In a statement provided Monday, Governor Kay Ivey gave an update on the preparations taking place to organize the 2020 Census.
According to the update, “the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) is seeking public input for a grant program to assist with local outreach efforts.”
ADECA issued the Request for Information (RFI) related to $1 million in funding allocated to the agency in the 2020 Education Trust Fund Budget for the 2020 Census Grant Program. The RFI is available online and public comments about the program will be accepted in writing until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 12, 2019.
“The 2020 Census will play a major role in shaping our state’s future, so it is critical that we do everything we can to educate all of our residents about the importance of participation and motivate them to complete and submit their census forms in March and April 2020,” Governor Ivey stated. “Efforts by local and grassroots organizations will be critical to this goal, and I am pleased that the Legislature allocated funds to assist these efforts. I invite your input as we take the first step toward success of this grant program.”
A portion of the update stated as follows:
Governor Ivey designated ADECA as the lead state agency for 2020 Census outreach in Alabama. For the past several months, ADECA has led the Alabama Counts! 2020 Census Initiative. The one-time grant funding is to be expended by ADECA, in coordination with the State Department of Education, to assist local community outreach efforts designed to encourage Alabama residents to complete the 2020 Census count. All grants will be awarded by December 31 in preparation for the census count in March and April 2020.
After the public comment period, ADECA will work to design the full process and establish deadlines for this grant program which will provide funding assistance to help with local, grassroots outreach efforts, specifically those in hard-to-count areas and groups. The agency will host a grant application workshop once all the procedures are in place and applications are ready to be accepted.
“Local and community leaders are trusted voices that will ultimately lead to a successful 2020 Census for Alabama, and we need to hear your voices as we design this grant program,” said Kenneth Boswell, director of ADECA and chairman of the Alabama Counts 2020 Census Committee. “ADECA and Alabama Counts will work hard to ensure that this funding is put to the best possible use to assist local efforts as they complement our statewide efforts with Alabama Counts.”
More information about Alabama Counts and the 2020 Census is available at www.census.alabama.gov.
Kyle Morris also contributes daily to Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @RealKyleMorris.
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