The 2020 Census only takes five minutes to fill out, but participation in it will determine Alabama’s future for the next 10 years and beyond.

What’s at stake? Funding for programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Head Start, to name a few. The federal government doles out dollars to states based off of population, information obtained through the Census. Each Alabamian counts for roughly $1,600 in money returned to the state from the federal government annually, according to a recent study by George Washington University.

And, for every Alabamian that doesn’t take the Census, that’s $1,600 the state doesn’t get to fund programs for issues as wide-ranging as infrastructure development, health care, education and housing assistance – amounting to $13 billion in total.

Without an accurate population count obtained through the Census, Alabama stands to lose a Congressional seat, as seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are determined by population. The Census affects economic development, too – data collected by the Census is used by companies looking to relocate and expand in Alabama, and stronger population numbers could mean more jobs and capital investment for Birmingham and Alabama.

And, as the Census takes place only once every decade, not taking the Census could have consequences for Alabama that are long-lasting. In 2010, when the last Census was taken, Alabama only had a 72 percent response rate – a number that must be higher in 2020 for Alabama to have the best chance of success for the next 10 years, according to Alabama Counts!, which seeks to have a 100 percent response rate from all Alabamians.

How can you as the Birmingham regional business community help? Here are some ideas to help make sure that as many people as possible at your business take the Census:

Model the way. Whether you are in a supervisory role or not, take the Census and let fellow employees know that you did so.
Send a companywide e-mail reminder. The Alabama Counts! campaign has plenty of resources on its website you can use to educate your employees, like this information sheet or this brochure.
Talk about it in a staff meeting. The Census affects all of us, including every member of your staff. Take five minutes to educate your staff members about the Census, including that it can be taken by paper form, phone or, for the first time, by computer, smartphone or tablet. If your staff doesn’t meet regularly, host a seminar about the importance of the Census. Have whoever is leading the discussion use these talking points as a guide.
Once the online form opens on Thursday, March 12, set aside time as a staff to take the Census together. Remember, it only takes about five minutes. Provide staff members a safe space to fill out the form, away from the hustle and bustle of their desk or their workstation.
Put it on your company’s social media. Alabama Counts! has already done the work for you – use their social media examples here to get the word out. Use the hashtag #alcounts for maximum effectiveness.
Internally communicate the message. Does your business have a staff newsletter? Put information about the Census in there and encourage employees to tell their family and friends.
Hang posters like this around the office.
Hang door hangers like this on your door.
Have this video playing in your lobby.
For a community service event, go out as a staff to pass out these palm cards to those who may not have heard about the Census.
Celebrate the Census. Alabama’s Census Day has been designated as Wednesday, April 1. Order t-shirts for your staff and let them wear jeans to work if they complete the Census. Get a cake and eat a slice while filling it out. Celebrate the Census, because the more Alabamians complete it, the more there will be to celebrate.