The Insights Association recently joined 25 other groups in comments urging the U.S. Census Bureau to substantially strengthen its proposed qualitative research to inform 2030 Census communications.
Communications strategy may be key in ensuring a full and accurate headcount of the population. The decennial census is the foundation for nearly every sample frame, weighting scheme and market sizing estimate in the insights industry. Undercounts in the 2030 Census, especially among already-hard-to-reach groups, will potentially degrade data quality across the entire insights ecosystem for a decade.
The comments responded to the Bureau's Federal Register Notice (Docket USBC-2026-0397) on "Qualitative Research to Improve 2030 Census Communications." The message is straightforward: the Bureau is right to research public attitudes ahead of the decennial count, but this proposal is far too small to carry that weight.
The research aims to learn why some households do not complete the census and to surface themes for compelling census messaging. The findings are meant to complement quantitative research and help shape communications and advertising for the 2030 count.
IA and our allied groups credited the Census Bureau for seeking public insight well before 2030, for focusing on hard-to-count (HTC) populations, and for committing to a research-informed communications campaign. We also pointed to the Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Studies (CBAMS) that informed the 2010 and 2020 campaigns. The 2020 CBAMS alone included 42 focus groups in five languages and a survey with 17,500 responses.
Against that benchmark, the coalition raised several research-design concerns (recognizable to most insights professionals):
- Scale: Fifty interviews may yield anecdotes, but not necessarily meaningful insight across HTC and historically undercounted segments. The coalition urged a larger effort, including focus groups.
- Language: The notice is silent on interview languages. At minimum, Puerto Rico requires Spanish; the comments also call for Asian languages, Haitian Creole and sign language.
- Geography: D.C. and Puerto Rico cannot capture regional, rural or tribal perspectives. The comments urged in-person interviews in all four census regions.
- Recruitment: The notice does not explain how respondents will be recruited, and the Master Address File has not yet been updated. The coalition suggested working through trusted community organizations, with accessible outreach.
- Topics: Given poor trust in government, confidentiality and data-protection concerns were emphasized as important interview topics.
- Transparency: The Bureau should share its research timeline, publish the findings, and explain how this study relates to CBAMS, the Household Trends and Outlook Pulse Survey, and other planned research.
The comments also flagged a larger gap: the Census Bureau has not yet engaged a 2030 communications contractor or released a request for proposals. For 2020, that contract was awarded in 2016.
The Insights Association will continue to press the Census Bureau and Congress for a well-resourced, research-driven 2030 Census.
About the Author
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.