The Census 2000 Initiative, a project of the Communications Consortium Media Center (CCMC), waslaunched in 1996 to promote an accurate and comprehensive census. Through a program of strategiccommunications and targeted media outreach, the Initiative is raising awareness among key census stakeholder communities of the consequences of key decisions being made by the Census Bureau and the Congress as 2000 approaches. Through News Alerts, Issue Briefs, relevant articles, press events,panel discussions at association meetings, and other means of communication, the Initiative can provide stakeholders with timely information to support their involvement in the decision-making process that will affect the accuracy and availability of census data into the next century. The initiative has been supported through a planning grant from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, with support from additional foundations in 1997-98.
Throughout 1996, the Census 2000 Initiative convened cluster meetings of constituents includingdata users, public policy organizations, civic organizations, and state and local elected officials todiscuss useful strategies for involving a wide range of stakeholders in important census debates. It also disseminated timely information about census planning and preparations to stakeholders and the media, and participated in discussions about census issues sponsored by associations and civic organizations. The Initiative welcomes participation and recommendations from census stakeholders around the country.
For more information about the Census 2000 Initiative, contact TerriAnn Lowenthal at 202.326.5287. To be added to the mailing list, send your name, organizational affiliation, address, phone and fax numbers, to the Communications Consortium Media Center, 1200 New York Ave., NW, Suite 300,Washington, D.C. 20005.