Building the State Data Center brand
One of our network goals is to build awareness of the great population analysts, demographers, and data pros working at State Data Centers around the country. As opportunities arise, we’re presenting State Data Center products and materials alongside those of the Census Bureau. And we’re publicizing the SDC brand.
Government leaders are an important audience right now. States, counties and cities, tribal governments and regional agencies all have a stake in the 2020 Census, and the broader collection of Census products.
This fall, the Steering Committee has been in contact with the National Association of Regional Councils and the National Conference of State Legislatures. Both organizations wanted to hear about preparations for 2020 and partnerships between states and Census programs. We were happy to fill out their agenda, matching these organizations with state demographers who could address their national meetings. (Thank you, Lloyd Potter, Texas State Demographer, and Jeff Hardcastle, Nevada State Demographer, for representing the SDC network at these meetings!)
We are looking for similar opportunities — other national meetings and associations interested in the State Data Center network story. If you have a connection to the program committees or boards of other national groups, please contact Todd Graham, or any SDC Steering Committee member. We want to make use of those connections.
We’re building the SDC brand in small ways as well. At our annual training conference in 2016, we distributed a new logo for everyone’s use. (Thank you, Montana Department of Commerce, for this in-kind contribution to the network!) Many States are now using that logo.
The SDC Program does expect that each State Lead agency maintain a webpage identifying your role as a State Data Center, and identifying how the public can make contact and access more information. We recommend using the SDC logo alongside your own. Also, the State Lead’s webpage should include a list of Coordinating and Affiliate agencies in your State network, with contact information.
Expectations for Coordinating and Affiliate agencies are more flexible, and vary by state. SDC Coordinating and Affiliate agencies are welcome to use and publicize the SDC logo, brand, and online resources.
2018 will be a busy year for Census partners. Keep up the good work, everyone!
State Data Center (SDC) Clearinghouse 