On Thursday, January 16, 2020, FPWA launched the Interfaith Census 2020 Count Coalition. The Interfaith Coalition is a collective effort of FPWA, Catholic Charities of New York, the Council of People’s Organization, the Interfaith Center of New York, and UJA-Federation of New York to ensure our hardest to count communities are accurately and completely counted as we approach the start of the Census in just two months!

We were joined by an inspiring panel of faith leaders and faith-based organizers sharing insights about how to build faith leadership on social and civic issues through census outreach in New York communities, along with the opportunities and challenges ahead for us in engaging our own unique faith-based communities. Thank you to all who served on the panel, offered prayers, and presented as part of this wonderful event!

As we approach the start of the Census, you need to take four actions to ensure you and your members are counted.

Action #1: Join the Interfaith Census 2020 Count Coalition TODAY

Join fellow faith leaders by taking the pledge to get your congregation and community counted in the 2020 Census:

“I pledge to be proactive with my congregation, to aspire to full participation in the census and to encourage, to educate, and to aim for every member of the community being counted. Together, we shape our future.”

Take the Pledge Now

Action #2: Download the Toolkit

This toolkit includes everything you need to take action in supporting your community, including sermon notes, organizing strategies, a census organizing calendar, and social media templates to announce the census in your religious services, templates to get the word out to the greater congregation, and detailed support on how to organize outreach activities within your community.

Download the Faith Leaders Census Toolkit

Action #3: RSVP for a Training in your Borough

As part of the Interfaith Census 2020 Count Coalition’s census awareness strategy, we are offering faith-based census training in each of the five boroughs during the month of February to help faith leaders learn more about the census and build your own congregation’s census outreach plan.

RSVP for an Upcoming Training

Action #4: Apply for Funding

The Coalition will be distributing $150,000 in grants of up to $10,000 to at least 15 organizations with the ability to organize their peers, members, and networks for the census. Funded organizations will develop a tailored organizing strategy in partnership with the Interfaith Coalition to recruit faith leadership and conduct various on-the-ground organizing strategies in the community. This fund will support organizing capacity within faith traditions and within specific neighborhoods or geographies around New York City and hopes to spark the creative capital of faith leadership within the city.

Download the RFP, description, scope, and application instructions

About the Interfaith Census 2020 Count Coalition

The Interfaith Census 2020 Count Coalition is a diverse collective of faith leaders and faith-based organizations across NYC who seek to decrease fear, shatter apathy, and inspire hope to ensure a better future for everyday New Yorkers through a complete count in the 2020 Census.

Catholic Charities, Council of People’s Organization, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, Interfaith Center of New York and United Jewish Association of New York have organized the coalition to provide a resource for faith communities to learn about the census, increase awareness in hard to count neighborhoods, and mobilize for a complete count.

Visit the Interfaith Census Website

You can find out more about how to participate in the census and about the Interfaith Census 2020 Coalition by visiting its website. Or you can contact Faith Based Outreach & Engagement Coordinator Min. Yolanda Richa