Advancing an equitable government
What is Equity?
Equity means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. (Executive Order 13985)
Working Toward an Equitable Future
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order (EO) 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, directing Federal agencies to advance equity for all Americans through an unprecedented transformation of decision-making processes, policy change, and bold actions commensurate with the nation’s greatest challenges.
Throughout 2021, under the guidance of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Federal agencies assessed how their programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunity; participated in an ongoing government-wide Equity Learning Community; exercised innovative approaches to stakeholder engagement; and developed evidence-based solutions to advance equity. These initial efforts culminated in a historic package of Equity Action Plans from over 90 Federal agencies. The Equity Action Plans represent specific agency commitments to redress inequities and to promote equitable outcomes in communities.
Beyond the first year of launching this foundational government-wide assessment and planning effort, the Biden Administration is committed to holding Federal agencies accountable for results, and leveraging all existing regulatory, policy, and budget mechanisms to drive implementation and sustainable change. We look forward to engaging with communities and other stakeholders on how we may collectively work together to support implementation of these Equity Action Plans and forge a nation in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.
Hearing from the Public
EO 13985 charged OMB to identify effective and available methods, approaches, and tools for assessing whether agency policies and actions (e.g., programs, services, processes, and operations) equitably serve all eligible individuals and communities, particularly those that are currently and historically underserved. As a part of this effort, OMB issued a Request for Information (RFI) to seek input, information, and recommendations from a broad array of cross-sector stakeholders.
OMB received and analyzed nearly 500 responses addressing the following five areas: Equity Assessments and Strategies, Barrier and Burden Reduction, Procurement and Contracting, Financial Assistance, and Stakeholder and Community Engagement.
Equal opportunity is the bedrock of American democracy... Entrenched disparities in our laws and public policies, and in our public and private institutions, have often denied that equal opportunity to individuals and communities... Our Nation deserves an ambitious whole-of-government equity agenda that matches the scale of the opportunities and challenges that we face. It is therefore the policy of my Administration that the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.
- Executive Order 13985
- The Administration's Equity Agenda
- Director Young Equity EO Implementation Update
- OMB's Report to POTUS on Equity Assessment Methods
- OMB Memo on Advancing Equity in Federal Procurement
- OMB Memo on Improving Access to Public Benefits Programs
- Update from the Equitable Data Working Group
- Agency Equity Action Plans
- Equitable Data Working Group Report
Equity Action Plans
Equity Action Plans were submitted by over 90 Federal agencies, including all Cabinet and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act Agencies, as well as more than 50 independent agencies that voluntarily participated, in recognition of the value and urgency of applying an equity lens to improve agency performance and service delivery. These Equity Action Plans represent specific agency commitments to redress inequities and to promote equitable outcomes in communities.
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Department of Agriculture
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Department of Commerce
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Department of Defense
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Department of Education
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Department of Energy
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Department of Homeland Security
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Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Department of Labor
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Department of State
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Department of Transportation
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Department of Veterans Affairs
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Department of the Interior
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Environmental Protection Agency
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General Services Administration
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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National Science Foundation
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Office of Personnel Management
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Small Business Administration
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Social Security Administration
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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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U.S. Department of Justice
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U.S. Department of the Treasury
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United States Agency for International Development
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