The success of the 2020 U.S. Census will have important implications for the latino-owned businesses in Illinois.
The decennial population count contributes to critical data that businesses use to identify where to open a new store and what products and services to offer.
It helps allocate funding for various federal business loan programs and provides a foundation for many of the resources offered through the Small Business Administration.
The census is also used to effectively allocate public funding for investments that grow the economy, including schools, roads, and workforce development, among many others.
The information from the census is used to allocate political representation at the local, state and national levels.
Latino-owned business in Illinois can help achieve an accurate 2020 Census by encouraging their employees and customers to complete their census questionnaires early.
Latino-owned businesses in Illinois can start promoting the census in March 2020 (when households receive their census materials by mail) using the resources below and can continue to encourage people’s participation through May.
Census workers, however, will begin visiting homes in May for those who do not respond on their own.
Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) is promoting easy-to-access resources for small business latino-owners to promote the census. It includes talking points for a staff event and a flyer that can be posted in a storefront or near a cash register.
Talking Points for Employee Gathering:
The talking points below provide essential information about the 2020 Census and why it is important that everyone in Illinois participates.
What is the 2020 Census?
The U.S. Constitution calls on the federal government to conduct a basic count of all residents living in the country every 10 years. The next population count is this year 2020.
The census questionnaire is short (10 questions) and only asks for basic information (e.g., age, sex, race, type of housing, etc.) for all people living in your household. It does not ask for sensitive information like social security numbers, immigration status or bank account information.
The Census Helps to Improve Illinois:
Information from the 2020 Census will help to distribute billions of dollars in federal resources. Every year, Illinois gets roughly $34 Billions based on census information that helps pay for schools, roads, police, fire, health care and many more services. An undercount in Illinois would jeopardize our full share of these resources.
How Can Someone Complete their Questionnaire?
For the first time, residents can complete their forms online, but doing so by phone or mailing in a paper questionnaire are still options. Go to 2020Census.gov for more information and to complete your questionnaire starting in March 2020. If you don’t respond by the end of April, a census worker may visit your home.
Is it safe and private?
Federal law prohibits the Census Bureau from sharing individual census information with any person, organization or government body, including law enforcement. All census staff take a lifetime oath to protect personal information, with up to $250,000 in fines and/or up to 5 years of jail time for violations.
Encourage Others
Once you complete your questionnaire, please encourage your family and friends to do the same.
Flyer for Storefront or near Cash Register:
This one-page flyer is meant to be posted anywhere that employees or customers can view it:
