An Arkansas organization kick-started a new initiative this week that is designed to bolster support for the upcoming 2020 U.S. Census.
The Northwest Arkansas Council has partnered with Tyson Foods Chief Sustainability Officer John R. Tyson and Arkansas Counts head Kara Wilkins to encourage the business community’s involvement in the census effort. Both Tyson and Wilkins have led efforts in their respective organizations to promote the significance of the census for Arkansas.
“The census helps define the nation – in particular cities and regions – in terms of population and demographic makeup,” said Nelson Peacock, president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council. “This information is important to businesses for marketing and growth opportunities and data-driven decisions. In addition, census data establishes the baseline for the distribution of federal funding and legislative districts.”
The U.S. Census has a significant impact on federal funding for states. According to the GW Institute of Public Policy, Arkansas receives approximately $10 billion in annual funding based on U.S. Census numbers. The Arkansas State Data Center has estimated that even a 1 percent undercount in Northwest Arkansas could result in $170 million in lost funding.
To encourage census participation, the Northwest Arkansas Council and EngageNWA created a census toolkit that makes the business case for census participation. Throughout 2020, the council and its partners plan to actively promote the census and its benefits for Arkansas.
“Every single person in the region and the state needs to be counted,” Peacock says. “We need every available resource to continue to move our economy forward.”
View the census toolkit here.
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