How will county contracts be awarded?

• Individual counties must opt-in, provide a board resolution, establish a Local Complete Count Committee, and submit a plan for state approval to receive the allocated funding.
  No counties will be excluded from accessing a Census award contract.

How much funding will be available to counties?

• Allocations for most counties are based on the number of residents who live in California’s hardest-to-count census tracts within their jurisdictions.
• For some counties, allocations reflect population-based minimums, ensuring that all corners of the state are reached and that all counties have an opportunity to conduct outreach within their geographical boundaries:
  • Less than 25,000 population = $25,000
  • 25,000 to 49,999 population = $50,000
  • 50,000 to 99,999 population = $75,000
  • More than 100,000 population = $100,000

What are the county requirements?

• An overview of participating county requirements is as follows:
  • Board Resolution
  • Strategic Plan
  • Regular monthly and quarterly meetings with the State Regional Program Manager (RPM) assigned to each county
  • Quarterly Reporting
  • Implementation Plan (Including non-response follow-up)
  • Final Report

What is the timeline for county funding?

• County funding letters will go out Nov. 9, 2018, and counties will be given 90 days to accept their award allocation.
• The county funding timeline is as follows:
  • Nov. 9, 2018 – State sent letters to counties to opt in or out of funding
  • Feb. 8, 2019 – Deadline for counties to opt out or opt in with a board resolution
  • 60 days from State approval – Strategic Plan due
  • April 1, 2019 – 1^st Quarterly Report due
  • July 1, 2019 – 2^nd Quarterly Report due
  • Sept. 30, 2019 – 3^rd Quarterly Report due
  • Sept. 30, 2019 – Implementation Plan due
  • April 15, 2020 – NRFU Plan due
  • Sept. 30, 2020 – Final Report due

How will counties receive funds?

• The State will enter into an agreement with each participating county, and funding to counties will be provided in progress increments based on deliverables defined in those agreements.

Are counties mandated to participate?

• The State encourages all counties to participate in statewide outreach efforts, but they are not mandated to do so.

What happens to unclaimed county funds?

• Should a county choose not to participate, the State will reach out to a government entity with the administrative capacity and experience to conduct robust outreach in that county. Those entities could include large cities or regional councils of governments (COG). Should counties, cities or COGs choose not to participate, the State would then reach out to qualified community-based organizations.

Are there limitations on counties subcontracting their outreach services?

• There are no limitations. Counties may partner with cities, community-based organizations, or other counties.
  Should counties partner, each county will have their own agreement and requirements.

How will counties coordinate with the State?

• Each county will be assigned to a state Regional Program Manager (RPM), who will coordinate state and county efforts.
• Counties will be required to submit a strategic plan to the state, which will outline their collaboration efforts.

Are there example strategic plans available?

• The CCC Office has not provided example strategic plans because each contractor is encouraged to submit unique strategic plans based on factors unique to each contractor and/or population and area.

What will the accountability measure be for the funds at a state level?

• Each type of contract has accountability measures built in. They are different for each contract. Counties, ACBOs and CBOs will be expected to prepare quarterly reports and a final report.

For what types of activities can California-based nonprofits request funding from counties?

• We are encouraging partnerships between counties and CBOs. We are not limiting what activities are included in their strategic plans. 

Most counties do not have third-party commercial insurance, will the State of California accept evidence of self-insurance as an alternative?

• Yes, the State will accept evidence of self-insurance as an alternative. Please submit proof of evidence of self-insurance for the State to consider.

How long after accepting the funding does the strategic plan need to be submitted? The State’s agreement language requires county strategic plans within 60 days of entering into contract. Does this mean 60 business or 60 calendar days?

• Counties will have at least 60 calendar days from contract execution to provide a strategic plan. Although we did not clearly define calendar or business days, it’s in the State’s best interest to allow adequate time to submit strategic plans. If additional time is required, please notify our office. The State does not intend to disqualify counties from participating due to time constraints for completing a comprehensive strategic plan. Once your County’s board resolution is received, the Census Office will assign a regional program manager (RPM) that will work with your office on planning and timelines.

When can Counties expect to receive their agreements? What’s the expected turnaround time on receiving an executed agreement and the first funding check?

• Counties have already received the contract agreements for signature.  Once completed, signed, and submitted back to the CCC Office, counties can expect to receive back a fully executed agreement within 7-10 business days.  If an invoice has been submitted for payment, the County can expect to receive payment within 45 days of submittal.

The first quarterly report is due April 1, 2019? Do you have a template of what needs to be in this?

• The CCC will provide a template for counties to follow for both the Quarterly Reports and the Strategic Plan. Since the CCC is just entering into contract with counties, the first quarterly report will be due July 1, 2019. The draft Strategic Plan will be due 60 days from entering into contract. 

Can the census be completed on a smart phone?

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, which conducts the Census, the form may be completed using a smart phone. However, it is generally more effective to use a desktop, laptop or larger device. The questionnaire must be completed in one ‘sitting’.

Will the State’s outreach and public relations funding be spent in the local, small ethnic markets? Some counties are not budgeting any marketing or public relations money, and those that want to be sure they don’t duplicate what the state will be doing.

• The outreach and public relations contractor will develop and implement a statewide strategy that utilizes, amplifies and is informed by existing efforts conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, community-based organizations, local governments and ethnic media partners. The campaign will be designed to reach all 10 geographic regions outlined by the state, and the contractor will be expected to use subcontractors, prioritizing ethnic media partners with the ability to reach hyper-local markets/populations.

How customizable will the statewide outreach and public relations plan be? How can counties work with the awarded contractor? Example: The Afghan Coalition shared that their constituents regularly watch two television news stations which are presented in Farsi. They recommend creating advertisements for those stations, referring viewers to get support with Census questionnaires at local mosques.

• The statewide outreach and public relations plan will be customized to various audiences. The State’s contractor will be required to develop messages that resonate with local and regional hard-to-count populations. In addition, the contractor will be required to meet regularly with local governments and community-based organizations to ensure that messaging is hitting the right target.

What is the SwORD roll-out timeline so that we can be in compliance with 3.0? Is there training or will guidelines be provided?

• Currently, development for our next iteration includes the ability to create and save maps in SwORD.  The state Census Office’s next phase will focus on the ability to intake information provided by partners and stakeholders.  The State is currently gathering requirements to determine the types of data.  Training and guidelines will be provided with each phased rollout. 
• Schools will be provided an Excel sheet that will capture events and activities on a high-scale level. The state Census Office will enter that data into the SwORD system. There is a separate page in SwORD that indicates the location of schools that should be used to support the coordination of QACs and QAKs in hard- to- count population areas.

If the State is planning on Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs) and Questionnaire Assistance Kiosks (QAKs), when will we know their locations so that we do not duplicate? Will funding for libraries be provided so they can have QAKs/QACs and provide assistance?

• In addition to Counties, Regional ACBOs and Statewide CBOs will identify any QACs and QAKs they are planning to make available in local communities. Counties are encouraged to reach out to selected ACBOs and Statewide CBOs, and vice versa to exchange such information. The Regional Program Managers are available to facilitate communication and information sharing among all contractors.
• In collaboration with the state Census Office, the State Librarian sent a letter with information regarding local Complete Count Committees to all public library branches. Libraries are encouraged to have members represented on the local Complete Count Committees.  There is no designated funding to libraries from the California Complete Count Office. 
• Representatives from the County Offices of Education may also seek representation on Local Complete Count Committees, and in coordination with the LCCC, designate school sites in hard-to-count areas as QACs or QAKs.  LCCC members and/or U.S. Census Bureau representatives are expected to provide direct assistance in answering questions related to the completion of the Census form.

Can the State share strategies it’s planning for Higher Education as well as other strategies they may be aware that other counties are proposing?

• The California Complete Count Office is working with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office to draft a resolution to support the Census through various programs that reach hard to count populations.  There is no money designated for higher education from the California Complete Count Office.  Each community college district is advised to work with their Local Complete Count Committee to support the work of student groups on campuses.  Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs) and Questionnaire Assistance Kiosks (QAKs) in hard-to-reach areas should be coordinated through the local committees.
• The California Complete Census 2020 Office is working to draft memorandums of understanding with the University of California, California State University, and Association of California Independent Colleges and Universities to work in support of the Census 2020 outreach effort.  The California Complete Office will work with these institutions to designate locations for off campus students to fill out census forms, to engage student organizations and professors, to hold public forums to inform and engage the larger communities. There will be a separate strategy to count students who live in university housing. These agreements are in process.

Why isn’t the State allocating money directly to cities?

• In order to keep administrative costs at a minimum, maximize dollars distributed to local communities, and force collaboration and coordination between governmental entities, the State decided to use the counties as fiscal agents for pass-through money targeting hard-to-count populations residing within city limits.

Are counties required to share funding with the cities?

• The Strategic Plan that each funded county submits to the State is required to include a coordination plan that shall describe how the county will work with cities, nonprofits and other partners within their geographic jurisdiction.
• Cities are encouraged to form their own Local Complete Count Committee and collaborate with their county Local Complete Count Committee.

How do counties determine how much money to dedicate to cities?

• The State will make data available to counties on hard-to-count populations within their jurisdictions, both within cities and within unincorporated areas. This data will assist counties in their efforts to share funding with their city partners.

How is the state ensuring that counties collaborate with their cities?

• Counties must document how they will collaborate and coordinate with cities before they can receive funding from the State. The State’s Regional Program Managers will review counties’ strategic and implementation plans, ensuring the plans include details of this collaboration and coordination between counties and cities.

How will Tribal Governments be awarded funding?
Tribal Governments will be awarded state funding agreements to conduct Census outreach activities in their geographical service areas.

How much funding will be available to Tribal Governments?
The State has established the following funding tiers based on housing units (HU):
- Less than 25 HU = $0
- 25 to 49 HU = $1,000
- 50 to 99 HU = $2,500
- 100 to 249 HU = $5,000
- 250 to 9,999 HU = $10,000
- More than 10,000 HU = $50,000

What is the timeline for Tribal funding?
Nov. 30, 2018 – State distributed Tribal Funding Agreement letters
March 15, 2019 – Deadline for Tribal Governments to request funding
March 15, 2019 – Outreach Plan due
June 30, 2020 – Final Report due

Are there restrictions for how the funds can be used?
Funding must be utilized for Census outreach efforts within Tribal communities, and Tribal Governments will be required to provide outreach plans for state approval.

What happens if a Tribe does not receive funding and how will Tribal members who live outside of a Tribe’s service area be reached?The State will work with community-based organizations to reach Tribal populations outside of Tribal service areas, specifically targeting American Indian and Alaska Native individuals through statewide community-based organization outreach efforts.

How is an ACBO defined?

• Large community-based organizations with administrative capacity and experience.

What is a regional ACBO?

• ACBOs are large community-based organizations with the administrative capacity and experience to conduct robust outreach throughout an entire region.
• The State has designated $22.95 million for ACBOs to reach out to HTC populations within each of the 10 regions.

Where can I learn more about the ACBO RFP?

• Request for Proposal—Regional Administrative Community Based Organizations ($22,950,000)— The California Census Office received 84 responses to a Request for Information from ACBOs interested in performing outreach on behalf of the State. The Census Office used this information to develop a Statement of Work (SOW) for the Regional ACBO RFP, which was released on Dec. 14, 2018. The deadline for ACBOs to submit their proposals was Feb. 15, 2019. The notification of contract awards will be issued in March 2019.
• Learn more about the Regional ACBO RFP.

What is the funding timeline for regional ACBOs?

• Dec. 14, 2018 – State released Regional ACBO Request for Proposal
• Jan. 4, 2019 – 1^st set of questions and/or change requests due
• Jan. 9, 2019 – 1^st set of answers posted by Census Office
• Jan. 16, 2019 – 2^nd set of questions and/or change requests due
• Jan. 21, 2019 – 2^nd set of answers posted by Census Office
• Feb. 15, 2019 by 2 p.m. PST – Deadline for ACBOs to submit their proposals
• March 15, 2019 – State issues notification of awards
• May 2019 – Strategic Plan due
• July 2019 – 1^st Quarterly Report due
• Sept. 2019 – 2^nd Quarterly Report due
• Oct. 31, 2019 – Implementation Plan due
• Feb. 15, 2020 – NRFU Plan due
• Sept. 30, 2020 – Final Report due

Are there example strategic plans available?

• The CCC Office has not provided example strategic plans because each contractor is encouraged to submit unique strategic plans based on factors unique to each contractor and/or population and area.

What will the accountability measure be for the funds at a state level?

• Each type of contract has accountability measures built in. They are different for each contract. Counties, ACBOs and CBOs will be expected to prepare quarterly reports and a final report.

For what types of activities can California-based nonprofits request funding from counties?

• We are encouraging partnerships between counties and CBOs. We are not limiting what activities are included in their strategic plans. 

In reviewing the ACBO/CBO reporting requirements, has there been consideration to the challenges this will bring to small community organizations?

• The CCC Office anticipates contracting with larger Administrative CBOs (ACBOs) that have the administrative capacity to act as the prime contractor for each region and sector awarded. The ACBOs are encouraged to subcontract with smaller CBOs. The prime contractor for each region and/or sector will be required to adhere to the reporting requirements in each contract.

Will ACBO funding be provided in grants or contracts?

• ACBO funding will be awarded with contracts, not grants. See ACBO funding methodology at /funding

How will the money be distributed within each region, when each region has multiple counties?

• ACBOs will include their funding approach in their strategic plan.

Are there specific requirements for joint proposals?

• See RFP at /2018/12/14/request-for-proposals-regional-administrative-community-based-organizations/

Can a CBO serve as an ACBO in multiple regions?

• Yes.

Can a CBO be funded in multiple counties?

• Yes.

Will CBOs targeting communities broadly captured by statewide CBOs be able to access regional ACBO funds?

• Yes.

Can a CBO without independent 501(c)(3) status working through a fiscal sponsor serve as a statewide CBO or regional ACBO?

• ACBOs are required to have 501(c)(3) designation.

Will grant recipients be able to amend deliverables or project budget if they run into challenges as the year progresses?

• All state funding will be distributed via contracts, not grants. Deliverables will not be amended, however, if you look at County deliverables, it is our intent that the strategic plan submitted early in 2019 will be updated and informed by their work as they draft their final implementation plans.

Will CBOs receiving funds from a statewide CBO or regional ACBO be able to re-grant those funds?

• Yes. There are some subcontracting limitations that are outlined in the RFP.

Will the state require CBOS/ACBOs to use formulas to determine the amounts allocated to targeted hard-to-count populations?

• Yes, we expect CBOs/ACBOs to use SwORD to determine their HTC targets.

When reporting quantitative data, what types of supporting documentation will CBOs/ACBOs or counties need to submit as part of the reporting requirements?

• CBOs/ACBOs will work with their assigned RPM and the Outreach team. Reporting requirements will be developed and included in monthly reports as well as the final implementation plan.

Once state CBOs and regional ACBOs are identified, will they or the county be making the final decision regarding the distribution of funds to CBOs?

• It will be done collectively, and coordination will be required between counties, regional ACBOs and state CBOs.

Does the RFP response require funding programs and partnerships to already be in place at the time of application?

• No.

When is the deadline for counties to distribute funds to cities? When is the deadline for ACBOs to distribute funds to CBOs?

• It depends on the county and ACBO, but both will be required to submit a funding timeline in their strategic plan.

For counties that do not accept their funding allocation, what is the timeline for the regional COG to claim it instead?

• This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

For what types of activities can California-based nonprofits request funding from counties?

• We are encouraging partnerships between CBOs and counties. We are not limiting what activities are included in their strategic plans.

Are there any shared resources that the state will be providing?

• The state will provide access to SwORD and best practice toolkits, which will be available on our census site.

How will administrative community-based organization (ACBO) and community-based organization (CBO) funding be awarded?

• State funding will be awarded primarily to ACBOs, which are large CBOs or foundations with the administrative capacity and experience to conduct robust outreach throughout an entire region.
• This funding will be distributed both regionally and statewide. Each of California’s 10 regions will be eligible for funding amounts based on their hard-to-count populations. Funding will also be awarded to CBOs that focus on specific populations statewide such as, but not limited to, the homeless, children younger than 5, African Americans and Asian Pacific Islanders.

What are the regions in California? (also see Regions page)

• Region 1: Siskiyou, Modoc, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, Plumas, Glenn, Butte, Sierra, Colusa, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Sacramento, Sutter
• Region 2: Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Napa
• Region 3: Marin, Solano, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara
• Region 4: San Joaquin, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Mono, Mariposa, Merced, Madera
• Region 5: San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Santa Cruz
• Region 6: Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Inyo, Kern
• Region 7: San Bernardino, Riverside
• Region 8: Los Angeles
• Region 9: Orange
• Region 10: San Diego, Imperial

What factors informed development of the regions?

• The State established regions based on hard-to-count populations, geographic similarities, like-mindedness of counties, capacity of ACBOs and CBOs within the counties and state Census staff workload capabilities.

What are the ACBO requirements?

• In accordance with state contracting procedures, specific requirements will be released on the aforementioned dates.

Can CBOs partner to put together a proposal?

• Nothing precludes CBOs from partnering on a proposal for a single region or from applying for contracts to work in multiple regions. Each region would require a separate bid proposal. CBOs that partner must have the capacity to cover all geographic areas within a region.

How do small CBOs that don’t have capacity to cover an entire region apply for funding?

• Small CBOs that are trusted messengers within a certain community or populations should apply to the administrative community-based organizations in their region.

What is a statewide CBO?

• A statewide CBO will be charged with targeting outreach efforts toward specific hard-to-count demographic populations on a statewide basis, targeting HTC populations demographically.
• The State designated $4,050,000 for statewide CBOs.

When was the Statewide CBO RFP released?

• Request for Proposal—Statewide Community-Based Organizations ($4,050,000)— This RFP was released on Jan. 4, 2019. The deadline for CBOs to submit their proposals was Feb. 15, 2019. The notification of contract awards will be issued in March 2019. Similar to the regional ACBO contracts, funding will flow to statewide CBOs based on deliverable deadlines being met.
• Learn more about the Statewide CBO Request for Proposal.

 What is the funding timeline for statewide CBOs?

• Jan. 4, 2019 – State released Statewide CBO Request for Proposal
• Jan. 15, 2019 – 1^st set of questions and/or change requests due
• Jan. 23, 2019 – 1^st set of answers posted by Census Office
• Feb. 1, 2019 – 2^nd set of questions and/or change requests due
• Feb. 8, 2019 – 2^nd set of answers posted by Census Office
• Feb. 15, 2019 by 2 p.m. PST – Deadline for CBOs to submit their proposals
• March 15, 2019 – State issues notification of awards
• April 1, 2019 – Estimated start date of contract
• May 2019 – Strategic Plan due
• July 2019 – 1^st Quarterly Report due
• Sept. 2019 – 2^nd Quarterly Report due
• Oct. 31, 2019 – Implementation Plan due
• Feb. 15, 2020 – NRFU Plan
• Sept. 30, 2020 – Final Report due

Are there example strategic plans available?

• The CCC Office has not provided example strategic plans because each contractor is encouraged to submit unique strategic plans based on factors unique to each contractor and/or population and area.

What will the accountability measure be for the funds at a state level?

• Each type of contract has accountability measures built in. They are different for each contract. Counties, ACBOs and CBOs will be expected to prepare quarterly reports and a final report.

For what types of activities can California-based nonprofits request funding from counties?

• We are encouraging partnerships between counties and CBOs. We are not limiting what activities are included in their strategic plans. 

In reviewing the ACBO/CBO reporting requirements, has there been consideration to the challenges this will bring to small community organizations?

• The CCC Office anticipates contracting with larger Administrative CBOs (ACBOs) that have the administrative capacity to act as the prime contractor for each region and sector awarded. The ACBOs are encouraged to subcontract with smaller CBOs. The prime contractor for each region and/or sector will be required to adhere to the reporting requirements in each contract.

Will ACBO funding be provided in grants or contracts?

• ACBO funding will be awarded with contracts, not grants. See ACBO funding methodology at /funding

Can a CBO serve as an ACBO in multiple regions?

• Yes.

Can a CBO be funded in multiple counties?

• Yes.

Will CBOs targeting communities broadly captured by statewide CBOs be able to access regional ACBO funds?

• Yes.

Can a CBO without independent 501(c)(3) status working through a fiscal sponsor serve as a statewide CBO or regional ACBO?

• ACBOs are required to have 501(c)(3) designation.

Will grant recipients be able to amend deliverables or project budget if they run into challenges as the year progresses?

• All state funding will be distributed via contracts, not grants. Deliverables will not be amended, however, if you look at County deliverables, it is our intent that the strategic plan submitted early in 2019 will be updated and informed by their work as they draft their final implementation plans.

Will CBOs receiving funds from a statewide CBO or regional ACBO be able to re-grant those funds?

• Yes. There are some subcontracting limitations that are outlined in the RFP.

Will the state require CBOS/ACBOs to use formulas to determine the amounts allocated to targeted hard-to-count populations?

• Yes, we expect CBOs/ACBOs to use SwORD to determine their HTC targets.

When reporting quantitative data, what types of supporting documentation will CBOs/ACBOs or counties need to submit as part of the reporting requirements?

• CBOs/ACBOs will work with their assigned RPM and the Outreach team. Reporting requirements will be developed and included in monthly reports as well as the final implementation plan.

Once state CBOs and regional ACBOs are identified, will they or the county be making the final decision regarding the distribution of funds to CBOs?

• It will be done collectively, and coordination will be required between counties, regional ACBOs and state CBOs.

Does the RFP response require funding programs and partnerships to already be in place at the time of application?

• No.

When is the deadline for counties to distribute funds to cities? When is the deadline for ACBOs to distribute funds to CBOs?

• It depends on the county and ACBO, but both will be required to submit a funding timeline in their strategic plan.

For counties that do not accept their funding allocation, what is the timeline for the regional COG to claim it instead?

• This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

For what types of activities can California-based nonprofits request funding from counties?

• We are encouraging partnerships between CBOs and counties. We are not limiting what activities are included in their strategic plans.

Are there any shared resources that the state will be providing?

• The state will provide access to SwORD and best practice toolkits, which will be available on our census site.

How will administrative community-based organization (ACBO) and community-based organization (CBO) funding be awarded?

• State funding will be awarded primarily to ACBOs, which are large CBOs or foundations with the administrative capacity and experience to conduct robust outreach throughout an entire region.
• This funding will be distributed both regionally and statewide. Each of California’s 10 regions will be eligible for funding amounts based on their hard-to-count populations. Funding will also be awarded to CBOs that focus on specific populations statewide such as, but not limited to, the homeless, children younger than 5, African Americans and Asian Pacific Islanders.

What populations will the CBOs that receive statewide funding focus on?

• Latinos
• African Americans
• Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders
• Native Americans and Tribal
• Middle Eastern/Northern Africans
• Immigrants and Refugees
• Farmworkers
• People with Disabilities
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ)
• Areas with low broadband subscription rates or low/no access to broadband
• Homeless Individuals and Families/Nonconventional Housing
• Veterans
• Seniors/Older Adults
• Children 0-5
• Households with Limited English Proficiency
• Technical Assistance for Statewide Outreach and Rapid Deployment (SwORD)

Can CBOs partner to put together a proposal?

• Nothing precludes CBOs from partnering on a proposal for a single region or from applying for contracts to work in multiple regions. Each region would require a separate bid proposal. CBOs that partner must have the capacity to cover all geographic areas within a region.

How do small CBOs that don’t have capacity to cover an entire region apply for funding?

• Small CBOs that are trusted messengers within a certain community or populations should apply to the administrative community-based organizations in their region.

How was the funding allocation determined?

• The contracts reflect 2017-2018 California Department of Education data on total enrollment, Title I school enrollment, and counts of Title III eligible English learners and immigrants.
• The data have the following weights: 20 percent for total enrollment, 40 percent for Title I school enrollment, and 40 percent for Title III counts.
• Local education agencies’ weighted enrollments were totaled by county. With the goal of focusing the state effort where it will have the broadest impact, districts in the top-30 counties based on the above will receive funding that reflects their weighted enrollment as a well as a district minimum.
• This metric will provide census funding to districts representing almost 96 percent of K-12 enrollment, 95 percent of Title I school enrollment, and 98 percent of eligible Title III students.

How is the COE expected to disburse the money? 

• There will be a spreadsheet with district allocations included in your contract.

How long after accepting the funding does the strategic plan need to be submitted?

• The State’s agreement language requires COE strategic plans within 60 days of entering into contract. Does this mean 60 business or 60 calendar days?

• COEs will have at least 60 calendar days from contract execution to provide a strategic plan. Although we did not clearly define calendar or business days, it’s in the State’s best interest to allow adequate time to submit strategic plans. If additional time is required, please notify our office. The State does not intend to disqualify COEs from participating due to time constraints for completing a comprehensive strategic plan. Once your COE ‘s board resolution is received, the Census School and Education Outreach Manager will work with your office on planning and timelines.

Are there example strategic plans available? 

• The CCC Office has not provided examples to use, the elements for strategic plans are outlined in the Education and Outreach Activities, Section 2.0 of the contract.

What will the accountability measure be for the funds at a state level? 

• These are contract-based deliverables as outlined in the implementation plan. Contractors will be expected to prepare a status report and a final report.

For COEs that do not accept their funding allocation, what happens to the funds? 

• This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

What is the funding timeline for COEs?

• 15, 2019 – State sent letters to county offices of education to opt in or out of funding
• May 1, 2019 – Deadline for county offices of education to opt in or out of funding
• July 2019 – Strategic Plan due
• 2019 – Implementation Plan due
• April 2020 – Status Report due
• June 2020 – Final Report due

How will the State invest its paid media funding?

• The State will prioritize its spending on local ethnic media outlets that specialize in reaching hard-to-count populations. The state will also coordinate with the U.S. Census Bureau, funding a broader media campaign that covers gaps identified in federal campaign efforts in California.

What is the timeline for paid media funding?

• The paid media funding timeline is as follows:
  • TBA 2019 – State releases Media Services RFP
  • TBA 2019 – Deadline for media to submit their proposals for the Media Services RFP
  • TBA 2019 – State issues notification of contract awards for the Media Services RFP

Will partnerships be a part of the media outreach plan?

• Paid media contractors are encouraged to develop partnerships with local and ethnic media to ensure language and cultural competency and identity the most effective trusted messengers for hard-to-count communities.

Will message testing be required?

• More information on specific requirements of the State’s media contract will be shared in January 2019.

Are Community-Based Organizations and Counties allowed to fund their own media campaign?

• Paid media should be included in strategic plans submitted by counties and community-based organizations to the state, and tactics will be coordinated to ensure efforts are not duplicated.

General

Why should we use SwORD, and why is it important?

A key finding from California’s Census 2010 effort was a need for greater coordination and information-sharing between the State and other outreach and messaging partners. In response, the California Complete Count — Census 2020 Office (Census Office) has initiated the Statewide Outreach and Rapid Deployment (SwORD) mapping portal that will be a major part of the Census Office’s efforts to increase participation by enabling the sharing of information between the State and its many local government and strategic partners. It will support collaboration and coordination on outreach as well as serving as the primary source of a wide range of state resources and assets, including maps and data on hard-to-count communities. Your participation is key to ensuring that the Census Office has all relevant data and information for planning and decision-making to ensure that California is counted. SwORD will also play a role to track and ensure accountability, as the Census Office will require that contracted partners use the platform to develop their State-funded outreach plans and reports. 

Who pays for SwORD?

The Census Office entered into a contract with ESRI, a GIS mapping and spatial data analytics company, to host and help build SwORD. The Census Office will authorize logins for those Census partners who need the data to support decision-making for Census outreach planning, resource allocation, and researching how to reach hard-to-count populations in their area of focus. Ultimately, SwORD will include Census 2020 response rates to allow the Census Office and Census partners to monitor and focus activities during the critical outreach period to achieve a complete count. 

Who maintains SwORD?

The Census Office will be responsible for all development, implementation, and maintenance activities for SwORD. 

Do I have to use SwORD?

Contracted Census partners are required to use SwORD as a condition of funding.

Technical/Product Use

How is SwORD different from ArcGIS Online (AGOL)?

SwORD is based on the ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Hub product. It has been specifically configured and customized to meet the needs of the California Census 2020 project and User Group. If you are new to GIS and AGOL,, the SwORD core features should provide all of the functionality you require to get started making maps and planning activities. If you already have an AGOL account, you can share data with your SwORD user account.

How do I link my AGOL account with SwORD?

Instructions and a video how-to are available on the Help page in SwORD.

How do I use SwORD for my planning?

You can use web mapping applications, feature layers and other data focused on specific hard-to-count subjects in SwORD to learn more about your outreach area. For example, you can open a web mapping application showing the California Hard-to-Count Index and then add your own data uploaded from your computer or adding data from My Content in SwORD. Users can also add open-government content such as city boundaries to further assist in planning outreach. This information will help you decide what activities to perform in which location (e.g. specifically targeted activities based on the HTC index score, language information, and so on.) In addition, the draw tool allows you to click and drag lines or type onto your map to denote areas of focus, CBO responsibility, or other criteria. Maps can be saved, shared and printed.

What additional features are planned for SwORD?

All that said, here’s what I suggest including for now:

SwORD will soon be able to display a summary of outreach activity at the county and region level. During Census 2020, SwORD will include daily response rate data from the U.S. Census Bureau. SwORD will be regularly updated with bug fixes, new layers, and other improvements, and the SwORD team is always looking to hear from you! The best way to report feedback and suggest features is by creating a support ticket here. Please select “SwORD Feedback and Feature Suggestion” from the Help Topic menu.

How do I report outreach activity in SwORD?

Users ultimately will be able to report outreach activity via an online web form or via an API that the SwORD team will publish. The SwORD team is also exploring options for integrating with several third-party data collection apps.

How can I bring other data into SwORD or use my own layers?

In any of the ready-made web mapping applications (“California Hard-to-Count Index”, “Renter-Occupied Housing,” “Limited-English Residents,” etc.) users can add their own data via the “add data” widget in the tool bar. Those maps can be printed but not saved:

Here, you will be able to search for an existing data set, or select the “File” tab below to upload a local file:

To add data to “My Content” in your SwORD user account, where it will be available for all your mapping projects, import it into ArcGIS Online via SwORD’s ArcGIS Smart Mapping tool or file a SwORD support ticket. In addition, as referenced above, users with existing AGOL accounts can share data with their SwORD account.

Is there a limit on how much data I can load in to SwORD?

The “add data” widget limits uploads a maximum of 1,000 records. In addition, each user has an overall quota that should be more than sufficient for Census purposes. You will receive a warning when your quota is approaching its limit or an error if you have exceeded your limit. If you require more storage, you will need to create a support ticket here, and select “General / Other” from the Help Topic menu.

Is my data secure in SwORD? Where is it hosted?

SwORD uses ArcGIS which is hosted on Amazon Web Services and is FedRAMP Tailored Low Component. For more information, please see Esri’s Cloud Security website.

How can I save the maps that I make?

SwORD features two options to make maps that can be saved. Map Creator allows users with minimal GIS or data experience to make simple and focused maps and save them to their account. ArcGIS Smart Mapping allows more experienced users to make maps in ArcGIS Online.

In Map Creator, click on the disk “Save Map” icon.

SwORD includes a feature to save maps to your account and reload them the next time you login. To do this within SwORD, first click on the Map Icon (right)

You will then be prompted to give the map a title, assign any tags (to assist with searching) and write a brief summary that explains what the map shows. Maps can be re-opened by clicking on the folder icon.

Can I export / print the maps that I make?

Yes, all maps can be printed and exported as .pdfs. In the Map Creator, press the Print button:

Support

I noticed a bug / defect – how do I report it?

We are sorry that you encountered an issue. So that we can troubleshoot and diagnose the problem, please add as many details as possible (such as screenshots, timestamps and so on) to a support ticket here. Please select “SwORD Bug Report” as the Help Topic

Who do I contact if I have a question or a problem with SwORD?

If you have a question that is not answered as part of this FAQ or user documentation you may create a support ticket here and select the help topic as “General / Other”

How do I provide feedback or request additional features in SwORD?

The SwORD team is always looking to hear from you and learn your feedback! The best way to report feedback and suggest features is by creating a support ticket here. Please select “SwORD Feedback and Feature Suggestion” from the Help Topic menu.

How do I change my designated contact user for SwORD?

Each organization is entitled to a Primary and Secondary contact to receive a SwORD login. Please create a support ticket here and select “SwORD Account Issue” from the Help Topic menu and provide details of the change. If the user is new to SwORD, you will also need to create a ticket to create a new account (select “SwORD New Account Request” from the Help Topic menu.

How do I request a new user for SwORD?

Each organization is entitled to a Primary and Secondary contact to receive a SwORD login. Please create a support ticket here and select “SwORD New Account Request” from the Help Topic menu.

I forgot my username and/or password. What do I do?

You can attempt to reset your password via the “Forgot password?” or “Forgot username?” links visible underneath the SwORD login page. If you are still unable to access your account, the SwORD team may be able to assist. Please create a support ticket here. 

What if I need specialized data specific to my area loaded in to SwORD?

If you require more specific data that requires either purchasing or specific research, the SwORD team may be able to assist. To start the process, please create a support ticket here, and select “SwORD Data Load Request” from the Help Topic menu. Please provide as much information as possible to help the SwORD team estimate the cost and effort involved in the request, which will be prioritized according to resource availability. You may be contacted to help determine the best possible solution to meet your needs.

County Contracts

• Nov. 9, 2018 – State sent letters to counties to opt in or out of funding
• Feb. 8, 2019 – Deadline for counties to opt out or opt in with a board resolution
• 60 days from State approval – Strategic Plan due
• April 1, 2019 – 1^st Quarterly Report due
• July 1, 2019 – 2^nd Quarterly Report due
• Sept. 30, 2019 – 3^rd Quarterly Report due
• Sept. 30, 2019 – Implementation Plan due
• April 15, 2020 – NRFU Plan due
• Sept. 30, 2020 – Final Report due

Tribal Funding Agreements 

• Nov. 30, 2018 – State distributed Tribal Funding Agreement letters
• March 15, 2019 – Deadline for Tribal Governments to request funding
• March 15, 2019 – Outreach Plan due
• June 30, 2020 – Final Report due

Regional Administrative Community-Based Organization RFP 

• Dec. 14, 2018 – State released Regional ACBO Request for Proposal
• Jan. 4, 2019 – 1^st set of questions and/or change requests due
• Jan. 9, 2019 – 1^st set of answers posted by Census Office
• Jan. 16, 2019 – 2^nd set of questions and/or change requests due
• Jan. 21, 2019 – 2^nd set of answers posted by Census Office
• Feb. 15, 2019 by 2 p.m. PST – Deadline for ACBOs to submit their proposals
• March 15, 2019 – State issues notification of awards
• May 2019 – Strategic Plan due
• July 2019 – 1^st Quarterly Report due
• Sept. 2019 – 2^nd Quarterly Report due
• Oct. 31, 2019 – Implementation Plan due
• Feb. 15, 2020 – NRFU Plan due
• Sept. 30, 2020 – Final Report due

Statewide Community-Based Organization RFP

• Jan. 4, 2019 – State released Statewide CBO Request for Proposal
• Jan. 15, 2019 – 1^st set of questions and/or change requests due
• Jan. 23, 2019 – 1^st set of answers posted by Census Office
• Feb. 1, 2019 – 2^nd set of questions and/or change requests due
• Feb. 8, 2019 – 2^nd set of answers posted by Census Office
• Feb. 15, 2019 by 2 p.m. PST – Deadline for CBOs to submit their proposals
• March 15, 2019 – State issues notification of awards
• April 1, 2019 – Estimated start date of contract
• May 2019 – Strategic Plan due
• July 2019 – 1^st Quarterly Report due
• Sept. 2019 – 2^nd Quarterly Report due
• Oct. 31, 2019 – Implementation Plan due
• Feb. 15, 2020 – NRFU Plan
• Sept. 30, 2020 – Final Report due

Education – Title I Schools and Title III Students

• Feb. 15, 2019 – State sent letters to county offices of education to opt in/out of funding
• May 1, 2019 – Deadline for county offices of education to opt in/out of funding
• July 1, 2019 – Education Outreach Plan due
• October 15, 2019 – Status Report due
• February 15, 2020 – Status Report due
• May 29, 2020 – Completion/Results of Outreach/Final Report due

Communication – Public and Media Relations Campaign RFP

• March 15, 2019 – State releases Media Services Request for Proposal
• April 25, 2019 – Deadline for media to submit their proposals
• June 2019 – State issues notification of contract awards­
  

The State reserves the right to amend dates at any time during this process.

Where can I download and view solicitations and funding documents (i.e. Request for Proposal (RFP), bid documents, etc.)?

• Solicitations and other related documents including requirements and key action dates are available at https://caleprocure.ca.gov. The Census Office recommends registering and subscribing to both California eProcure at https://caleprocure.ca.gov and the Census webpage at www.census.ca.gov to receive notification of solicitation releases and other pertinent information announcing contracting opportunities to the public.
• In addition, documents describing the State’s funding methodology, solicitation documents, and resources will be posted on the state census website: census.ca.gov

Where can I view the hard-to-count (HTC) map of California?

• The map available at the following link shows California’s hardest to count Census tracts and block groups based on the California Hard-to-Count Index Interactive Map: https://cacensus2020.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=48be59de0ba94a3dacff1c9116df8b37

Additional funding documents:

• Pie Chart for Census Funding Allocations (PDF)
• Census 2020 Funding Overview (PDF)
• City Share of Hard-to-Count Population (PDF)
• Tribal Government Funding Availability (PDF) 
• Community Outreach Funding Allocations (PDF)
• County Contracts Amount (PDF)
• ACBO Regional Funding Allocations (PDF)
• Methodology for Calculating City Percentages of County Hardest-to-Count