City risks losing $1,535 per person every year for each individual not counted

ROCKFORD — Nine hundred million dollars.

That's the estimated amount of federal funding that Winnebago County missed out on over the past decade because the county had an 80% rate of participation in the 2010 U.S. Census.

“That's a lot of federal money that could have gone to a lot of programs — highway projects, roads, bridges, Medicare. That's why it's so important that everyone is counted in this upcoming census,” said Ivy Hood, program manger for Region 1 Planning Council.

Hood helped the regional planning commission win a $920,000 state grant last year to encourage a complete and accurate 2020 Census count in northern Illinois. Much of the money will go to pay for advertising and outreach efforts. The goal is to reach people who are historically undercounted, including minorities, veterans, those living below the poverty line, residents who don’t live in a single place year-round and children under the age of 5 in single-parent households.

The Constitution requires a national population survey every 10 years. Hood helped lead a training seminar for elected officials on Tuesday to stress the importance of pulling off a complete census count for the region. Census data determines federal funding levels for schools, hospitals, social service programs, roads, fire and police protection, even child adoption programs, said Aaron Lewis, a project management assistant at the planning council.

The city of Rockford is the largest of a dozen agencies in northern Illinois that will receive a slice of the $920,000 grant. The city intends to spend about 90% of the $160,000 it will receive on direct marketing efforts, such as print and broadcast advertising, Hood said.

Mayor Tom McNamara said members of his team at City Hall have met with about 60 faith and community leaders who can serve as “the trusted faces that we need” to encourage those who are historically undercounted to take part in the population count.

It will be a challenge, McNamara said, to overcome fear, uncertainty or “trust issues” that minorities, foreign-born residents and people of color may have about government programs.

The mayor said the city already is spending some of its allocated grant funds on advertising campaigns with El Sol, a Spanish-language newspaper in Rockford, and La Bamba Radio, a Spanish-language online radio station with a large following in northern Illinois.

“We're just trying to go to the places where people already go to get trusted information,” McNamara said.

Illinois leaders are concerned about getting an accurate count. The state estimates Illinois could lose $120 million annually for each 1% of the population that is undercounted — about $1.2 billion over the 10-year period between this year's census and the next one in 2030.

The Rockford region is at risk of losing approximately $1,535 per person each year, or $15,350 over 10 years, for each person not counted. This year’s census can be completed by mail or phone or online. Beginning March 12, Rockford-area residents will receive instructions in the mail on how to complete the census.

Isaac Guerrero: 815-987-1361; iguerrero@rrstar.com; @isaac_rrs