Census Quality Reinforcementunverified

In 2025 the U.S. Commerce Department eliminated the federal Census Scientific Advisory Committee — the body of independent experts that reviewed the accuracy and integrity of the nation’s statistical data.

NCoC’s support enabled the Independent Census Scientific Advisory Committee (I-CSAC) to convene its first meeting on September 18, 2025.

Reconstituting a disbanded federal advisory body under nonprofit auspices is an unusual thing for a civil society organization to be able to do. It requires the convening authority to get the right people in a room, the institutional credibility for their output to count, and the willingness to take on a function the government just put down.

The census is the substrate under nearly everything else on this site. Civic health measurement, redistricting, representation, apportionment of federal funds — all of it rests on the count being good and being trusted. An independent body checking that work is not optional infrastructure.