You Count

Back in 2018, when I was just getting started in consulting, I received a request from the Orange County Community Foundation which went something like this: "Hey, it's 2018 and no one in Orange County is talking about the Census. That's worrisome. Can you start pulling together a funder strategy so we can get funders and nonprofits alike activated for a complete count?"

My response was something like this: "Uh, sure. What's the Census?"

Ok, I kid, I kid -- but I was pretty clueless about the Census. I knew it came around every 10 years and it was important to respond, but I didn't realize just how important it was for a functioning, healthy, resource-filled democracy.

I ended up working on the 2020 Census from 2018 until 2021. It was an incredible, messy, fabulous, overwhelming experience. And I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

At the end of the day, the Census is about power and money. It affects ALL of us -- it determines funding for public schools; it affects how much money goes to Medicaid and community health centers; it shapes roads, public transit, bike lanes, and sidewalks; it touches programs for affordable housing and Section 8 vouchers; it helps plot out fire stations and disaster relief resources; it determines how much political voice your community has in elections; and a lot more.

See what I mean about the Census being crazy important?

And as I read my favorite NPR reporter Hansi Lo Wang's articles about the Census and what's happening (or not happening) over at the Census Bureau, I'm honestly scared for 2030. And not just 2030, but the years following, as we live with Census results for a decade:

• The Census Bureau has lost a notable number of experienced staff members, leading to concerns about a brain drain and the agency's capacity to deliver high-quality statistics essential for policymaking and public services.

• In March, the Department of Commerce disbanded three key Census Advisory Committees (with volunteer experts who provided critical guidance on all things Census).

• And there have been disruptions in data access, raising concerns about politicization. 

Not good, not good.

If we don't achieve an accurate count in 2030, we will all pay the price.

So, while the next Census is still five years away, it's critical that we pay to attention to it now.

👉Call your elected officials and ask them to reinstate the Advisory Committees and support protections for data accuracy.

👉Follow Hansi Lo Wang and all of his amazing reporting.

👉And start talking about the Census with your family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, anyone who will listen. :)

We need a fair and accurate Census in 2030, for all of us.

With love and appreciation,

Sarah

First time reading this newsletter? Subscribe here for a regular roundup of things I’m thinking about.

⭐ CHECK OUT UPTIDE

Hey, nonprofits: Have you heard about the UpTide Accelerator? Applications are now open for this very cool accelerator launched by 92nd Street Y’s Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact. It’s designed for nonprofit leaders addressing the crisis of community — the rising tide of disconnection, disaffiliation, and civic disengagement in American life.

This mostly virtual program will run from September 2025 through January 2026, with a week of in-person programming in January 2026 in New York City.

Learn all about UpTide here.

📒 A REPORT FROM INDEPENDENT SECTOR AND UNITED FOR ALICE

In September 2024, Independent Sector and United for ALICE released a first-of-its-kind report called “ALICE in the Nonprofit Workforce: A Study of Financial Hardship.” This study highlights significant gender disparities within the nonprofit sector, despite women comprising approximately two-thirds of its workforce.

Men are more likely to lead large nonprofits, and organizations led by men have twice the revenue of organizations led by women. The median wage for women working at nonprofits is only $55,000, far below men’s median wage of $64,000.

Nearly two million women in the nonprofit workforce face financial insecurity. And it’s no surprise that single mothers in the sector are particularly affected (57% of female nonprofit workers who are single mothers live paycheck to paycheck).

These are just a few of the findings from the report, but it’s clear: The glass escalator persists.

This report serves as a call to action for policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and funders to address the financial vulnerabilities within our all-too-important nonprofit sector. Read the entire study here.

📲 DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE NEW EMOJIS?

Back in April, Apple released eight new emojis for iPhones, and there’s one in particular getting a lot of attention: “Face with Bags Under Eyes.” And to that, I say: 🤣

It’s the official emoji of adulthood (or our new national identity) and I am here for it. 😉

💘 NONPROFIT LOVE

The nonprofit Tarjimly began as a side project for Aziz Alghunaim and Atif Javed after they both graduated from MIT and moved to Silicon Valley to take tech jobs. Alghunaim and Javed had started thinking about the need for translation during the 2016 refugee crisis (Javed’s grandmother was a refugee) — and they were also increasingly disenchanted by standard tech work. In 2017, Tarjimly and its mobile app were born.

These days, Tarjimly connects individuals in need with a global network of more than 60,000 volunteer translators and interpreters, facilitating real-time communication across 120+ languages. Since its inception, Tarjimly has facilitated over 41,000 interpretation sessions, assisting more than 167,000 refugees and immigrants worldwide. (Ok, mind blown!)

Learn more about volunteering for Tarjimly or becoming a partner. This organization is SO amazing!