In the national Census, Western North Carolina has historically been among the most undercounted regions in the country. To support increased Census counts in our region, the board allocated $1.55 million for a bold strategy that included conducting a region-wide multi-media advertising campaign and working with county Complete Count Committees and nearly 100 nonprofit partners to increase the count. The result: When the Census ended on October 15, the average county response rate across Western North Carolina had increased by 2.2% over the 2010 response rate, outperforming the average increase across the state and the nation. Even more, 10 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians exceeded their previous 2010 rate of count. All totaled, this equates to roughly $18 billion in potential funding for the region over the next decade.
“The Census provides jobs and a source of income for people in the community. By tapping into our networks across the region, we were able to connect people right away to boost response rates. That has been wonderful!”
“I knew the Census helped the community, but not to what extent. When I found that out, I knew there was a lot at stake because we are very dependent on grants and government funding. I am thankful to Dogwood for their investment in our community, and I am proud that our efforts helped Graham County surpass our 2010 self-response rate.”