FLINT — In 2020, there is nothing more important that ensuring a complete count of all residents in Flint and Genesee County. A complete count means adequate congressional representation and the right flow of federal resources to meet the needs of our county’s most vulnerable residents. Being counted helps communities create jobs, provide housing, fund K-12 education, prepare for emergencies and build schools, roads, hospitals and libraries.
Today, the Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) is investing in nonprofit organizations working to ensure an accurate count in the 2020 census. Thirty-four nonprofit organizations were awarded $300,167 in grants in a competitive process that began last fall. Grants ranged from $20,000 to $2,100 depending on the project’s scope and geographic coverage. Funding runs from December 2019 through August 2020. The Census count begins in April 2020.
“The Community Foundation is pleased to support local nonprofits that are key to get out the count efforts, particularly in hard-to-count populations,” said Sue Peters, Vice President of Community Impact. “Those with the most to lose from an undercount are the hardest to count, including people of color, immigrants, young children, and those traditionally served by nonprofits.”
Grant funding was available to organizations who work with historically undercounted communities in Flint and Genesee County. CFGF will continue to work with all nonprofit organizations interested in outreach efforts, including access to promotional materials, Peters added.
The Community Foundation is partnering with the City of Flint and the Michigan Nonprofit Association in its Be Counted Michigan 2020 campaign, with support from the Council of Michigan Foundations and local funders including the C.S. Mott Foundation and Ruth Mott Foundation. — G.G.