As the U.S. Census Bureau gears up for the 2010 Census, many citizens may be wondering why the census is so important and what effect the results could have on them and their communities.

The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States. The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years. The results show state population counts and determine the distribution of more than $300 billion annually of government funding for community services.

Census information determines funding decisions for facilities such as schools, hospitals, childcare centers and more. The data can be used to write proposals for grants that can benefit local communities, and census data can affect the redistricting of state legislatures, county and city governments and state and local voting districts.

With only 10 questions, the 2010 Census questionnaire is one of the shortest in history and will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s census responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities, and by law every household is required to complete the document.

The U.S. Census Bureau is currently printing approximately 120 million questionnaires that will be delivered or mailed to households in March. Census workers also will visit households that do not return the documents.

A campaign to increase public awareness of the importance of completing the 2010 Census has already begun across the nation with additional information on the census to be released in the months ahead.