States will play an important role in helping to promote an accurate 2020 Census, but they can’t do it alone. Achieving a fair and accurate 2020 Census will require states to invest in community-based organizations (CBOs) as partners to ensure that trusted voices in local communities reach skeptical people about why it is important to fill out the census form.

Historical trends tell us that not every household will submit their responses to the census questionnaire on their own (“ self-response” ) for various reasons. These areas and populations are considered “ hard-to-count” and will require additional outreach and education efforts (“ Get Out the Count” ) by local trusted voices to ensure they are counted fully and accurately when the U.S. Census Bureau sends enumerators into the field to talk to each household one-by-one (“ non-response follow up” or NRFU).

Below is an established methodology for estimating how much money would be needed to ensure a organizations (CBOs) as partners to ensure that trusted voices in local communities reach skeptical people about why it is important to fill out the census form.