The Pittsburgh Foundation, Allegheny County-City of Pittsburgh Complete Count Committee, and Census 2020 Philanthropic Fund recently partnered together to create a mini-grants program to support census-related activities. Community-based organizations in Allegheny County are eligible to apply for a grant of up to $2,500 to advance the work of the 2020 Census with populations identified to be at risk of an undercount.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must be either:

• • an incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating in the City of Pittsburgh and/or Allegheny County;
  • a school or educational institution operating in the City of Pittsburgh and/or Allegheny County; or
  • a municipality in Allegheny County.

Community-based organizations that are not schools, municipalities, or incorporated 501(c)(3)s must obtain a fiscal sponsor that is an eligible 501(c)(3) in Allegheny County to apply. For questions on how to obtain a fiscal sponsor, contact Emmie Calland at callande@pghfdn.org.

Priorities

Proposal submissions should focus on outreach activities to increase participation in the 2020 census and must benefit historically undercounted and hard-to-reach communities in Allegheny County. These populations include:

• • seniors,
  • people of color,
  • foreign-born residents,
  • children ages birth to five,
  • low-income residents,
  • persons experiencing homelessness,
  • persons with disabilities, and
  • persons who do not live in traditional housing.

Use of Grant Funds

Proposed activities should take place between now and July 31, 2020. Grant activities should focus on increasing census participation among the hard-to-count groups above. Activities could include:

• • alleviating language barriers in promoting census awareness and completion,
  • hosting events that encourage people to answer the census,
  • creating unique materials to encourage census participation for the populations you serve, and
  • purchasing technology to allow people to fill out the census on the spot.

How to Apply

To apply for a mini-grant, complete the online application. All applications must be submitted no later than February 1, 2020. For technical questions related to the application, contact Jennifer Steinmetz at steinmetzj@pghfdn.org.

More Information

To learn more about the 2020 Census, visit the Allegheny County-City of Pittsburgh Complete Count Committee website. For questions about the program or content of the grant application, contact Emmie Calland at callande@pghfdn.org.

*Information provided by The Pittsburgh Foundation