On June 8, the Commerce Department (which oversees the Census Bureau) invited the public to comment on the paperwork associated with the 2020 census.  The public has 60 days – until August 7 – to submit comments.

This is one of the few opportunities for philanthropy to make its case that the citizenship question should be removed from the census questionnaire. Regardless of whether public comments will move the Trump administration to reverse its decision, this establishes an important record for the public, Congress and the courts to consider.

Please note – Submitting comments is NOT considered lobbying. This means that private foundations can weigh in on this question, and that public charities, including community foundations, can do so without tracking and reporting it as lobbying on their 990s. For more information, please see this legal memo on advocacy and the census here and this Bolder Advocacy blog “Nonprofits and Foundations Can Advocate to Remove the Citizenship Question from Census 2020” here.

During this webinar, funders will learn about:

• Where the citizenship question stands now and how key national stakeholder organizations are organizing to oppose it
• How funders and Philanthropy Serving Organizations can sign-on to letters opposing the citizenship question and/or submit their own comments
• How funders can help inform their grantees about sign-on comment letters and other organizing opportunities for stakeholder groups

Moderated by Keely Monroe, Funders Census Initiative at FCCP

Speakers:

• Gary Bass, Bauman Foundation
• Maggie Osborn, United Philanthropy Forum
• Corrine Yu, Leadership Conference Education Fund

Register here for this event.

Cosponsors: Associated Grant Makers, Bauman Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Chesapeake Bay Funders, Democracy Funders Collaborative Census Subgroup, Four Freedoms Fund, Forefront, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Funders for Reproductive Equity, Funders Together to End Homelessness, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Grantmakers Council of Rhode Island, Grantmakers In Health, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Minnesota Council of Foundations, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, NY Funder Alliance, Philanthropy California, Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia, Philanthropy New York, Philanthropy Northwest, Solidago Foundation, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders, United Philanthropy Forum