, about 80 percent of addresses will receive an invitation letter with instructions on how to respond online or by telephone using a unique ID. The remaining 20 percent of addresses — selected because they are less likely to have or use the Internet — will receive both an invitation letter (with a unique ID) and a paper questionnaire with postage-paid return envelope. After three mailed requests to complete the census online or by phone, unresponsive households will receive a paper questionnaire and return instructions in the fourth mailing. Online questionnaires will be offered in English plus 12 other languages. Telephone assistance and response will be available in the same languages. Paper questionnaires will be available only in English and bilingual English-Spanish; however, there will be instruction guides or videos available online in 59 non-English languages, including Braille, plus American Sign Language. Online Response: All households will have the opportunity to complete the 2020 Census online (using computers, tablets, or smartphones), identifying themselves through either the unique ID included in the mailing or their household address (that is, a “non-ID response”). Libraries, city-owned buildings, and community gathering places can consider offering online response kiosks for census submissions. These response kiosks can be as simple as a laptop locked to the census-response portal site and are low-cost efforts that can help increase self-reporting within Baltimore. Phone Response: The 2020 Census will be the first U.S. census in which people can respond to the census by telephone with their unique ID or household address. Respondents can also call the toll-free Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA) with questions about other response methods or about the census in general. Paper Questionnaire: As noted above, only 20 percent of households will receive a paper questionnaire (with postage-paid return envelope) in the first census mailing. This “Internet Choice” mailing will include both a paper questionnaire and instructions on how to respond online or by telephone. While the self-response operation ends on April 30, 2020, it is important to know that households can self-respond using any of the methods above through the entire door-to-door follow-up operation, discussed next. Automation should allow the Census Bureau to remove a “late” 3 Page self-response from the caseload, so that a census enumerator won’t have to visit in person. NONRESPONSE FOLLOW-UP (NRFU) On May 13, 2020, the Census Bureau will begin NRFU, to count households or determine the status of housing units that did not self-respond. This is the costliest census operation, so the Census Bureau strives to obtain the highest self-response rate possible. In selected census tracts with high numbers of college students living off-campus, NRFU will begin around April 9, 2020. Vacant Housing Units: The Census Bureau will use administrative data, primarily from the U.S. Postal Service, local governments, and third-party commercial vendors, to identify vacant (and nonexistent) housing units. Those homes will still receive one in-person visit, to confirm vacancy status or determine if there is evidence of occupancy. The enumerator will leave a Notice of Visit if it appears the home is vacant. If an enumerator believes the housing unit could be occupied, the address will be moved to the regular NRFU workload for one or more subsequent visits. In-Person Enumeration: Enumerators will visit all non-responding households (that is, occupied housing units that haven’t responded) at least once. If no one answers the door or if the “head of household” is unavailable, the enumerator will leave a “Notice of Visit,” a note explaining the attempt and encouraging the occupants to self-respond. Unlike previous decennial censuses, census enumerators will use mobile devices (i.e. smartphones) to collect data, instead of the traditional pen and paper. Subject to the rules described below, enumerators can visit an unresponsive household up to six times. Use of Administrative Records: The Census Bureau has tested the use of high-quality administrative data, collected previously by other federal government agencies for other purposes or from previous census surveys, to enumerate some households that do not respond to the first in-person visit. The Census Bureau estimates that it could count about five percent of all households (or about 15 percent of unresponsive households) this way, but it has not announced a final plan for using this method at the time this report went to press. Proxy Interview: If three in-person attempts to count a household are unsuccessful, enumerators will attempt to conduct an interview with a reliable proxy respondent if they determine the proxy has sufficient knowledge of who lived in the housing unit on April 1, 2020. Proxies can include: 4 Page • Neighbors, • Relatives of the occupants, • Landlords or building managers, • Real estate agents and new occupants (if the residents moved around the time of Census Day), • Local government employees (clerks, tax collectors and other administrative staff), and • Utility workers or postal service employees. Otherwise, enumerators will continue visits or calls to unresponsive households for a total of six “contact days” (and possibly more, if supervisors deem it necessary as the operation winds down) through the end of July 2020. Records Matching Once all attempts to count a housing unit through direct contact have been exhausted, the Census Bureau will attempt to use federal and state administrative records to fill in missing information. Examples of administrative records include: • IRS documents (1040 Forms) • Medicare and Medicaid records • Social Security Numerical Identification System records • U.S. Post Office data • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Records from previous Census Bureau surveys If high-quality administrative data are not available, the Census Bureau will use statistical imputation methods to count households that appear to be occupied. WHAT ARE OUR TARGET AREAS, AND WHY? The U.S. Census Bureau has generally relied on a number of measures in identifying what areas need to be targeted in communications campaigns seeking to increase the completeness and accuracy of Census counts. The first measure is the mail response rate (MRR) from the 2010 Census, which are equivalent to what will be called self-response rates for 2020. Households that self-respond are far less expensive to enumerate, and provide responses with more reliable data, than in-person follow-up visits. The Census Bureau estimates that each one percent of households that do not self-respond in 2020 will add $55 million to the cost of the Nonresponse Follow-up operation. 5 Page Baltimore has a high percentage of populations that have proven to be difficult to count in the past. In general, with the possible exception of college students, they are low income households, as well as people of color generally and young children (under the age of five). Baltimore has one of the largest concentration of low income populations in the entire state, with a 22 percent poverty rate, compared to 9.7 percent statewide, and a median household income of $47,000, compared to $78,000 statewide. Through an accurate count of these and all of our populations, we can ensure that our electoral boundaries are accurately redrawn, our city – and especially the hard-to-count – are fairly represented, and that Baltimore will be eligible to receive its fair share of federal and state funding to support all communities. Population subgroups among low income households that the Complete Count Committee has identified as being harder-to-enumerate in Baltimore include the following: • • • • • older adults, immigrants and low English proficiency, returning citizens, people experiencing homelessness, and families with children under five. These groups tend to be concentrated in certain geographic areas with high housing vacancy rates, high percentages of renters versus homeowners, and high percentages of minority and immigrant populations. WHAT ARE OUR GOALS AND HOW DID WE CHOOSE THEM? The goals of Baltimore’s 2020 Census campaign are three-fold: to help ensure the most complete and accurate count of Baltimore City, increase digital literacy to empower that count, and drive equitable outreach to vulnerable communities to ensure that everyone is counted. Baltimore City is required to produce a complete and accurate count. The emphasis on internet response as the preferred (although not only) method of response demands that we invest in digital literacy and online access to ensure that all communities have an opportunity to respond to the census online if they prefer that method. Hardto-count, vulnerable populations compel us to invest in equitable offline outreach and engagement to ensure that everyone is counted. STRATEGIC GOALS Build a Census 2020 outreach campaign targeted to raise Census awareness among all residents using the knowledge, expertise and leadership of community residents. 6 Page 1. To capture the most complete and accurate count of Baltimore City. In 2000, we achieved a self-response rate of 63 percent. In 2010, that rate was 68 percent. In 2020, we are aiming for a selfresponse rate of 73 percent to continue the trend of a 5 percent increase per Census. 2. Conduct equitable, offline research to ensure that every hard-tocount population is engaged in the Census count. 3. Develop modern, interactive, crowdsourced maps and resources to educate both stakeholders and the population on what areas of the city are hard to count. STRATEGIES Meeting our goals requires a diversity of strategies. We must: 1. Build a network of trusted messengers to meet people where they are and engage them in ways most understood by local communities; 2. Invest in and promote digital literacy through concerted education, outreach, and investment to reach populations with limited or no access to the Internet; 3. Market and widely communicate information about the 2020 Census so that all of Baltimore City is aware and understands the importance of a fair and accurate count; 4. Organize our key institutions and critical populations, through a cohort of sub-committees, to facilitate the goals of the Complete Count Committee. 7 Page Neighborhoods and Communications GOALS AND STRATEGIES With its highly diverse population and size, the City of Baltimore faces tremendous barriers to ensuring an accurate count and thus receiving an equitable, fair share of funding and representation. The goals of this communications/outreach plan are to: • Develop and present a creative brief to local advertising agencies • Coordinate and streamline the communication for all items contained in this plan with project stakeholders. • Educate and increase awareness about the 2020 Census and its benefits to residents, and manage expectations. • Ensure the city’s messaging aligns with the state and federal messaging goals. • Ensure areas of greatest impact, communities historically undercounted in past census counts, are reached. • Apply for and secure state or philanthropic grant funding to support Census outreach events and marketing KEY MESSAGING The purpose of key messaging is to ensure key points of the 2020 Census are conveyed to project stakeholders and residents. Although individual stakeholders or categories of residents may require additional messaging, the key points below should be relayed to everyone. - The value of the census and its importance to the nation and our democracy, as well as to every state, community, and neighborhood— particularly the impact on local schools, health care, emergency response, and other community services (Conrey, ZuWallack, & Locke, 2012). - The available means for response to make it easy for everyone to participate. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 1. Stakeholder Relations: The city will engage stakeholders to solicit feedback and help raise awareness of the 2020 Census, ensuring open and effective lines of communication throughout the campaign development and execution phases. 2. Advertising and Media Buying: A new digital environment will present challenges and opportunities for this crucial area, including— 8 Page for the first time—the expanded ability to directly drive response through digital ads that connect viewers to the online response tool. As with many of these areas, the city should use campaign data to continuously refine our approach. 3. Public Relations, Events, and Crisis Communications: The city’s strategy will help drive education and awareness efforts, particularly among hard-to-count audiences. Crisis preparedness and communications will be more important than ever before, with information (and, regrettably, misinformation) spreading faster in this new digital environment. 4. Website Development and Digital Activities: The city will take a mobile-first approach to developing web properties that support the campaign. Using dynamic content, the city will tailor the experience for its Hard-to-Count populations, and adjust the approach as campaign data become available. 5. Social Media: Social media outreach offers a unique opportunity to personally engage with the public. The city will leverage existing Census channels and develop innovative approaches to promote recruiting efforts, enhance customer service, support digital and on-theground events, raise awareness, drive response, and disseminate data. 6. Field Recruitment Advertising and Communications: The city will leverage various media channels, deploy hyperlocal and national campaigns, and develop one centralized recruiting resource. 7. State Grant: The city will have $250,000 starting July 1, 2020 to help support all goals and strategies. These funds will be used to procure necessary technology, disseminate information and marketing, and the majority to sub-grant to local businesses and organizations to promote the Census via events and questionnaire assistance. NEIGHBORHOODS AND RELEVANT GEOGRAPHIES The hard-to-count populations are not in a single geography and are spread throughout the city. There will be an increased effort in the low income and high vacancy areas. That said, of the 278 neighborhoods in Baltimore, we have identified 65 that hold the highest concentration of our hard-to-count populations. The remaining Complete Count Committee subcommittees are focused on our hard-to-count populations, and with their input, we have mapped several key features within these neighborhoods or sets of neighborhoods. 9 Page With the hard-to-count populations as a base map, we have identified nodes where residents gather as places to spread census outreach and education. These include our libraries, recreation and senior centers as well as dozens of salons, barber shops, and laundromats to reach as many members of these communities as possible. To fully encompass the city as a whole, we will partner with MTA and our major educational institutions to add marketing to the shuttles, buses, and rail stops and lines. Finally, with 73 percent of our city in a low Healthy Food Priority Area, and 85 percent being more than a quarter mile away from a grocery store, we will spread marketing and outreach throughout corner stores, and will be holding pop-ups at the city’s farmers’ markets which accept SNAP and WIC. PARTNERING MEDIA OUTLETS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS To effectively meet the city’s residents where they are, we have identified several key community groups, media outlets, and other organizations in an immediate vicinity to our Hard-to-Count populations. Department of Planning staff will work with other city agency neighborhood liaisons to effectively train them on the upcoming Census campaign. Please see the appendix at the end of the document for the growing list of media partners, organizations, and community groups. 10 P a g e TIMELINE Spring 2019 - Finalize summer and fall outreach materials, events, and locations including: - Event pop-up tool-kit - Executive summaries of the Action Plan - Neighborhood-specific fliers and one-pagers highlighting the importance of the Census to that given community - Hire summer outreach team - Staff large public events and festivals - Give information sessions to Hard-to-Count population groups (eg. senior centers, DSS offices, etc.) - Create social media content via blogs, pictures, and video Summer 2019 - Develop and pitch advertising briefing Hold one Census themed public event per month Begin outreach and training sessions Establish Census Ambassadors and Trusted Messengers Finalize locations for Questionnaire assistance Finalize sub-grant RFP Fall 2019 - Continue to hold monthly Census Events - Release sub-grant - Begin marketing for Census-assistance locations Winter 2019 - Select sub-grant awardees - Begin transition to weekly or bi-weekly Census Events Winter 2020 - Coordinate sub-grantee events/outreach schedule - Attend winter community meetings in conjunction with DoP Comprehensive Planners, MO of Neighborhoods Liaisons, and all other City agency liaisons Spring 2020 - Final marketing push - Fliers, Social Media, Print, Radio - Way finding/branding local Census-assistance locations - Weekly Census Events 11 P a g e HUMAN SERVICES MISSION Ensure a complete and accurate count of Baltimore’s Hard-to-Count populations by engaging trusted messengers, identifying motivating messages and facilitating the completion of the Census form in 2020 in HTC households and communities. The subcommittee will identify trusted messengers for each target population, equip them with the knowledge, messaging and outreach materials they need to motivate their community members to participate in the 2020 Census. They will also use their networks and relationships to disseminate information and ensure that their partners and the individuals that they serve are aware of the Census and understand what their children, families and communities gain or lose if they do or do not complete the form. STRATEGIES The recent data hacks, the current political environment, the addition of the citizenship question, the hostility present toward immigrants, the fact that the Census will take place in the middle of presidential campaigns and the general distrust in government pose huge challenges for a complete and accurate count in 2020. These difficulties compound the constant difficulties of reaching young children and hard to count populations. The strategies adapted by the Human Services Subcommittee take these challenges into account and make trusted messengers key to the overall strategies to improve the count: • • • Build trust with individuals, families and communities. Educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate - provide concrete examples (i.e., how impact their communities and their children). o Need to develop and test messages with different communities o Provide outreach materials and opportunities for one-on-one outreach and community engagement. Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily and fully complete the form. Educate them about their options (can fill it out without using the identifier number online and by phone, possibly wait until they get a paper form, if they don’t want to use the Internet) These three strategies are consistent across all target populations, although the partners and avenues to reach each of the groups will differ. The Human Services Subcommittee has also identified the following additional barriers to Census: illiteracy, digital illiteracy, no Internet access, transience/non-permanent 12 P a g e residence, language barriers, fear of how data will be used and lack of understanding of the purpose and function of the Census TARGET POPULATIONS The Human Services Subcommittee plan will target census activities to the following hard-to- count populations: • • • • • • • • African American males between the ages of 18 to 29 Young children under the age of 5, particularly those in (complex households such as young children in foster placement, homeless families “couch surfing”) People with disabilities and special needs (ie. blind, hard of hearing and deaf) Returning citizens Homeless (shelters, hotels, streets) LGBTQ Youth Older Adults from traditionally hard to count populations Immigrants and non-English speakers (this is covered by a different subcommittee) We must build relationships, rely on trusted voices and community partners, and leverage our relationships and outreach channels to get information out and motivate those who are hard-to-count to complete the form in 2020. There must be efforts to ensure they return their census form with all members living in the household at time of completion, including young children. Because young children are missed for unique reasons, the committee must incorporate strategic outreach that addresses the undercount of young children into all outreach efforts. In addition, the other Census subcommittees must include messages and strategies particularly around the undercount of young children, since they each have a role to play in ensuring that children are counted. STRATEGIES PER TARGET POPULATION Young Children Under 5: Young children have the highest net undercount of any other age group. They are the most likely to be missed in 2020. The undercount of young children is a little different from other populations. Research has shown that 4 out of 5 young children are missed because the person filling out the form does not include them on it. Understanding why this happens and developing messaging and materials based on those findings is key. • 13 P a g e Build trust with individuals, families and communities (need trusted messengers and messages) o Identifying trusted messengers and the organizations that can reach them Pediatricians, nurses, children’s hospitals, federally qualified health centers, OB-GYNS, maternity wards, teen pregnancy programs ▪ Teachers, cafeteria workers (or other school personnel that live in the community) ▪ Childcare providers and preschools ▪ Church congregation- church members ▪ Home visiting providers ▪ Peer-to-Peer: mothers in communities ▪ Barber shops and hair salons ▪ Businesses that sell diapers, baby food, and other young child items ▪ Libraries ▪ WIC offices ▪ Other government agencies that serve young children in particular (such as early intervention programs) ▪ Baltimore online parenting communities ▪ Community organizations: Organizing groups, ethnic groups, and others Educate trusted messengers - get them onboard o Educate trusted messengers (webinars, meetings, one-on-one conversations); get them to think about their networks and outreach vehicles and how they can leverage relationships and current vehicles to disseminate and reach HTC communities. o Make resources available to better understand the issue and what is at stake; countallkids.org. Educate individuals, families and communities about the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate o Develop messaging targeted to parents, guardians and caregivers of young children. Make sure to include concrete examples that show how the Census benefits their young children, families and communities. o Develop materials that trusted messengers can easily disseminate through outreach vehicles and that they can make available where they connect with families. ▪ • • ▪ ▪ ▪ 14 P a g e Develop videos: Video can be played in waiting rooms, doctor’s offices, emergency rooms, urgent care centers, OBGYN offices, and hospitals. The city can make it a requirement to have new moms watch the video before taking newborns home. Produce posters and ads: Materials can be posted on buses, light rail, circulator, and the Baltimore metro. They can also be posted in schools and social services offices. Produce pamphlets that can be made available at WIC offices and other places where parents of young children go. ▪ o • 15 P a g e Social media messages to reach youth and young parents. Make materials available to government offices and local partners to disseminate to places where parents of young children frequent. ▪ Food banks, diaper banks, WIC offices, Save-A-Lot, Aldi, Walmart, Rainbow, Dollar Stores, convenient stores/7Eleven. ▪ Partner with education providers: schools, early childcare centers, Early Head Start, Head Start. ▪ They can share census Statistics in Schools program materials and access parents and siblings who can provide reminders that young children should be included. ▪ Potential partners: Union Baptist Head Start, Day Spring, St. Vincent De Paul, Y of Maryland, Catholic Charities, United Way, Superintendent of Schools, Maryland Family Network. ▪ Libraries and the Raves Bookmobile. Can provide an education and outreach vehicle and places where they can complete the form. ▪ Partner with health care providers: Pediatrician offices, hospitals, urgent care centers, community clinics, home visiting providers. ▪ Reach out to pediatricians and maternity wards to share Census materials with parents. Provide newborns with onesies with the message “I count” or “count me” in multiple languages. ▪ Potential partners: Bmore for Healthy Babies, Early Childhood Coalition, Baltimore city health department, Maryland Hospital Organizations and other professional organizations. ▪ Buses/bus stops/circulator, Baltimore metro and light rail. Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily complete the form. o Set up stations in local libraries that are manned by staff who can help individuals complete their forms. ▪ Bookmobiles can increase access to technology for those who do not have access to technology. o Establish Census technology stations/kiosks in places that parents frequent: clinics, schools, churches, community corner store, recreation centers, etc. o Provide mobile technology like tablets and in-person assistance in government offices, WIC services and other places frequented by people with young children. o Provide support for those who need help completing the form. Having folks who can provide support in-language is going to be o critical. Schools may be helpful here. Share anticipated Count All Kids fact sheet on the logistics of when and how to fill out the form Youth Over the Age of 5 From Complex Households (Foster youth, LGBTQ youth, homeless or unstably housed, etc.) • Build trust with individuals, families and communities. o Engage groups such as Free State Legal Justice, YES drop in center, etc. o Incorporate into targeted street canvassing and other youth-led outreach Educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate- provide concrete examples. o Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily complete the form o African American Youth ages 18-29: African American young adult men also have a very high undercount rate. • • 16 P a g e Build trust with individuals, families and communities. o Identify trusted messengers and organizations that can help reach them. ▪ Engage youth through our existing networks and discuss with them the best channels for connecting with their colleagues. ▪ Engage organizations such as Baltimore Algebra Project, BMore Awesome and others to get their youth on board for outreach efforts. o Educate trusted messengers - get them onboard ▪ Engage youth on civics and train them to do census engagement. Get them to educate their peers and communities on the importance of the census and why they should make sure to complete the form and include everyone living in the household. ▪ Train YouthWorks participants to be “Census Navigators” – use Census funding to increase YouthWorks to add these jobs. ▪ Reach out to mentorship programs and other volunteers in the high schools as well as resource centers at the community college and HBCUs in the City. Educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate- provide concrete examples. o Develop messaging that works for this population o Develop materials that trusted messengers can easily disseminate through outreach vehicles. ▪ Have Wide Angle Media develop a video that connects the undercount of youth and young adults to their well-being. ▪ Engage the Real News Network on this topic. ▪ Develop social media content: visual graphics for Instagram. Disseminate information through current outreach channels. ▪ Youth text messaging party: Hold a texting party and have youth and young adults text their friends and network. ▪ Potential Partners: Family League, Safe Streets, Baltimore City Youth Fund, Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily complete the form. o Canvass streets to make sure reach youth and young adults who live on or work the streets are reached. Target Lexington Market, Mondawmin Mall, rec centers, etc. o • People with disabilities and special needs (e.g., blind, hard of hearing and deaf) • • Build trust with individuals, families and communities. Educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate - provide concrete examples. Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily complete the form Homeless: The Census is timed closely with the Homelessness PIT count. The city will need to differentiate between the two and create messages that the PIT count is not the Census. The count of people experiencing homelessness (who are not otherwise living in a household) is called the Service-based Enumeration, SBE, which is part of the Group Quarters (GQ) operation. GQ staff who will conduct the SBE, working out of the Area Census Office, will need to make advance contact with all service providers and also identify targeted outdoor locations in advance of the SBE, which will run from March 30-April 1st only. The city and service providers will be making contact with 2020 Census staff by the fall to make sure the list of sites/facilities/food vans, etc. that enumerators will visit in 2020 is comprehensive and up-to-date. People experiencing homelessness who do not otherwise live in a household temporarily will not self-respond the way households will. • • 17 P a g e Build trust with individuals, families, and communities. o Churches that often provide homeless services o Food banks o Community clinics, urgent care centers, Federally Qualified Health Centers Educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate- provide concrete examples. o Partner with the Police Department Homeless Outreach Team, and Downtown Partnership homeless outreach team to reach urban and wooded homeless camps. o Educate organizations that provide homeless services on the Census and the importance of getting an accurate count of the • homeless (churches, food pantries, Baltimore Homeless Services etc.) Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily complete the form. o Provide Census Completion Centers at Baltimore Homeless Services, Bea Gaddy Family Center, Our Daily Bread Employment Center and other locations that homeless individuals frequent. o Canvass the streets with tablets to count folks on the streets. Re-entering Citizens • • • Build trust with individuals, families and communities. o Job Opportunity Taskforce o Out for Justice o Center for Urban Families o Parole & Probation o Project Jumpstart o Safe Streets Educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate- provide concrete examples. o Connect messaging to voter rights restoration; focus on regaining rights, supporting community, having a voice o Develop materials that are visual, engaging for all literacy levels Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily complete the form. o Have peers/canvassers who assist with completion Older Adults • • • 18 P a g e Build trust with individuals, families and communities. o Baltimore City DSS o AARP o Association of Black Charities o Meals on Wheels: Health Department Educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of the Census and motivate them to participate- provide concrete examples. o Experience Corps o Civic Works: Can remind Older Adults that they need to complete the form. Provide access so individuals and households with different needs can easily complete the form. o Provide free rides to libraries or other places available to complete the form (Lyft/Uber). o Provide kiosks at Barbershops/beauty shops and support for Older Adults to complete their forms. o Put in kiosks in the lobbies of senior living centers. Have a table at weekly bingo nights or other events that are held for Older Adults. SUBCOMMITTEE ACTION TIMELINE • Spring 2019 • Finalize Summer/Fall community event outreach calendar • Summer 2019 • Attend community events and distribute Census information • November/December 2019 • Recruit and train Census Ambassadors on Census toolkit materials • Providers begin educating patients, students and parents of young children on the importance of being counted • January 2020 • Begin hosting community events led by Census Ambassadors • Prepare for special Census count of individuals experiencing homelessness • February 2020 • Census posters and information human services provider public places • Begin online Census demonstration presentations • Senior centers/senior housing • Facilities for individuals with disabilities • Early childhood education centers • March- April 2020 • “Fill out the form parties” with clients/patients of various providers and early childhood education centers • General Tactics/Increasing Awareness of Census Importance • Human Services providers are trusted influencers for hard to count populations. To aid providers in encouraging, educating and supporting their clients successfully the Subcommittee will: o Develop a CEU-eligible training for nurses, social workers, etc. o Develop a human services focused Census toolkit with training on use that has talking points by hard to count population (Older Adults, youth under 5, etc.) • Connect with organizations, central committees, and candidates doing electoral get-out-the-vote work during the primaries o Encourage them to at least discuss or flag the census as part of their civic duty in April 19 P a g e Immigrant/Limited English Proficiency MISSION Ensure a complete and accurate count of Baltimore’s Hard-To-Count populations by engaging trusted messengers, identifying motivating messages and facilitating the completion of the Census form in 2020 in HTC households and communities. The subcommittee will identify trusted messengers for each target population, equip them with the knowledge, messaging and outreach materials they need to motivate their community members to participate in the 2020 Census. They will also use their networks and relationships to disseminate information and ensure that their partners and the individuals that they serve are aware of the Census and understand what their children, families and communities gain or lose if they do or do not complete the form. STRATEGIES The Immigrant/Subcommittee will implement an engagement strategy to address barriers to completing the online Census questionnaire and support access to alternative formats when needed. The Subcommittee has identified the following barriers to Census participation: illiteracy, digital illiteracy, no Internet access, transience/non-permanent residence, language barriers, and lack of understanding of the purpose and function of the Census, confidentiality concerns and overall mistrust of the process. Existing Census participation barriers are rooted in economic disadvantage, single unattached mobiles, and/or individuals living in high density ethnic enclaves. The Subcommittee will overcome these barriers through an engagement strategy focused on community stakeholders trusted in the community while conveying the importance and direct benefit of completing the Census questionnaire. The Immigrant/LEP Subcommittee will rely on community stakeholders to increase awareness of the importance of the Census. In addition, the LEP subcommittee will focus on messaging and information dissemination through communication channels used by LEPs such as ethnic media along with social media outlets. 20 P a g e COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS In an effort to identify trusted community stakeholders to assist with information sharing and outreach efforts, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA) has compiled a comprehensive list of familiar outlets to New Americans such as ethnic civic groups, places of worship, non-profit organizations and educational institutions. Please see the appendix at the end of the document for the growing list of media partners, organizations, and community groups. Strategies to engage community stakeholders will include the following: • Development of a local network of community stakeholders to support one or more of the following: o Overcome the digital divide by agreeing to establish Census Technology stations o Access to computers (if any) to fill out the form o Assist with information sharing and education by participating on a train the trainer event to educate residents about the census and encourage them to participate o Host community events to highlight the importance of the Census o Meet with the Immigrant/LEP subcommittee on a quarterly basis to track progress • Host a citywide community meeting/event kicking off outreach strategies in spring 2019. The event will seek to provide information, volunteer opportunities, partner opportunities • Establish a multilingual Census ambassador volunteer group to help with outreach efforts such as door knocking, attending community events • Leverage existing resources through YouthWorks to assist with outreach events during Summer 2019 events • Train library staff on how to work with Limited English Proficient seeking questions about the Census • Coordinate with Baltimore City Schools ESL department to disseminate information to parents • Partner with Community School Coordinators to assist with outreach. • Develop and promote outreach materials in businesses frequented by New Americans 21 P a g e TARGET POPULATIONS As of 2017, 49,565 foreign-born (8 percent of the city’s population) call Baltimore home. The largest group, over 20,000 individuals, came from Latin American countries, including substantial populations from Mexico, El Salvador, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, and growing numbers from South America. Although the Hispanic community is spread throughout many neighborhoods in the city, they are heavily clustered east of downtown around Patterson Park and Highlandtown and increasingly in the Dundalk area. The city also has more than 13,000 immigrants from Asia, with significant populations from China, Korea, India, and the Philippines. Baltimore’s Asian populations are clustered around Johns Hopkins’ Homewood and medical campuses, as well as in downtown and midtown. The African foreign born population stands at 8,169, with a significant population from Nigeria. Furthermore, almost 54,000 individuals (9.3 percent of the city’s population) speak a language other than English at home and over 20,000 of those do not speak English very well. MESSAGING AND COMMUNICATION CHANNELS Messaging targeting New Americans must emphasize Federal Laws protecting the confidentiality of Census responses, which prohibit the sharing of identifiable information to any other individual or agency at any level of government, including immigration enforcement agencies, or using census data for any purpose other than compilation of anonymous statistics, including determination of eligibility for government benefits. In addition, messaging should create awareness of the consequences of undercounting and the impact to families and children. Undercounting New Americans in the 2020 Census could impact federal funding to programs such as Head Start, WIC, CHIP, and SNAP to mention a few. Messaging also should make clear that every person living in the U.S./Baltimore, regardless of citizenship, immigration or legal status, is counted in our census. Lastly, information needs to be made available in the city’s five core languages: Spanish, Mandarin, French, Korean and Arabic. Identifying trusted ethnic media to reach New Americans will be critical to overcome barriers related to language and ease concerns related to confidentiality. To that end, MIMA has compiled a list of ethnic media outlets based on the city’s core languages and identified multiple communication channels preferred by immigrant populations such as Facebook, Whatsup and Wechat. 22 P a g e Please see the appendix at the end of the document for the growing list of media partners, organizations, and community groups. STRATEGIES ON MESSAGING AND INFORMATION SHARING: Anticipate concerns and fears if the citizenship question is included. If included, messaging should focus on confidentiality laws and how the question is not asking participants to provide information regarding immigrant or legal status. • Highlight: o the potential impact on programs geared towards children and the overall well-being of families o Census Separate Question approach to Hispanic origin and race o the importance of documenting relationship of each person – including children - in a household. o the importance of reporting the number of children in the household. This is particularly important as Latinos believe that young children do not need to be reported on the census form. o how the form has only 10 questions. o March 2020 as every household will receive a mailing from the U.S. Census Bureau with instructions and an ID number to visit their website. Upon logging onto the Bureau’s website, each household will fill out a simple 10-question form. o confidentially laws and consequences (up to 5 years in jail and $250,000 in fines) should Census Bureau employees illegally release information o how all households will have the option of responding on-line, by telephone, or using a paper questionnaire, and emphasize key dates in 2020 • Develop: o multilingual messaging that can be disseminated through various media outlets o multilingual materials and posters for community centers, bus stops, laundromats, businesses o multilingual PSAs showing people how to fill out the form and contacting the Census Bureau’s toll-free lines in 12 non-English languages + English o social media tools via Facebook, WhatsApp, Wechat and text messaging to share information o a list of social media influencers to amplify information 23 P a g e • Partner: o With national organizations focusing on minority groups such as NALEO Educational Fund to access additional customized resources to promote participation. o with additional ethnic media outlets (print, radio, and television stations) to disseminate information. • Leverage: MIMA’s existing communication channels to disseminate information o Monthly Newsletter o Monthly Spanish Blog: MIMA en Español o Monthly publication with the largest Spanish newspaper in Baltimore (reaching 10,000 households) o Quarterly radio presentation with CBS’ Spanish affiliate radio station, El Zol o Ongoing communication via MIMA’s listserv comprised of 800 members. o Ongoing communication via MIMA’s webpage o Ongoing communication via MIMA’s Facebook page TIMELINE Spring 2019 • Conduct focus groups to gather LEP feedback regarding the action plan • Finalize list of ethnic media outlets • Finalize list of social media influencers • Finalize Summer/Fall community event outreach calendar • Organize a community event to recruit community stakeholders • Build network of community stakeholders • Develop community stakeholder engagement plan and coordinate coalition activities Finalize media messaging Summer 2019 • • Conduct Public education workshops/presentations • Conduct train the trainer sessions for community stakeholders • Distribute Census information at festivals and community events • Release multilingual Census materials • Media messaging to various communications outlets 24 P a g e November/December 2019 • Recruit and Train Census multilingual Ambassadors on Census toolkit materials • Attend activities/events organized by the network of community stakeholders • Continue the recruitment of community stakeholders to assist with outreach • Continue media messaging Create social media outlets on WhatsApp, Wechat and Facebook January 2020 • • Continue public education workshops and presentations • Continue the recruitment of community stakeholders to assist with outreach • Begin hosting community events led by Census Ambassadors • Attend activities/events organized by the network of community stakeholders • Continue media messaging Begin promoting the Census through WhatsApp and Wechat February 2020 • • Continue public education workshops and presentations • Census posters and information in public places • Work with Baltimore City schools and community school coordinators to send information about the census to parents Post Census information in: • Utility bills, • NextDoor online community app, and • Banners at target intersections. March- April 2020 • • Continue public education workshops and presentations • Coordinate weekly messages about the Census via social media (WhatsApp, Wechat, Facebook and text message) 25 P a g e BUSINESS & INSTITUTIONS MISSION Ensure a complete and accurate count of Baltimore’s Hard-to-Count populations by engaging trusted messengers, identifying motivating messages and facilitating the completion of the Census form in 2020 in HTC households and communities. The Business & Institutions Subcommittee will involve the business community and other institutions in Baltimore City in the process of raising Census awareness among business owners, employees, customers, students, faculty, and communities in the hard-to-count areas of the city. To be able to convey the Census message and increase response rate, the subcommittee established the following goals: • Develop processes to get Baltimore businesses and their employees engaged in the importance of the Census; • Develop outreach mechanisms for employers in the City to convey the Census message; • Develop approaches to reach out to students & staff; and • Connect with vendors that provide services to businesses and institutions in Baltimore City. STRATEGIES Based on these goals, the following strategies and actions were identified: - Increase Census Recognition among Business Owners & Institutions, their employees and students: - Attend monthly/quarterly commerce meetings and job fairs. - Identify HR contact for businesses and institutions to include Census message on paychecks and direct deposits. - Allow employees to complete the Census form during work hours and to use work computers and telephones to do so if those are the preferred methods of response. - Organize a competition among institutions for the most off-campus students and faculty who participated in the census. - Direct Communication with Customers & Employees: 26 P a g e - Include Census messages in newsletters and e-blasts that are e-mailed or mailed to customers and employees. - Add Census link to businesses & institutions’ websites to promote the Census. - Use Social Media platform to use the BmoreCounts# for census awareness. Organize Census Registration Party & Rally. - Use signage in buildings to remind people to respond to the census. - Develop signs to be placed in student dorms, libraries, and throughout student campuses. - Offer incentives and give-aways for filling out the Census form, such as promotional gifts from the Census Bureau, if available. To implement these strategies, the following sub-committee groups were set in place: 1. Large & Small Business: Don Fry, Co-Chair 2. Higher Education: Brian Sturdivant, Co-Chair & Joan Flynn, Co-chair 3. Education (Student Focus): Kristen Brinlee, Co-Chair & Marianne Navarro, Co-chair 4. Medical Institutions: Samuel Burris, Co-Chair 5. Small, Minority, & Women-Owned Business: Veronica Wright, Co-Chair 6. Cultural Institutions: Terrance Jennings 7. Business & Professional Organizations: Eben Frederick, Co-Chair 8. Hospitality & Restaurants: Representative from Visit Baltimore TARGET PARTNERS Local events to promote the Census will be identified by the sub-committee at subsequent meetings which will be included in a monthly Census calendar of events. Please see the appendix at the end of the document for the growing list of media partners, organizations, and community groups. TIMELINE Special events will need to be arranged between September 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020 to provide Census outreach among significant businesses and institutions. Based on the type of events that have been planned, the Business & Institutions Sub-committee will reach out to sponsors to schedule the events. 27 P a g e • Spring 2019 • • • • • Finalize list of Partners and Organizations • Finalize list of social media influencers • Finalize Summer/Fall event outreach calendar • Develop community stakeholder engagement plan and coordinate coalition activities • Finalize media messaging • Develop briefing for business owners Summer 2019 • Conduct business education workshops/presentations • Conduct train the trainer sessions for stakeholders • Distribute Census information at festivals and community events November/December 2019 • Attend activities/events organized by the network of community stakeholders • Continue the recruitment of community stakeholders to assist with outreach • Continue media messaging January 2020 • Continue business education workshops and presentations • Continue the recruitment of community stakeholders to assist with outreach • Begin hosting events led by Census Business Ambassadors • Attend activities/events organized by the network of community stakeholders February 2020 • Continue education workshops and presentations • Census posters and information in businesses Post Census information in: • Mail blasts, • Lobbies/waiting rooms, and • Common areas such as break-rooms. March- April 2020 • • • Continue education workshops and presentations • Allow employees to complete census during work day, if needed 28 P a g e Civic and Community Resources MISSION Ensure a complete and accurate count of Baltimore’s Hard-to-Count populations by training trusted messengers, spreading motivating messages, and providing resources and locations to complete the Census form in 2020 in HTC communities. The Civic Resources Subcommittee will involve public and private institutions or resources in Baltimore City in the process of raising Census awareness among students, faculty, parishioners, and communities in the hard-to-count areas of the city. To be able to convey the Census message and increase response rate, the subcommittee established the following goals: • Develop processes to get public and private institutions and their employees engaged in the importance of the Census; • Develop outreach mechanisms for employers in the City to convey the Census message; • Develop approaches to reach out to students & staff; and • Connect with vendors who provide services to the general public in Baltimore City. STRATEGIES Based on these goals, the following strategies and actions were identified: Activating the Enoch Pratt Library System: • Organize and advertise training sessions to recruit volunteers to assist with Census 2020 outreach. Training sessions can be hosted at library meeting rooms across the City. • Target high school and college students as potential volunteers and hosts • Work with libraries to deploy Census volunteers at both neighborhood branches and mobile trucks during daytime, after work and weekend hours. Activating Primary and Secondary Schools: • Identify: - Strategy for pre-schools and day care centers. - Contact at Baltimore City Schools or local non-profit service provider (eg: 29 P a g e Family League) to serve as a lead partner/coordinator. - Opportunities to partner around special events throughout 2019 - 2020. - Opportunities to get Census 2020 on the agenda at Open House, ParentTeacher conferences and other events. - Opportunities to set up Census 2020 “stations” at local schools, staffed by volunteers. Activating Higher Education Groups: • Develop marketing challenge or competition across colleges. • Work with: - Student shuttles to advertise the Census; possibly position volunteers on shuttle to distribute information - Faculty to integrate Census 2020 into curriculum - Art and design students to develop and design Citywide marketing materials around Census 2020 specific to Baltimore - Resident hall advisors to set up informational sessions during Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 • Identify: - Campus based student organizations to serve as liaisons – particularly Student-Government. - Key leadership and networks that could serve as thought partners and leadership. - Marketing opportunities, working with college newspapers and radio stations. Activating Faith Institutions: • Identify: - Religious leadership in and around HTC communities - Locations that can be used for workshops, training sessions, and forums • Convene work group of faith leaders and their participants to develop tailored information and outreach • Coordinate with: - Existing programs that touch on HTC communities, or tie into State/Federal funding - Planned events within these groups that could become Census-themed or sponsored - Human Services and LEP subcommittees to reduce duplicative efforts 30 P a g e Activating all other Public/Private Sectors: • Identify a coordinated strategy with BOPA for large public events like Light City and the Book Festival • Work with the MVA to provide information in registration renewal notification • Coordinate with: - Police, Fire, and EMS to incorporate Census information into their audiences - Baltimore Professional Sports teams (Orioles, Ravens, Blast, etc.) - Human Services and LEP subcommittees to disseminate tailored information throughout HTC communities - the MVA to provide information in registration renewal notification • Determine route to insert a Census 2020 mailer in jury duty, water bills and other official City mailers. TARGET PARTNERS AND POPULATIONS The Civic Resources committee targets several population groups and communities in Baltimore City, including: - College students living off campus; Families with children; Faith based organizations; Public sector services patrons, including the public library system. The committee is taking particular care to pay attention to the digital divide – Baltimore City residents who may face the greatest difficulty with 2020 online forms due to a lack of digital access. The committee has also developed a roster of partners to be engaged: • Enoch Pratt Library: Kelly Shimabukuro, Chief, Programs and Public Engagement • Enoch Pratt Library: Megan McCorkle, Director of Communications • Enoch Pratt Library: Herb Melbo, Interim Chief of Neighborhood Branches • Baltimore Votes: Sam Novey • Baltimore City Schools: Rashad Staton • UMB Community Engagement Center: Ashley Valis • MICA Center for Creative Citizenship: Abby Neyenhouse • Baptist Convention • Faith Leaders for Excellent Schools • Associated Jewish Charities • Greater Baltimore Muslim Alliance 31 P a g e TIMELINE Winter-Spring 2019 • Outreach to potential partners (college, family, and faith based groups) to identify specific strategies begins. • Train-the-trainer sessions for staff, volunteers and others who will engage with community members during this activation phase begins. • Spaces for community outreach and training identified for later phases. Summer 2019 • During this time period, partner organizations, identified above, should develop their own organizational outreach strategy. • Baltimore City and the 2020 Census should partner with students or other groups to design and execute marketing strategy. Fall 2019 • Public education workshops/presentations: Census education workshops or classes should begin with an urgent call to action. - Establish Libraries as Census Resource Centers Winter 2020 • During this period of intensive outreach, partner organizations should provide assistance to residents in completing their forms. This can include hosting and/or staffing Census informational tables or kiosks at strategic points throughout the City. Spring 2020 • Continue public education workshops and presentations • Heavy marketing to college/university populations in weeks leading up to Census - Establish on-campus Census Resource Centers 32 P a g e 33 Page