Laying the Groundwork for the 2030 Census

By Karla Mercado

Today is Census Day, and while 2030 may seem far off, work is already underway to prepare for the 2030 Census. Conducted once every ten years, the census is one of the nation’s most important civic actions and tools that determines how our state and communities are seen, represented, and resourced. More directly, the census will determine political representation and guide the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funding for schools, healthcare, transportation, housing, emergency response, and other essential services. 

In 2023, California received over $276 billion in census-guided federal spending that supported infrastructure and many assisted programs. The stakes for an accurate census count are especially high in our state, given the scale of California’s diversity and geographic variation. However, our state has historically faced many challenges in securing an accurate count, including the high number of hard-to-count communities, which include young children, immigrants, rural residents, low-income households, renters, and people living in overcrowded or unconventional housing. When these communities are missed, the consequences last for years. The census is not only about data but also about power and equity, and whether every Californian has a fair chance to be counted and invested in. 

For philanthropy, this should matter deeply. An inaccurate census can deepen the inequities many funders are working to address, misguide grant strategies that use census data, and place pressure on philanthropy to “fill the gap” where government funding should. All this makes it difficult for communities to receive the support they need and deserve, making equitable systems change more difficult to achieve. 

The groundwork begins now with the first major operational step toward the 2030 Census, the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) process, launching in early 2027. This first step gives tribal, state, and local governments a once-in-a-decade opportunity to review and improve the residential address list used to conduct the census. It is the only formal chance for governments to identify missing or incorrect housing units, update addresses, and do outreach before census invitations are sent in April 2030. If an address is missing, that home will not receive a census form, increasing the risk of not being counted.

Ensuring homes are included in the Census Bureau’s address file is one of the earliest and most important steps we can all support. LUCA is especially important in California, where historically undercounted communities often live in housing that is harder to capture in official records, including converted garages, back houses, subdivided units, rural homes without standard addresses, overcrowded apartments, and neighborhoods experiencing rapid change after disasters. Local governments need time to understand the process, identify the right staff and partners, build internal capacity, and coordinate with trusted community organizations that know where housing gaps may exist. This work is gradual, time-sensitive, and often under-resourced. Since LUCA participation is voluntary, many jurisdictions may lack the staffing, infrastructure, or awareness needed to fully engage. Without early planning, California risks missing opportunities to improve the census count before it even begins.

This is where philanthropy can play a meaningful role. Funders can help raise awareness, support technical assistance, convene cross-sector partners, and invest in community-based organizations with the local knowledge needed to identify overlooked housing and hard-to-count populations. Philanthropy can also help ensure that equity remains central to preparation efforts, especially in communities that have historically been undercounted and underinvested in.

Philanthropy California — the statewide alliance of SoCal Grantmakers, Northern California Grantmakers, and Catalyst of San Diego & Imperial Counties — is ready to help California funders begin preparations for the 2030 Census. On May 20, we will launch our 2030 Census Statewide Funders Table to help build early momentum and infrastructure, and develop a shared strategy for the 2030 Census. Our California table will convene funders in Sacramento to learn, align, and identify how philanthropy can help ensure every Californian is accurately counted in 2030.

We invite funders to register and get involved in this important work. If you have any questions or wish to join us on May 20, 2026, please contact me at karla@socalgrantmakers.org. 

In Partnership, 
Karla Mercado 
Vice President, Philanthropy CA, 
Public Policy & Government Relations