A complete count of the U.S. population is conducted every 10 years, as required by the U.S. Constitution. The data collected by the census has two primary purposes: to determine the district boundaries for political representation; and to allocate trillions of dollars in federal funding.  

In the midst of the pandemic, the importance of the census is easily forgotten. The census data collected this year will inform decisions on how to rebuild and strengthen our economy over the next decade. It impacts local communities in how their schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure needs are funded. Businesses rely on the demographic and economic data to inform operational and investment decisions such as locating retail stores and facilities, planning marketing campaigns and delineating markets. 

On September 15, U.S. Chamber Foundation will host a one-hour virtual event to provide an overview of what the census is, how the census impacts American business, the challenges facing the 2020 census and opportunities for businesses to help to raise response rates in their local communities.