Miscellaneous

(1) Reduce barriers to citizenship and naturalization through continued evaluation of programs, policies, and outreach opportunities. There is a significant gap between the annual naturalization rate and the annual size of the population eligible to naturalize. Commonly cited barriers to naturalization include: a lack of understanding about the naturalization process; a real or perceived inability to meet the English language requirement that is part of the naturalization process; a lack of ability to pay application fees; and a lack of understanding about reduced fees and fee waiver options. To address these barriers, USCIS will strengthen efforts to promote naturalization through citizenship education and outreach, capacity building efforts, and more streamlined naturalization application services. (2) Promote equitable use of AI technology across the Department through the development and application of new guidance as well as intra - agency coordination. With increased use of AI in carrying out DHS's homeland security mission, members of underserved communities may face disproportionate or disparate impacts, such as additional scrutiny or denial of benefits based on the potential for algorithms to operate in a manner that exhibits inappropriate biases in violation of law and DHS policy. To address these barriers, DHS will implement Department - wide policy guidance regarding the equitable use and implementation of AI technology and leverage the ongoing work of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force (AITF) and other internal working groups to establish a framework for trustworthy and responsible AI. (3) Counter domestic violent extremism (DVE) and targeted violence through a public health - informed approach. As the Department continues to tackle DVE threats, members of certain underserved communities (e.g., AMEMSA, Jewish, LGBTQI + and Black communities) continue to have concerns about DVE threats that impact their communities. To address these barriers, DHS will build the capacity of prevention professionals, SO that they can better understand and use data - driven information on how underserved communities are often the targets and victims of domestic terrorists;

Naturalization applications and naturalizations have risen over time, but each year, only about 10 percent of eligible individuals naturalize. This trend has persisted for decades. Commonly cited barriers to naturalization include a lack of understanding about the naturalization process, a real or perceived inability to meet the English language requirement that is part of the naturalization process, a belief that the civics test is too difficult, a lack of time to prepare for the naturalization test and interview, a lack of ability to pay application fees, and a lack of understanding about reduced fees and fee waiver options. 3 About 3.5 percent of all Form N - 400s (Applications for Naturalization) are currently accompanied by at least one Form N - 648 (Medical Certification for Disability Exception). The public has commented on the limited list of medical professionals who are eligible to certify Form N - 648. Members of the public have recommended expanding the list to include nurse practitioners, thereby allowing for greater access for people living in rural areas, people with limited financial resources and time, and people who may otherwise have barriers with utilizing the current list of medical professionals. Form N - 648 continues to pose obstacles for people with disabilities based on its length and complexity, sometimes deterring eligible people from filing, deterring

There are proven beneficial economic and civic outcomes for immigrants who become citizens, including increased homeownership and lower levels of poverty. 6 Some research offers evidence of economic benefits to noncitizens who naturalize, including higher earnings. 7 These earning gains from naturalization translate to greater city, state, and Federal tax revenues. Such impacts can be considerable when aggregated to the national level. 8 Each fiscal year, about 41 percent, or an average of 30,175 of the total denials for the educational requirements for naturalization are based at least in part on the inability to read, speak, write, or understand English. 9 During a CIS Ombudsman outreach event, members of the public identified barriers to naturalization, including the " " complexity of the English language requirement " " and " " naturalization test - speaking portion. " "

Award and administer $ 25 million in grants to provide high - quality citizenship instruction classes and provide naturalization application services within the authorized practice of immigration law. Specifically, grantees will help LPRs understand the naturalization process, improve their English language skills, prepare for and study for the civics test, understand what to expect with the naturalization test and interview, and understand qualifications for reduced fees or a fee waiver. Evaluate Form N - 648 for burden reduction, assess the possibility of allowing additional medical professionals to certify N - 648s, and implement any appropriate changes. Consider efforts to redesign parts of the naturalization test. One of the goals of the proposed redesign is to reduce barriers to citizenship by creating a more fair and transparent speaking test.

Increases in the rate of naturalization among different communities, including marginalized and underserved communities. Changes in the number and type of accommodations granted to persons with disabilities to determine success in naturalization proceedings. Increase in access to medical evaluations for naturalization applications.

To develop its outreach and engagement strategy, USCIS considered input from several recent engagements: On November 1, 2022, USCIS held a stakeholder engagement to provide an overview and gather stakeholder feedback on the new Form N - 648 and its corresponding policy. USCIS collected comments related to improvements that USCIS can legally make through a regulation or policy, and any form changes, regulatory provisions or USCIS policies related to the N - 648 that were a source

On January 11, 2023, USCIS hosted a national listening session on the Proposed Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration Fees. USCIS provided an overview of the proposed rule and reviewed how to submit formal comments. On May 16, 2023, USCIS participated in an engagement hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to educate USDA employees about " " Equity and Nutrition Security Among Eligible Immigrant Families. " " During the engagement USCIS educated USDA staff about the barriers and challenges facing immigrant families in accessing federal programs and highlighted the role USCIS plays through outreach and engagements to ensure stakeholders are well informed about the Final Public Charge Rule. USCIS held stakeholder engagements on January 12, March 3, April 28, and May 31, 2023, to address questions and gather feedback on the naturalization test redesign initiative. For FY 2023, USCIS scheduled and conducted in - person Adult Citizenship Education Training in areas where there are large numbers of LPRs who are eligible to naturalize and areas that are underserved. USCIS will continue to engage with the public, including members of underserved communities; relevant stakeholders; state and local government; and other federal agencies to seek input on ways to further advance equity in applying for naturalization. As part of this effort, USCIS will utilize its expanded cadre of citizenship ambassadors to share information about the naturalization process and how to access information and support. Further, CRCL, in collaboration with USCIS / NWG, will periodically disseminate messaging regarding citizenship and naturalization initiatives to CRCL's network of community stakeholders through the GovDelivery system and monthly CRCL newsletter with an audience of over 10,000 members of the public. Additionally, CRCL, in collaboration with USCIS / NWG, will host a series of Naturalization Test Redesign Information and Listening Sessions with CRCL's network of community stakeholders. (2) Promote equitable use of AI technology across the Department through the development and application of new guidance as well as intra - agency coordination.

During a June 2023 stakeholder listening session on AI and Equity at DHS, stakeholders raised concerns about transparency and disparate impact in DHS's use of AI. Stakeholders also recommended enhancing community engagement on the use and application of AI going forward to build greater trust with communities. Staff consultation with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, policy development engagement dating back to the 2014 - 15 White House Big Data Papers, literature study, and interagency engagement with colleagues who have faced similar challenges and developed ethical codes and best practices in response, provide a basis for anticipating the challenges to ensuring compliance with applicable law and policy and in using AI to advance equity across all DHS missions. To encourage accountability and responsible use of AI in government programs and processes, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) developed an AI accountability framework ensuring AI is responsible, equitable, traceable, reliable, and governable. According to NIST, how accurately face recognition software tools identify people of varied sex, age, and racial backgrounds depends in part on the algorithm and data used. Results captured in the NIST report, Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) Part 3: Demographic Effects (NISTIR 8280), found empirical evidence for the existence of demographic differentials across algorithms and developers, with the most accurate algorithms producing many fewer errors; NIST expects those algorithms to have smaller demographic differentials. A key goal of the Department's use of facial recognition technology is identifying and eliminating, to the extent it exists, any improper bias. The Final Report of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (2021) determined that " " unintended bias can be introduced during many stages of the machine learning (ML) process, which can lead to disparate impacts in American society, a problem that has been documented in law enforcement contexts. " " Commission recommendations include the establishment of " " a task force to assess the privacy and civil liberties implications of AI and emerging technologies " " and " " empower DHS Offices of Privacy and Civil Rights and Civil Liberties [ to ] play an integral role in the legal and approval processes for the procurement and use of Al - enabled systems. " "

which includes explicit privacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and equity guidelines (including nondiscrimination provisions). Issue application - specific policy, as appropriate, including a Department - wide policy on facial recognition and facial detection technologies, requiring and enabling the minimization of improper bias in operational use and safeguarding of individuals against disproportionate or disparate impacts based on protected characteristics. Build on the principles articulated in EO 13960, Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government, and leverage the ongoing work of the DHS AI Task Force (AITF) and the DHS AI Policy Working Group by establishing a DHS - specific AI risk management framework, including a focus on trustworthy and responsible AI that protects privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties and advances equity. Where reliance on an algorithm is likely to have a substantial effect on individuals, DHS will enable effective oversight through disclosure of algorithms relied upon, where appropriate; reliance on explainable algorithms when feasible; and placing an emphasis in policy and oversight activities on accountability. Sponsor a CRCL - led Responsible Use Group within the DHS AITF, to establish close coordination between the DHS AITF, the Privacy Office, and the operational and technical staff charged with leading the innovative AI projects sponsored by the AITF. The Responsible Use Group will ensure projects receive timely, tailored compliance and equity - enhancing policy advice and oversight scrutiny. Additionally it will work with the Department's AI Policy Working Group to leverage the lessons learned from this grass roots implementation work to inform policy and practices guiding the AITF projects, and Department - level AI governance policy, respectively. Examine the use and value of AI in meeting language access needs in DHS programs and operations through a new initiative on AI and Language Access. CRCL will convene a symposium on AI and Language Access in Fiscal Year 2024 to explore how various technologies (e.g., large language models) could address DHS mission needs for quality translation and access services while mitigating any potential harm on underserved populations. Incorporate forthcoming OMB government - wide guidance on AI implementation, including review of affected DHS policies protecting the individual rights and safety of the public and our employees, and updating civil rights and general individual protective policies and processes to incorporate additional protections, where appropriate. Over the next five years, continue to engage with members of underserved communities and stakeholder groups to assess the extent to which they report progressively fewer concerns about privacy and disparate treatment and impacts from DHS's AI technology, and address any lingering or novel concerns through additional policy updates.

(4) Advance equity for persons who are limited English proficient by strengthening language access programs. In carrying out its varied homeland security mission, DHS encounters millions of members of the public every day, many of whom are limited English proficient (LEP) and may experience communication challenges or barriers in accessing DHS programs. Although DHS has language access policies in place, DHS has opportunities to strengthen language access across its programs and activities for persons who are LEP. Many individuals who are LEP are members of underserved communities, including racial and ethnic minority groups, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQI + persons, and others who face poverty or persecution. To address these barriers, DHS will apply customer experience principles and practices in advancing language access and implement the DHS Language Access Plan, updated in November 2023, and the DHS Indigenous Languages Plan to ensure that the Department's language access programs are effective. (5) Advance equity in DHS's screening activities through updates to training, policy, and procedures. Members of the public, including those from underserved communities (e.g., AMEMSA communities and individuals with disabilities) continue to report concerns regarding their experiences when undergoing screening, including allegations of racial and ethnic profiling and improper treatment of persons with disabilities. To address these barriers, DHS will develop training to enhance knowledge and cultural competency of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) frontline workforce, and expand and streamline the TSA Passenger Support Specialist program, which provides previously scheduled and on - the - spot assistance to travelers who need assistance; develop a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) directive to define the roles and responsibilities of CBP offices and personnel and provide religious accommodations for members of the public during CBP - conducted services, programs, and activities; and assess and propose updates to the Department's nondiscrimination policies for external activities. (6) Advance equity for the 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations and their citizens by ensuring appropriate Tribal consideration and representation in the Department's work. During consultations, Tribal Nations have reported equity concerns about inaccessibility and unfairness of grant and contract opportunities, screening and handling of sacred items, lack of DHS staff and other resources dedicated to fulfilling DHS responsibilities to the Tribal Nations, lack of representation on some

Build capacity of prevention professionals / providers by developing evidence - based trainings and technical packages, including data - driven information on how underserved communities are often the targets and victims of domestic terrorists. Enhance equity in the CP3 TVTP Grant Program by investing in the diversification of grant applications for the FY 2024 grant cycle through an intentional outreach campaign to underrepresented groups and communities. Strengthen the public health - informed approach to targeted violence and terrorism prevention and raise awareness of this approach through a public communications strategy. Prioritize and expand education programs regarding tools and resources available for combatting DVE threats to underserved communities.

In carrying out its varied homeland security missions, DHS encounters millions of members of the public every day, many of whom are limited English proficient. While DHS has many language access policies in place, DHS still has opportunities to strengthen language access across its programs and activities for persons who are LEP. Many individuals who are LEP are members of racial minority groups, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQI + persons, and others who are facing persistent poverty or persecution and this intersectionality can create additional barriers. Stakeholders report concerns about the limited availability of legal access for detained noncitizens and language access resources to provide interpretation and translation services for Indigenous noncitizens who are LEP and who speak Indigenous languages. Indigenous language speakers may not understand processing by CBP officers and agents, including opportunities to pursue avenues of humanitarian protection, as a result of a language barrier. CBP officers and agents need an efficient mechanism to determine the primary language of an Indigenous language speaker prior to the processing of that individual.

Complaints to CRCL about language access in DHS programs and activities and recommendations to DHS agencies resulting from complaint investigations (over five to 10 years). According to the 2019 Center for American Progress Report Language Access Has Life - or - Death Consequences for Migrants, DHS comes into contact with the broadest range of foreign - language speakers of any federal agency. Following the deaths in Border Patrol custody of two children whose families spoke Indigenous languages, the report indicated DHS needs to be far more proactive in providing interpretation and translation services for Indigenous language speakers. According to the 2023 Center for American Progress Report Improving Language Access in the U.S. Asylum System, the languages that migrants and asylum - seekers speak have diversified in recent years. It is reported the lack of adequate interpretation and translation services for asylum - seekers who are not proficient in English impedes their ability to navigate the complex immigration system.

Implement the DHS Language Access Plan and the DHS Indigenous Languages Plan to ensure that the Department's language access programs are effective. The DHS Language Access Plan applies to all DHS employees and applicable contractors that interact with members of the public. Integrate language access considerations when assessing potential barriers that underserved communities may face in accessing and benefitting from the agency's programs and activities and developing strategies to address the identified barriers. Explore how limited English proficiency impacts access to DHS programs and activities for members of underserved communities, including but not limited to Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander persons, Indigenous migrants of Latin America, and persons with disabilities, and seek to address barriers for individuals who are LEP and belong to multiple such communities. Identify staff member (s) within CRCL to carry out ombudsman - type functions, including regularly interacting with the public, promptly responding to concerns and questions about language access, and coordinating with DHS agencies and other federal agencies. Apply customer experience (CX) principles and practices in advancing language access, establish a schedule of CX initiatives that involve user research, usability testing, and other types of qualitative research. This includes examining touchpoints with the public, including those who are limited English proficient. Disseminate guidance and a framework for all DHS agencies on conducting in - language engagements with persons and communities that are limited English proficient from diverse communities and providing vital documents or materials in these languages to have more meaningful dialogue and effective information sharing for the LEP community. Improve language access for persons seeking humanitarian protection. Advance meaningful language access for Indigenous migrant communities through the following:

advisory councils and committees, and uncertainty that DHS would pursue modifications to unfair practices that might require legislative fixes. To address these barriers, DHS will conduct a review of contract opportunities and grant funding opportunity announcements prior to release to determine how equitable access for tribes can be furthered; examine policy and procedures to identify updates in furtherance of security and the appropriate handling of sacred, ceremonial, or cultural items and conduct training on the same; pursue adequate staffing and other resources where needed to ensure equitable service delivery; ensure Tribal representation in DHS advisory councils, committees, and other groups; and pursue modifications to service delivery, including where legislative fixes are needed. (7) Advance equity for persons seeking humanitarian protection during immigration processing by strengthening programs available to assist them. Stakeholders continue to report concerns about processing delays and access to resources. To address these barriers, USCIS will enhance processing efficiency by leveraging technology, increasing access, and seeking opportunities to reduce fees; and DHS will strengthen resources for non - detained noncitizens released on an alternative to detention program and create process efficiencies across the board. (8) Advance equity in the FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) program to increase participation of undeserved communities. In response to FEMA's 2021 Request for Information (RFI) on FEMA Programs, Regulations, and Policies and associated public meetings, members of the public suggested changes to the IA program. All relevant comments received in response to the RFI, including those received during the public meetings, have been posted to the public rulemaking docket on the Federal eRulemaking portal. To address barriers and suggested changes raised by stakeholders, FEMA will publish an Interim Final Rule (IFR) amending its regulations governing the IA program to increase equity by simplifying processes, removing barriers to entry, and increasing eligibility for certain types of assistance under the program. (9) Advance equity through Community Disaster Resilience Zones. FEMA's National Advisory Council has found that smaller, less affluent communities with fewer resources cannot access funding to appropriately prepare for a disaster, which leads to inadequate response and recovery and little opportunity for mitigation. To address this barrier, FEMA will enhance and expand Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program technical assistance; implement Benefit - Cost Analysis (BCA) enhancements for all relevant mitigation programs, including incorporating equity weights into BCA; and develop a Recovery and Resilience Resource Portal, which provides ideas and information on available funding opportunities for state, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partners and community decision - makers.

Advance meaningful language access to ICE and CBP programs, activities, and operations for Indigenous noncitizens encountered by ICE and CBP who are LEP and who speak Indigenous languages. Collaborate with the ICE Personnel Security Division to explore and implement approaches in the ICE clearance process that could increase the pool of possible Indigenous - speaking candidates submitted by the language services vendor (s). Coordinate with language services vendor (s) to enhance recruitment efforts and capacity for Indigenous - speaking linguists and increase overall provision of language services. Conduct detention facility assessment (s) to determine gaps in the identification of Indigenous language speakers and provision of language services in detention. Facilitate development of Indigenous cultural awareness and competency education materials, such as training and / or job aids. Participate in listening sessions and other engagements with national and community - based Indigenous organizations and develop strategic partnerships where possible. Expand the number of Indigenous languages included in the myCBP mobile application, allowing CBP officers and agents to use their mobile devices to identify the Indigenous language spoken by the individual being processed and then engage the interpretation service as appropriate.

Number of engagements or meetings with individuals who are LEP, and the language services provided to support these engagement activities, with the goal to improve delivery of language access services across the Department. Improved response and resolution times for complaints about language access issues. Number of individuals who are LEP who interact with CRCL when ombudsman - type functions are executed to issue spot and review complaint trends. Patterns and trends of language access barriers alleged in complaints or raised during engagements with communities, including the unavailability of language access in DHS programs, services, and activities. Survey and conduct focus groups of NGOs representing the concerns of LEP communities and LEP persons themselves, for recommendations on the effectiveness of public campaigns or messaging in languages other than English (e.g., Blue Campaign materials educating the public on indicators of human trafficking and how to get help). Number of ICE detention facility Indigenous language access assessment (s) conducted. Number of uses of the expanded set of languages in the myCBP mobile application.

Number and types of complaints concerning language access that are filed with DHS and the resolution of these complaints. Recommendations implemented from language access complaints and issues raised during community engagements. Track the increase in language services vendors ' Indigenous language request fulfillment rates. Track improvements in the identification of Indigenous speakers and provision of language services in ICE detention. Track the reduction in language access - related complaint activity specific to encountered Indigenous languages and / or communications. Assess CBP officers ' and agents ' feedback on the effectiveness of the myCBP Indigenous Language Identification feature. Number of CBP Information Center complaints relating to religious accommodations concerns to determine whether complaints decrease on a year - to - year basis.

In the summer and fall 2022, representatives from CRCL's Community Engagement Section, along with several DHS agencies, conducted in - person and virtual engagements with Indigenous migrant community leaders, continuing its trend of convening these roundtables with experts on Indigenous cultures and language, in order to strengthen the provision of Indigenous language services in DHS programs, services, and operations. On March 29, 2023, CRCL held a national listening session to receive feedback on its updates to the DHS Language Access Plan, and for other suggestions on strengthening language access across DHS. Over 200 individuals participated in the listening session, including representatives from local governmental organizations, community - based and nongovernmental organizations, and language industry professionals. Representatives from across DHS agencies and offices were also in attendance. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) participated in several listening sessions held with national and community - based Indigenous organizations. ICE ERO has continued to consult one of these organizations on materials and initiatives. CBP will work with CRCL's Community Engagement Section to participate and speak at future events.

Assess and propose updates to the Department's nondiscrimination policies for external activities, ensuring application of the requirements of the 2023 DOJ Guidance to all covered DHS law enforcement activities, as well as ensuring consistent standards and requirements for law enforcement activities excluded from, or not governed, by the 2023 DOJ Guidance, and other DHS activities as appropriate. Train and ensure DHS law enforcement personnel comply and adhere to the 2023 DOJ Guidance, DHS Policy Statement 500 - 02, and any subsequent policy reaffirming nondiscrimination and prohibiting profiling on the basis of protected individual characteristics in all DHS law enforcement and security activities. Collaborate with community groups to develop training modules to enhance knowledge and cultural competency of frontline workforce.

Expand and streamline the TSA Passenger Support Specialist program, which provides previously scheduled and on - the - spot assistance to travelers requiring accommodations or those who have concerns about the airport security screening process, in order to ensure consistency at airports across the nation. CBP will develop an agency - wide directive to define the roles and responsibilities of CBP offices and personnel to provide religious accommodations for members of the public during CBP - conducted services, programs, and activities. To address the equity barrier as it relates to travelers seeking admission at ports of entry, the directive should contain provisions addressing the handling of religious items during inspection. Once the directive is completed, CBP will develop a training and a communication plan to educate the CBP workforce on the roles and responsibilities in the directive.

Trends of complaints received by TSA, to indicate a decrease in allegations of inequitable treatment from ethnic, religious, and racial communities, and to improve the customer experience. Changes in the type of passenger complaints alleging, for example, misuse of TSA Advanced Imaging Technology, TSA pat - down screening, religious accommodations, and Fourth Amendment concerns, to inform TSA Security Operations to provide additional training for front - line Transportation Security Officers, with a goal of process improvement. Training retention survey data at the conclusion of the CBP religious accommodations for members of the public training (to be developed).

To develop this strategy, TSA engaged in multiple sessions to better understand the barriers experienced by underserved communities. TSA will continue its engagement with these organizations to enhance community trust. The CBP IPL Team, its leadership, and the Commissioner and Acting Commissioner have held several recent meetings with a diverse representation of religious groups and other underrepresented communities, including the Sikh, Jewish, Muslim, Chaldean, and Coptic communities, regarding concerns in this area.

1. Applying for Naturalization. USCIS began a comprehensive review of policies, regulations, forms, and operations to identify barriers that may impede access to naturalization by underserved communities and is undertaking efforts to reduce or eliminate those barriers. In October 2022, USCIS updated Form N - 648 (Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions) and related Policy Manual guidance. Applicants for naturalization with physical or developmental disability or mental impairments may request an exception to the English and civics testing requirements for naturalization. This form and Policy Manual update streamline the process for applicants to claim and substantiate a disability by eliminating unnecessary and duplicative questions. In March 2023, USCIS updated Policy Manual guidance to allow individuals requesting immigration benefits to self - select their gender marker (" " Male " " or " " Female " ") without the need to provide proof of their gender identity or to match the gender listed on their supporting documentation. This update reflects an important step toward reducing administrative burdens on applicants and increasing accessibility to immigration benefits and services. 2. Accessing Humanitarian Protection During Immigration Processing. DHS improved access to humanitarian protection during immigration processing by addressing language and disability access gaps and enhancing access to legal information and resources. In July 2022, USCIS issued new language access guidance to ensure that LEP individuals seeking asylum who cannot be interviewed in the credible fear screening process are placed into removal proceedings where an immigration judge can apply appropriate language access safeguards as that individual seeks relief. The USCIS Language Services Branch (LSB) has prioritized reaching the most vulnerable populations, including victims of trafficking, in their languages and in a culturally appropriate manner. This work, which spanned two fiscal years and involved multiple language specialists, resulted in approximately 1,000 pages of translation. Additionally, in close collaboration with the Asylum Division and the

Economic Justice: Global Equality Environmental Justice

Tribal Nations tend to be located in very rural areas with varying degrees of capacity and infrastructure. For many Tribal Nations, even access to internet, phones, and utilities is a challenge, underscoring the depth of the digital divide and resulting in limited access to government services and information. During consultations, Tribal Nations have reported equity concerns about inaccessibility and unfairness of contract and grant opportunities, screening and handling of sacred items, a lack of DHS staff and other resources dedicated to fulfilling DHS responsibilities to the Nations, a lack of representation on some advisory councils and committees, and uncertainty that DHS would pursue modifications to unfair practices that might require legislative fixes.

DHS agencies routinely engage with Tribal Nations, including a July 2023 consultation specifically for this Plan, where the Nations have made requests with respect to funding, grants, contracts, screening and handling of sacred items, staffing and other resources committed to fulfilling responsibilities to Tribal Nations, appropriate representation on advisory bodies, and modifications to DHS practices to include legislative fixes. OMB has highlighted the unique burdens Tribes face in accessing grant opportunities and offered considerations for reducing their burden. Highlighted considerations (potential activities to implement) include streamlining processes and reducing administrative burdens.

Conduct a review of contract opportunities and grant funding opportunity announcements prior to release to determine if equity can be furthered through design, Tribal set - asides, funding allotments to account for smaller Tribes, outreach and technical assistance, cost - sharing requirements, streamlining application and reporting requirements, or consideration of multi - year funding or other issues. Examine policies and procedures to determine whether, consistent with mission constraints, they provide for the respectful handling of sacred and cultural items. Train locally and nationally within DHS agencies that handle these sacred and cultural items. Pursue adequate staffing and resources where needed to meet Tribal Nations ' needs and ensure equitable service delivery.

To develop this strategy, DHS reviewed prior Tribal engagements and consultations and engaged with DHS subject matter experts. DHS held a virtual Tribal consultation on July 6, 2023, and received written comments through August 7, 2023. DHS will continue to engage and consult with Tribal Nations to seek opportunities to deliver more equitable outcomes. (7) Advance equity for persons seeking humanitarian protection during immigration processing by strengthening programs available to assist them.

Benefit applicants, both overseas and domestic, sometimes have difficulty attending USCIS appointments when the distance needed to travel is long. There are barriers related to transportation, health and safety, and finances. In FY 2023, USCIS's Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations (RAIO) began increasing the use of video technology to conduct I - 589 asylum interviews domestically, and I - 590 refugee interviews internationally, SO that applicants living in remote locations will not have to wait SO long or travel SO far. USCIS is currently drafting a proposed rule that would codify RAIO's flexibility to conduct remote interviews with refugee applicants abroad. In March 2023, USCIS published an extension to the Asylum Interpreter Temporary Final Rule (TFR) that allowed USCIS to provide telephonic interpreters for asylum applicants who speak one of 47 listed languages through September 12, 2023. Telephonic interpreters can also be connected to video interviews SO that remote interviews can be completed. The TFR temporarily reduced barriers for asylum applicants to attend and complete their interviews. There is a significant backlog of pending petitions for U nonimmigrant status due, in part, to the annual statutory cap limiting approvals to 10,000 principal petitions per fiscal year. As this backlog of over 250,000 filings are solely filed via paper and postal mail, USCIS is considering ways to leverage technology to improve processing to provide Employment Authorization Documents and deferred action for U petitioners and their derivatives with pending filings. As noted in the U.S. National Plan to End Gender - Based Violence, immigrant survivors face increased barriers to economic stability. They often encounter delayed processing times when applying for special immigration remedies for GBV victims that were established through VAWA and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, such as the VAWA self - petition, the U nonimmigrant status for eligible victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and qualifying eligible crimes, and the T nonimmigrant status for eligible victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons. Delays in access to work authorization and public benefits for which an individual is potentially eligible, such as housing assistance or health care, can increase vulnerabilities to abuse and undermine recovery and healing. For refugees living in many parts of the world to access the US Refugee Admissions Program, they need to be interviewed and processed by USCIS while they are overseas, which presents many logistical and travel challenges for both the refugees and USCIS staff. When USCIS has no permanent presence in a geographic area, processing occurs when USCIS has the staff to make several international trips to complete different processing steps, thereby increasing the processing time. There are numerous steps involved in processing benefits for refugee populations, such as medical exams, refugee interviews, finalization of the decision, and assurances for placement with domestic resettlement agencies. These steps typically take place sequentially and may take a long time in between steps. Noncitizen workers are particularly vulnerable to workplace abuses including unpaid wages, discrimination, health and safety violations, and reprisals for seeking to improve working conditions. In addition, noncitizen workers are often afraid to report violations to labor enforcement agencies or participate in labor standards investigations for fear of immigration - related retaliation or threats of deportation by their employers.

In May 2022, CBP implemented an online training course titled " " Disability Access Training for Law Enforcement Professionals " " to educate uniformed officers and agents about their roles and responsibilities for ensuring nondiscrimination in CBP - conducted services, programs, and activities for members of the public with disabilities. CBP's uniformed officers and agents will be required to complete the training on a biennial basis. In January 2023, DHS announced a streamlined process for noncitizens in labor agency investigations to request deferred action consistent with Policy Statement 065 - 06, Worksite Enforcement: The Strategy to Protect the American Labor Market, the Conditions of the American Worksite, and the Dignity of the Individual. Deferred action protects noncitizen workers from threats of immigration - related retaliation from exploitative employers. These improvements advance the Biden - Harris Administration's commitment to empowering workers and improving workplace conditions by enabling all workers, including noncitizens, to assert their legal rights. 3. Bidding on a DHS Contract. DHS strengthened efforts to engage small businesses, including those owned by members of underserved communities such as women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities, through various outreach activities. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, DHS exceeded all small business prime and socioeconomic goals as negotiated with the Small Business Administration, equating to $ 9 billion awarded to small businesses, including $ 4 billion to small, disadvantaged businesses. DHS is the largest spending agency to have this level of goal achievement. In FY 2022, the DHS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) launched Small - to - Small Business Vendor Outreach Matchmaking Events (VOMEs), facilitating business - to - business meetings to encourage new entrants, explore subcontracting and teaming opportunities, and assist with decreasing gaps in small business capabilities. The VOME is another federal best practice and a first for federal OSDBU offices. Three VOMEs were held in FY 2022, garnering 1,100 registrants and nearly 800 meetings. Three VOMEs were also held in FY 2023, resulting in over 1,500 small business registrations and over 500 meetings. In FY 2023, OSDBU has hosted 10 Vendor Outreach Sessions to include four specifically reserved for underserved groups (e.g., service - disabled veteran - owned, women - owned, and HUBZone firms). 4. Countering Domestic Violent Extremism and Targeted Violence. DHS augmented efforts to address DVE and targeted violence by enhancing programs that empower

Reduce barriers to humanitarian benefits by leveraging technology, increasing access, enhancing process efficiencies, and seeking opportunities to reduce fees. Strengthen resources for non - detained noncitizens released on an alternative to detention by building on existing case management programs, like the Case Management Pilot Program, which provides case management, legal information and screening, trafficking screening, and connection to a range of social services, including pro se counsel, to noncitizens on ATD. As enumerated in DHS's National Action Plan to implement the Gender Policy Council Strategy, USCIS and ICE will work to expand access to T and U nonimmigrant statuses and VAWA protections. These benefits offer critical protection for many of our most vulnerable noncitizens - those who have been victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons and other specified crimes, and those who are victims of battery or extreme cruelty by an abusive spouse or other family member. All three benefits are crucial in stabilizing victims by providing a potential pathway to lawful permanent residence. The Department will explore how to prevent instances of domestic abuse, gender - based violence, human trafficking, and other criminal activity by raising awareness of and expanding access to potentially eligible noncitizens, including women of color, who may be particularly vulnerable. USCIS leads this effort and has set goals to guide its backlog - reduction efforts. Strengthen the centralized process for workers within the scope of labor agency investigations to request deferred action. Deferred action is a critical tool to assist

federal and state labor agencies by addressing the immigration - related fears of exploited workers and facilitating their participation in the investigations and prosecution of exploitative employers. Having a centralized process clarifies the role of labor agencies, streamlines evidentiary requirements and application procedures, and promotes greater consistency across DHS, resulting in labor agencies ' enhanced ability to fulfill their missions by providing greater access to noncitizen workers as cooperating witnesses in their investigations and prosecutions. Continue to host, directly with workers and the community organizations that serve them, regular public engagements about the centralized process for workers within the scope of labor agency investigations to request deferred action, including engagements with Spanish interpretation. Work to enhance access to legal counsel for workers SO that they can be better informed about their options, including eligibility for deferred action through the centralized process and other forms of humanitarian relief such as T and U nonimmigrant status, by engaging with relevant stakeholders.

In response to FEMA's 2021 RFI on FEMA Programs, Regulations, and Policies, and associated public meetings, members of the public suggested changes to the IA program, generally focused on ways to advance equity, including suggestions to expand eligibility within the program and to improve transparency regarding eligibility requirements to those applying for assistance. In response to RFI comments, FEMA updated its policies to accept additional forms of documentation to verify occupancy and ownership requirements to reduce barriers to access experienced by underserved populations. Disaster survivors who have serious needs for emergency food, water, infant formula, diapers, or other essentials may experience a period of hardship due to a lack of access to credit or savings. FEMA will publish an IFR that will establish additional eligible assistance for serious needs. All relevant comments received in response to the request for information, including those received during the public meetings, have been posted to the public rulemaking docket on the Federal rulemaking portal.

Increase eligibility for home repair assistance by amending the definitions and application of the terms safe, sanitary, and functional, allowing assistance for certain accessibility - related items, and amending its approach to evaluating insurance proceeds. Allow for the re - opening of the applicant registration period when the President adds new counties to the major disaster declaration. Simplify the documentation requirements for continued temporary housing assistance. Simplify the appeals process. Simplify the process to request approval for a late registration. Remove the requirement to apply for a Small Business Administration loan as a condition of eligibility for Other Needs Assistance (ONA); and Establish additional eligible assistance under ONA for serious needs, displacement, disaster - damaged computing devices, and essential tools for self - employed individuals.

Number of individual households deemed eligible for IA resulting in more equitable outcomes for members of underserved communities, including those facing persistent poverty. Results from multiple disaster survivor surveys (including a longitudinal survey) to assess outcomes.

FEMA's 2020 National Advisory Council Report to the Administrator underscores the importance to " " Use Equity as the Foundation, " " as stated on page 12: " " [ b ] y perpetually assisting larger communities that already have considerable resources, the smaller, less resource - rich, less - affluent communities cannot access funding to appropriately prepare for a disaster, leading to inadequate response and recovery, and little opportunity for mitigation. " " As noted in the U.S. National Plan to End Gender - Based Violence, natural disasters, public health crises, and other emergencies also reinforce preexisting social, political, and economic inequalities, including access to food, water, health care, transportation, and social services. Survivors may face additional barriers accessing essential services, including GBV - related assistance.

A growing body of research has shown that vulnerable communities are the most impacted and least likely to recover after a disaster, including, but not limited to: 1) " " Disaster Recovery: School Districts in Socially Vulnerable Communities Faced Heightened Challenges after Recent Natural Disasters " " (GAO - 22 - 104606); 2) " " Disaster Recovery: Efforts to Identify and Address Barriers to Receiving Federal Recovery Assistance " " (GAO - 22 - 155488): 3) " " Disaster Recovery: Additional Actions Needed to Identify and Address Potential Recovery Barriers " " (GAO - 22 - 104039); 4) " " Disaster Recovery: Actions Needed to Improve the Federal Approach " " (GAO - 23 - 104956); 5) Study: Let the Rich Be Flooded: The Distribution of Financial Aid and Distress after Hurricane Harvey; and 6) Study: As Disaster Costs Rise, So Does Inequality. A growing body of research has shown the need to improve communities ' ability to access hazard mitigation grant funding to assist recovery efforts, including but not limited to: 1) " " Disaster Resilience: FEMA Should Take Additional Steps to Streamline Hazard Mitigation Grants and Assess Program Effects " " (GAO - 21 - 140); 2) " " Disaster Assistance: Action Needed to Improve Resilience, Response, and Recovery " " (GAO - 23 - 106544); 3) FEMA's 2022 National Advisory Council Report to the Administrator, Chapter 1; and 4) Study: Damages Done: The Longitudinal Impacts of Natural Hazards on Wealth Inequality in the United States.

The DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) conducted targeted outreach to additional local and underserved communities, providing technical assistance and support to those stakeholders. The Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program provides funding for state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, nonprofits, and institutions of higher education to establish or enhance capabilities to prevent targeted violence and terrorism. In FY 2022, CP3 reached 49 new organizations and over 900 people, resulting in 31 applications from, and 11 awards to, organizations representing underserved communities. In response to a wave of bomb threats targeting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in 2022, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP) conducted 27 courses for HBCU students and faculty in prevention and building resilience, trained more than 1,200 participants, delivered over 1,500 products, and saw a 54 percent increase in the more than 24,000 training video completions. Additional courses are ongoing. In 2022, CRCL, the DHS Office of State and Local Law Enforcement (OSLLE), and the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs, sponsored full - day courses at five HBCUs to help equip campus leaders and other community stakeholders with the problem - solving skills to prevent, protect, and mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from active shooter situations. Since July 2022, DHS has led multiple engagements focused on addressing community concerns related to DVE, Department strategy, and incidents of hate targeting specific communities. In April 2023, OPE hosted a virtual Ramadan engagement with American Muslim community leaders to solicit their feedback, concerns, and insights on DHS policies and programs. In March 2023, DHS launched the Prevention Resource Finder, providing stakeholders with information on the resources needed to help prepare for and prevent targeted violence and terrorism across our country. 5. Filing Complaints and Seeking Redress in DHS Programs and Activities. DHS continues to enhance communication with the public regarding the ability to file complaints concerning DHS programs and seek redress without retaliation, how these processes work, and what individuals can expect from these processes. OPE, CRCL, and the DHS Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) continue to hold engagement events for the public, including underserved communities, to provide more information about the various DHS complaint processes. In March 2023, CRCL launched a new online complaint portal, with prompts available in 10 languages. The portal accepts complaints in any language and also notes the availability of interpreters and translators for any language. In accordance with Section 9 (c) of Executive Order 14074, Advancing Effective Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety, DHS law enforcement agencies will continue to ensure that effective

Identify disadvantaged census tracts most at risk from natural hazards through implementation of the CDRZ Act of 2022, including underserved rural areas, and provide targeted support to communities within or containing CDRZ census tracts to support them in resilience planning and project scoping, in addition to making other programmatic changes to remove barriers to accessing and leveraging FEMA grants. Enhance and expand direct technical assistance for the BRIC program. CDRZ communities can request direct technical assistance to begin climate resilience planning and project solution design, increasing their capacity to design holistic, equitable climate adaptation solutions that advance community - driven objectives.

Implement Benefit - Cost Analysis (BCA) enhancements for all relevant mitigation programs, including incorporating equity weights into BCA. The BCA has been routinely cited as a significant barrier to accessing FEMA grants, particularly for under resourced communities. FEMA, in partnership with OMB, is pursuing methodological changes to account for economic inequities within the BCA and is providing additional assistance to help under - resourced communities complete the BCA. Develop a Recovery and Resilience Resource Portal, with ideas and information on available funding opportunities for SLTT partners and community decision - makers. A central resource hub will improve accessibility of information, making it easier and more equitable for under - resourced communities to learn about federal programs that can support their resilience needs.

6. Airport Screening. In furtherance of TSA's mission to protect the Nation's transportation systems and facilitate lawful travel, TSA has enhanced and standardized training for its screening officers and has improved its screening technology capabilities to reduce the possibility of bias against travelers and increase safety. TSA deployed new Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) software for screening systems at airports across the country. This update eliminates the need for Transportation Security Officers to determine a passenger's gender prior to AIT screening and is projected to reduce the instances of enhanced screening for transgender persons and members of other underserved communities. TSA has held multiple community engagements to enhance communication with the traveling public and increase awareness of security procedures. 7. Trusted Traveler Programs. DHS has taken steps to advance equity in its Trusted Traveler Programs. TSA updated the PreCheck application process by allowing individuals to select their gender marker based on self - attestation, regardless of sex assigned at birth. The application was updated to include additional gender marker options to better serve non - binary and gender non - conforming travelers. 8. Public Assistance. FEMA has advanced equity as a foundation for public assistance. In August 2022, FEMA's Office for Public Assistance released the Operational Draft of the Public Assistance Program Delivery Guide, which included considerations for FEMA recipients and applicants to conduct response and recovery efforts in an equitable manner. The Guide includes a performance metric for the prioritization of communities rated as highly socially vulnerable, including underserved rural areas. From April 2021 through August 2022, FEMA's Office for Equal Rights worked with the Office for Public Assistance on its mission to ensure an equitable response to the COVID - 19 pandemic. FEMA established the Civil Rights Advisory Group as part of the agency's commitment to the COVID - 19 vaccination mission amid the ongoing battle against the pandemic. The advisory group's mission is to evaluate the policies, practices, strategies, and plans in place to ensure equity in vaccine access and administration. 9. Achieving Equitable Outcomes for Disaster Survivors. FEMA continues to advance equitable outcomes for disaster survivors. FEMA is working to identify and include considerations for traditionally underserved or marginalized communities in the forms, processes, and online Grants Portal system that the agency uses to support applicants.

FEMA is redeveloping the way it collects, documents, and processes information from applicants to be less burdensome, more effective, and more equitable in the distribution of Public Assistance. Moving forward, FEMA will work to clarify the recipient's legal responsibility and to structure a more comprehensive reporting process SO that recipients and subrecipients clearly understand their obligations to develop and report on their strategies for equitable response and recovery. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) selected Recovering from a Disaster as a Life Experience Project in 2022. Discovery work was completed to inform how FEMA could create an equitable and less frustrating experience to survivors while they are enduring trauma. Based on recommendations made from the discovery work, the General Services Administration is currently partnering with FEMA to measure end - to - end burden placed on natural disaster survivors. 10. Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). NSGP provides funding for physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, that are at high risk of terrorist attack. FEMA has improved equitable access to NSGP funding by improving participation from nonprofit organizations serving underserved communities and embedding equity considerations in the grant review process. FEMA continues to engage in robust outreach and engagement efforts throughout the NSGP lifecycle to ensure that nonprofit organizations have the information they need to apply. In FY 2022, NSGP held 82 events, including webinars, with over 18,039 unique participants to increase understanding of the application process and eligibility for subrecipients. In June 2023, FEMA published an informative video about applying to the NSGP, available both on YouTube.com and FEMA.gov. FEMA has collaborated with other federal and nonprofit partners to further amplify this engagement and messaging, including the DHS Center for Faith - Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Relations Service, religious and cultural organizations, HBCUs, and Minority Serving Institutions. In FY 2023, FEMA advanced considerations of equity in awarding NSGP grant funding by adding up to 15 additional points to the scores of organizations that demonstrate how they serve an underserved community or population or that are located within an underserved community. Additionally, applicants who had never received NSGP funding had 15 points added to their project score (a scoring metric continued from FY 2022).

Illinois: $ 23 million federal cost share with Village of DePue Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Rebuild. After heavy rain in 2008, several neighborhood roads in the Village of DePue, an Economically Disadvantaged Rural Community, were flooded. The increased flow at the WWTP caused raw sewage to back up into the basements of homes. Through BRIC DTA, DePue will build a new WWTP on village property outside of the floodway and floodplain. The old plant will be demolished and left as open space. Arkansas: $ 2.51 million federal cost share with Danville School District Safe Room. The Danville School District, also located in an Economically Disadvantaged Rural Community, has no protection for its students during severe wind and tornado events. Through BRIC DTA, Danville will build an Americans with Disabilities Act - compliant, multi - purpose safe room next to the elementary school, with space for 1,126 students and staff, including six wheelchair spaces, during dangerous storms. The project should also help improve stormwater management and reduce future risk of flash flooding by including nature - based solutions, such as permeable pavement.

Enhancing Customer Experience for Members of Underserved Communities

Engagement with Diverse Communities and Other Stakeholders

(1) Reduce barriers to citizenship and naturalization through continued evaluation of programs, policies, and outreach opportunities.

Barriers to Equity:

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, USCIS will:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, DHS, led by CP3, will:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

11. Environmental Justice Scorecard (pursuant to section 223 of EO 14008)

Barriers to Equity:

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, DHS will:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, DHS will:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, DHS will:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, FEMA will:

Advancing Language Access

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Pursuant to EO 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, the 2023 Update to the DHS Equity Action Plan includes an update on the Department's progress in advancing equity; identifies potential barriers that underserved communities may face in accessing and benefiting from DHS policies, programs, and activities; sets forth strategies to address those potential barriers; and describes our commitment to meaningfully engage with underserved communities. This plan does not include an exhaustive list of programs where DHS is working to advance equity, and DHS remains committed to centering equity in decision and policy making throughout the Department.

In May 2023, the FEMA Floodplain Management Division published the FY 2023 Community Assistance Program - State Support Services Element (CAP - SSSE) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The CAP - SSSE program provides funding to states to deliver technical assistance to communities in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and to evaluate community performance in implementing NFIP floodplain management activities. The NOFO requires states to consider equity in program delivery and assist vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by disasters. Furthermore, the CAP - SSSE Tiered State Framework includes several characteristics used to summarize the strength of a state's NFIP Coordinating Agency program. One characteristic is " " Addressing Equity in Floodplain Management, " " which considers how states plan, prioritize, and track floodplain management activities for underserved communities and populations.

In March 2023, DHS published the Privacy Impact Assessment for ICE alternatives to detention programs, including an Appendix that addresses the Case Management Pilot Program (CMPP). CMPP leads to more equitable outcomes for program participants, many of whom are racial minorities, by providing services that include, but are not limited to, mental health services, trafficking screening, legal orientation programs, cultural orientation programs, connections to social services, and departure planning and reintegration services for individuals returning to their home countries. The Privacy Impact Assessment describes the application of privacy mitigation measures to the CMPP, including the limits of data sharing between CRCL and ICE regarding program participants. CMPP enrollments in Houston began in April 2023 and enrollments in New York began in May 2023. As of November 2023, there are 248 enrolled participants. Enrollments will continue throughout the year. CMPP plans to add more service providers later in calendar year 2023 via FY 2022 appropriated funds of $ 15 million that were awarded as a grant to the CMPP National Board in July 2023. The National Board began the solicitation process in July 2023 to award those funds to service providers.

of adjudicators to positively impact the timeliness and scale of USCIS ' humanitarian processing abilities, particularly for women and girls pursuing these avenues of humanitarian protection. In support of this announcement, USCIS held a national stakeholder engagement in April 2023, and provided briefings on the new service center to several stakeholder groups.

The DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S & T) developed two complementary technological approaches to facilitate safe, no touch TSA screening of passengers with disabilities who use assistive devices. The goal is to improve convenience and throughput at TSA checkpoints for passengers with limited mobility, while maintaining their dignity during security and threat detection procedures. Working prototypes of a handheld screening tool and Al - enabled algorithms for AIT systems are expected to be evaluated by the Transportation Security Laboratory in FY 2023 - 2024.

S & T sponsors the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Face Recognition Vendor Test and performs scenario evaluations of integrated biometric systems. This research informs the development of DHS and interagency oversight and best practices and underpins the development of international standards. For example, S & T led the development of an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) technical report on the differential impact of demographic factors in biometric systems (ISO / IEC TR 22116) and is currently leading the development of a new performance testing standard on measuring demographic differentials in biometric systems (ISO / IEC 19795 - 10).

One of the cornerstones of DHS's approach to equity is a strong commitment to stakeholder and community engagement - to understand concerns about barriers faced by members of underserved communities in DHS's programs and to assess the effectiveness of DHS's efforts to address those barriers. Over the past year, DHS hosted engagements specific to the areas of focus in this plan. For example, in August 2022, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) led a listening session to hear directly from Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) faith - based and community leaders regarding civil rights and civil liberties concerns. The discussion focused on DHS policies and practices, particularly with respect to screening and redress. In February 2023, the Office of Partnership and Engagement (OPE) held a listening session with diverse faith leaders in Dearborn, Michigan to better understand the threat landscape and share DHS information and resources. In June 2023, CRCL led a listening session regarding DHS's use of artificial intelligence (AI) to understand stakeholders ' concerns about disparate

The DHS Customer Experience Directorate (CXD) took on several initiatives aimed at simplifying the experience of noncitizens navigating the immigration system, with the goal of improving case management and compliance. The team partnered with ICE to deliver designs for a website, tentatively called the " " ICE Portal, " " providing consolidated information to noncitizens regarding required check - ins, court dates, and other important information. User research will be conducted internally and in partnership with nongovernmental organizations (NGO) to ensure that the website is usable and meets the needs of the intended audience, including individuals who are LEP and individuals with disabilities. Partnering with community organizations to gather user feedback on the design, language, and accessibility helps to understand the needs of noncitizens. CXD has also partnered with CBP to improve the user experience of the CBP One mobile application, by enabling noncitizens to schedule appointments prior to arriving at a port of entry. Finally, CXD convened a multi - agency working group to work on the Secretary's priority to develop and implement a research - driven framework for communications to ensure noncitizens understand what their status and responsibilities are while in removal proceedings.

Collaborating Agencies: DHS is collaborating with 15 federal agencies who participate in the Interagency Naturalization Working Group (NWG) to promote naturalization within each of their spheres of influence. 2 As part of this effort, USCIS is leading the implementation of the Interagency Strategy for Promoting Naturalization and continues to work with its NWG federal partners to hold virtual information sessions on the naturalization process for their staff and agency partners. In addition, USCIS continues to engage with state and local governments on the promotion of naturalization and conducts targeted naturalization outreach with foreign embassies and consulates.

impacts on members of underserved communities. In July 2023, OPE led a Tribal consultation to better understand potential barriers that Tribal Nations and their citizens face, and discuss opportunities for DHS to deliver more equitable outcomes. In conducting these types of engagements, DHS also sought opportunities to consider the input of individuals who belong to two or more underserved communities, who often face greater barriers to equity. DHS will continue to maintain robust engagement with affected communities to inform efforts to deliver more equitable outcomes.

In examining its equity work enterprise - wide, and for purposes of this plan, DHS has identified nine key program areas to assess potential barriers facing underserved communities and develop strategies to address those barriers:

Barriers to Equity:

Actions to Achieve Equity in DHS AI Implementation: To address these barriers, DHS will:

(4) Advance equity for persons who are limited English proficient by strengthening language access programs.

Collaborating Agencies: The DOJ Civil Rights Division provides guidance to DHS in implementing Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency. DHS will also collaborate with other federal agencies to exchange best practices, leverage existing resources to serve the same or similar LEP persons or populations, and conduct joint Title VI reviews or investigations, when appropriate.

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, DHS, led by CRCL, will:

Barriers to Equity:

(8) Advance equity in the FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) program to increase participation of undeserved communities.

Actions to Achieve Equity: To address these barriers, FEMA will publish an IFR advancing equity in IA, which will:

On April 22, 2021, FEMA published an RFI on FEMA programs, regulations, and policies. FEMA sought public input on its programs, regulations, collections of information, and policies for the agency to ensure that its programs, regulations, and policies contain necessary, properly tailored, and up - to - date requirements that effectively achieve FEMA's mission in a manner that furthers the goals of advancing equity for all, including those in underserved communities; bolstering resilience from the impacts of climate change, particularly for those disproportionately impacted by climate change; and environmental justice. FEMA held public meetings and extended the comment period on the RFI to ensure all interested parties had sufficient opportunity to provide comments on FEMA's programs. All relevant comments received in response to the request for information, including those received during the public meetings, have been posted to the public rulemaking docket on the Federal eRulemaking portal. It is anticipated FEMA will conduct additional engagements regarding the RFI input received.

Environmental Justice

13 Beyond the EAP, DHS is taking action to reduce barriers through Pillar 6 of the U.S. National Plan to End Gender - Based Violence. FEMA will partner with CRCL and OPE to conduct two webinars for FEMA first responders and emergency managers on GBV, how disasters exacerbate situations, as well as providing assistance to GBV victims and survivors. This training is scheduled to be completed by May 2024.

The Equity Task Force worked across the Department to further the aims of other equity - based executive orders, including EO 13988, Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation; EO 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad; and EO 14020, Executive Order on Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council. For example, in furtherance of EO 13988, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued updated policy guidance removing the requirement that people requesting immigration benefits submit proof of their gender identity when seeking to change their gender marker, thereby allowing individuals requesting benefits to choose their self - identified gender marker, regardless of the marker displayed on supporting documentation. Pursuant to EO 14008, DHS continued implementing the Civil Rights Evaluation Tool, a data collection and technical assistance tool that helps conduct and advance civil rights compliance evaluations of federally assisted recipients, including environmental justice concerns and civil rights policies and procedures for public - facing programs and activities that have human health or environmental impacts. In furtherance of EO 14020, DHS developed an action plan in furtherance of the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality and co - chaired

In developing these key program areas, DHS considered concerns and other input raised by community stakeholders and members of the public during stakeholder engagements in addition to examining applicable quantitative data and reviewing relevant literature. As previously stated, sustained stakeholder engagement has been, and will continue to be, a cornerstone of the Department's equity work going forward.

Office of Policy and Strategy, LSB has translated the instructions of the Form I - 589 (Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal) into Arabic, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Mandarin for language access use by ICE with detained individuals. 1

communities to prevent targeted violence and terrorism, build resilience among communities, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ongoing DVE programs.

As EO 14091 makes clear, advancing equity is a multigenerational, sustained commitment and requires embedding equity at the center of the agency's mission. DHS will continue to seek ways to deliver more equitable outcomes for all who interact with the Department, including members of underserved communities, not just in the specific program areas of focus in this plan, but in all programs and activities spanning the Department's varied homeland security missions.

In April 2023, the Biden - Harris Administration announced the first - ever Environmental Justice (EJ) Scorecard to assess the federal government's progress in advancing environmental justice, providing public transparency, and increasing accountability for federal agencies. The Phase One scorecard focused on three areas: the Justice40 Initiative, Environmental and Civil Rights Protection, and Institutionalizing Environmental Justice. The DHS EJ Scorecard details DHS's performance in these areas in FY 2022.

FEMA will prioritize assistance for eligible entities that request technical assistance support for resilience or mitigation activities within, or that primarily benefit, a Justice40 community, including a Federally Recognized Tribe or Tribal entity, as identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, an Economically Disadvantaged Rural Community (as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 5133 (a) as a small, impoverished community), and / or a Community Disaster Resilience Zone (as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 5136 (a) (1)).

Part of these efforts include leveraging the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Direct Technical Assistance (BRIC DTA) initiative to integrate climate change adaptation and disaster loss reduction into broader community and economic development initiatives in selected underserved communities through partnerships. For example, for the FY 2022 BRIC DTA cycle, FEMA selected the following projects that reflect FEMA's commitment to investing in resilience in disadvantaged communities:

DHS's commitment to advancing equity for members of underserved communities extends beyond the program areas of focus and strategies set forth in the inaugural DHS and FEMA Equity Action Plans. In 2022 and 2023, DHS built on the Department's initial accomplishments in delivering more equitable outcomes across DHS's varied homeland security missions. Below are summaries of just a few of these efforts.

In 2022, after assessing DHS agency language access plans, CRCL requested that all agencies and offices interacting with the public review and update their language access plans in Fiscal Year 2023, noting that addressing language barriers advances compliance with civil rights and promotes the efficiency and integrity of homeland security operations and programs. These plans will be finalized in Fiscal Year 2024.

In May 2023, CRCL transmitted an update of the Department's Language Access Plan to DOJ, pursuant to the November 2022 Memorandum from the Attorney General, Strengthening the Federal Government's Commitment to Language Access. The DHS Language Access Plan, finalized and issued in November 2023, incorporates recommendations from DHS agencies and offices, highlights language access accomplishments, and affirms the Department's commitment to ensuring meaningful access to persons and communities who are limited English proficient and whom DHS serves and encounters.

CRCL administers the DHS Civil Rights Evaluation Tool, a data collection and technical assistance tool, which assists the approximately 3,000 DHS grant recipients in meeting and understanding their civil rights responsibilities including language access obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other civil rights requirements.

The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) offers case assistance (free of charge), and conducts stakeholder outreach to marginalized and vulnerable communities, such as nonprofit organizations advocating for victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other crimes; farmworkers; refugees; asylees; humanitarian parolees; individuals requesting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected Status, asylum, parole, and victim protection, or experiencing statelessness. The CIS Ombudsman is implementing a multilingual strategy to expand the office's reach to individuals with limited English proficiency, complete with infographics, that are available in 11 languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Russian, Arabic, Somali, and Ukrainian.

STRATEGIC GOAL 4: Address the Climate Crisis Through Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts

Equity Strategy 5: Expand opportunity and discovery through data to inform and evaluate actions that improve community outcomes.

MBDA's Capital Readiness Program. On June 9, 2023, MBDA held its inaugural Capital Formation Forum to review the status of problems and programs relating to capital formation by MBEs. Participants represented various federal agencies involved in capital formation issues and addressing solutions to access to capital issues for MBEs. The discussion focused on the status of issues and programs relating to capital formation from the government's perspective and solutions for addressing these issues. MBDA Business Centers. The MBDA has entered into memoranda of agreement with Bilateral Infrastructure Law funded agencies, including the Department of Transportation and Department of Energy, designed to maximize the inclusion and growth of MBEs in federal investments, contracts, resources, and administration priorities around high - growth industries. The three top initiatives will include a National Equity Tour, Technical Assistance / Business Advisory Services, and MBE Contract Matching. These collaborations aim to close the gap in federal contracting disparity and ensure that MBEs have an equitable opportunity to participate in and benefit from federal contract opportunities. EDA's Build to Scale. EDA works with SSTI, a national nonprofit organization focused on STEM initiatives offers information and services that are needed to succeed in today's innovation economy. SSTI will host a Community of Practice (CoP) focused on technology - based economic development, through which EDA supports members of the CoP, including B2S recipients, and receives feedback on the B2S program. Outside of SSTI, EDA engages with diverse audiences at numerous conferences, webinars, and annual convenings. Lastly, EDA solicits public input on the design and implementation of the B2S program through its Customer Experience Survey. EDA incorporates this program delivery feedback in future grant competitions. USPTO's Council for Inclusive Innovation. The USPTO has been conducting in - person and virtual outreach to inventors, attorneys, and law schools to increase awareness and participation in pro bono programs and legal services programs through, for example, its " " Pathways " " events for current and aspiring entrepreneurs. These networking events connect attendees with IP protection and commercialization information and resources. In addition, the Under Secretary has sent letters to law schools throughout the country inviting them to join the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program. The USPTO also visited 47 law school clinics during the 2022 - 23 school year, including law school visits by Deputy Under Secretary Derrick Brent and General Counsel Dave Berdan. ITA's Global Diversity Export Initiative and Rural Export Center. ITA's U.S. Commercial Service (CS) industry experts design trade missions for U.S. businesses to leverage new trade leads, partnering opportunities, and international sales. CS launched a national outreach event series called " " Building Bridges to Global Markets. " " This program brings no - cost, in - person exporting expertise to local companies through an event that features resources to grow international sales, connect with key trade resources, and access trade finance and capital, including an export finance resource panel that typically features our trade finance partners from SBA and EXIM Bank. These events introduce the full array of export assistance from local trade experts focused on connecting small and medium - sized enterprises (SMEs) from underserved communities to export opportunities. This year, ITA is planning to organize several GDEI Strategic Partner Events. This includes trade missions such as TradeWinds, Women in Tech, and the GDEI Trade Mission to South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria led by ITA Under Secretary Marisa Lago. In May 2024, the Department of Commerce is leading TradeWinds, its most significant annual trade mission, to Europe / Eurasia which will be hosted in Istanbul, Turkey, with mission stops available in Poland, Denmark, Italy, Kazakhstan, and Romania.

NTIA's Internet for All. The Department is deploying nearly $ 50 billion to invest in broadband infrastructure deployment, affordability, and digital equity and inclusion efforts. Closing the digital divide will be a major step toward dismantling structural barriers to inclusive economic growth. These investments will fuel economic development as the programs are expected to create more than 150,000 jobs. BEAD, MM, BIP, TBCP, and CMC were discussed in the 2022 Equity Action Plan Progress and Accomplishment section. All of these programs are on - going and in the implementation phases. Here are the next steps for BEAD and updates on the State Digital Equity Act (DE) programs that make up NTIA's Internet for All Initiatives: Awaiting approval of initial proposals for BEAD. States, D.C., and territories (Eligible Entities) submitted their proposals for NTIA approval at the end of 2023, after fulfilling the public disclosure and comment requirements to facilitate community engagement and input. Once approved, Eligible Entities will have access to at least

EDA's Good Jobs Challenge (GJC). This program is expected to train and place 50,000 people in good jobs. GJC meets participants where they are - which includes flexible course scheduling, hands - on training, and curriculum directly aligned to jobs available in their field of training. All 32 awardees received funding to support wraparound services and have plans for how to use services to improve outcomes for participants who would have otherwise struggled to access training and job opportunities. Grantees have allocated millions of dollars to ensure participants can access to childcare, transportation, English language learning, etc. GJC also has awardees that support the workforce needs of underserved populations and areas, communities of color, women, and other groups facing labor market barriers such as persons with disabilities, disconnected youth, individuals in recovery, individuals with past criminal records including justice - impacted and reentry participants, trainees participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and veterans. EDA's Recompete Pilot Program. With over 4,000 communities eligible for the pilot, the program will invest $ 200 million in organizations committed to creating and connecting workers in persistently distressed communities to good jobs while ensuring the economic benefits are equitably allocated. Unique amongst EDA's national competitions, Recompete is designed to be exclusively targeted towards those communities grappling with persistent economic distress, with equity at its core. The Phase 1 NOFO application deadline closed on October 2023, and EDA received 565 applications - the highest number of submissions of out any national competition to - date. Phase 1 applicants seeking Recomplete Plan approval will be assessed against six competitive factors, one of which is " " equity, inclusivity, accessibility, and diversity. " " In addition, applicants are asked to articulate their approach to community engagement, acquire quality letters of support from entities representing underserved communities, and devise a plan to ensure benefits are equitably shared. In the winter of 2023, EDA will announce Strategy Development Grant recipients and at least 20 Finalists that will be invited to apply to Phase 2. In FY 2024, the EDA will announce 4 - 8 Phase 2 implementation awards averaging $ 20 - $ 50 million each.

EDA's STEM Talent Challenge. The program aims to build STEM talent training systems to strengthen regional innovation economies. On September 19, 2023, EDA announced a total of $ 4.5 million in grants to 11 organizations that are creating and implementing STEM talent development strategies that complement their region's innovation economy. Million Women in Construction Initiative. The Department of Labor's (Labor) Employment and Earnings by Occupation data showed that the number of women working in the construction industry at only 10 percent or 1.2 million women as of 2020. Secretary Raimondo announced a public goal to double the number of women working in the construction industry over the next ten years. To achieve this goal, the Department is promoting the goal through large implementation programs, working with other agencies to do the same, and highlighting commitments from Labor and the private sector to launch complementary efforts. In July 2023, the Secretary hired a Senior Advisor for Women in Construction to oversee this initiative. Through the Internet for All program, Commerce will promote increased outreach to recruit women in broadband construction. NTIA's BEAD program requires states and territories to develop workforce plans that include strategies to ensure the job opportunities created will be available to a diverse pool of workers, including women and people of color. Through the CHIPS NOFO for commercial facilities, applicants are asked to describe how they will recruit, hire, and retain a diverse and skilled construction workforce, including efforts to include women and other economically disadvantaged individuals in the construction industry. Additionally, the CHIPS NOFO for commercial fabrication facilities requires applicants requesting over $ 150 million in direct funding to provide a plan for access to child care for facility and construction workers. This will expand access to training opportunities and enable workers to fully participate in these high - quality, good - paying jobs.

EDA's Good Jobs Challenge. Wage growth and number of enrollments, completions, and placements for participants in sector - specific, place - based business training programs; networks of training and necessary wrap - around support services partners to ensure worker success; braided and aligned federal, state, local, private, and philanthropic resources to sustain long - term programs; enhanced engagement and leadership from unions and underrepresented populations to increase job quality; and equity analysis from partners like University of Michigan and New Growth Innovation Network to extract best equity practices in serving targeted populations. EDA's Recompete Pilot Program. While Recompete metrics are currently being developed, applicants are encouraged to articulate their own vision for how they will ensure historically underserved populations and areas benefit from their proposed interventions that can achieve measurable outputs and outcomes. EDA's STEM Talent Challenge. The number of job placements of program participants, number of training or skills assistance sessions hosted, and demographic data of participants. Million Women in Construction Initiative. For recipients of the CHIPS incentive program funding, the demographically disaggregated data will be on the makeup of the construction workforce. For recipients of BEAD program funding, demographics of those served and entered into the workforce.

NTIA's Internet for All. NTIA supports increased capacity in local communities by hosting local coordination events and convening the Digital Equity Leaders Network (DELN), Tribal Broadband Leaders Network (TBLN), and State Broadband Leaders Network (SBLN). NTIA received more than 240 stakeholder submissions to support the development of NOFOs for the Digital Equity Capacity Grant and Competitive Grant Programs, which will be launched in 2024. In addition, BEAD Eligible Entities will begin their challenge processes this winter whereby a local government, nonprofit organization, or broadband service provider may challenge whether a particular location or community anchor institution is eligible for BEAD funds, including whether it's unserved or underserved. This process will help ensure that underrepresented communities are not left behind in Eligible Entities ' plans. EDA's Good Jobs Challenge. GJC awardees call on members of the public that they are serving to sign up for a job training program in their community, hire participants from these programs, and work with their own workplaces to reconceptualize who gets hired and promoted. EDA's Recompete Pilot Program. The Phase I NOFO was informed by the RFI issued February 23, 2023, and Tribal Consultation held on March 9, 2023, both of which shaped key design features of the competition. In the lead up to the Phase 1 deadline, EDA held a number of webinars and engaged with various community stakeholders. EDA's STEM Talent Challenge. EDA launched its first and only consumer experience survey to better understand and support its stakeholders. The survey was open to current, past, and prospective STEM Talent Challenge grantees and is a precursor to longer, targeted customer experience interviews to build out the quantitative and qualitative information collected in the survey. Responses were due September 2023.

More than 40 percent of the U.S. population lives in coastal counties where residents are experiencing climate change in a variety of ways including more rapidly intensifying hurricanes, more severe storms, excessive heat, deepening droughts, and more frequent flooding. In the 1980s, the average time between billion - dollar climate disasters in the U.S. was 82 days; today, it is only 18 days. A peer - reviewed EPA report shows severe harms from climate change fall disproportionately upon underserved communities who are least able to prepare for and recover from heat waves, poor air quality, flooding, and other impacts. For example, Black and African American individuals are 40 percent more likely than non - Black and non - African American individuals to currently live in areas with the highest projected increases in mortality rates due to climate - driven changes in extreme temperatures.

EDA's Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The $ 1 billion program provides transformational investments to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters across the country, all while embracing equitable economic growth, creating good - paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. global competitiveness. Coalitions were challenged to design strategies that would ensure that the economic benefits of the project would be shared by all communities in the region, including any underserved communities. BBBRC funds numerous projects that include improving access to innovation for underserved communities as part of the program design, such as wraparound services for workforce development, fellowship programs, and governance projects that include community engagement and representation in coalition management. EDA's Tech Hubs. EDA designated Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) in geographically diverse regions, including underserved communities, with a concentration of assets, resources, capacity, and the potential to become globally competitive, innovative ecosystems for technologies critical to our economic and national security. In its application review, EDA evaluated applicants ' plans to actively engage underserved and geographically diverse communities, ensuring the benefits of innovation - based economic growth are shared broadly. EDA also encouraged the participation of labor organizations or other entities representing workers as direct members of the consortium applications. EDA accepted Tech Hubs Phase 1 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) applications through its August 15, 2023 deadline; Phase 1 Tech Hubs Designees and Strategy Development Grant recipients and the Phase 2 NOFO were announced in October 2023. Designated Tech Hubs are invited to apply for Phase 2 implementation awards, through which they will address how their proposed strategies, approaches, key metrics, and projects would increase equitable economic growth and ensure that underserved communities are represented in and benefit from the Hub.

NOAA's Climate Resilience Regional Challenge (CRRC). The CRRC is a new, two - part track, competitive grant program that will support collaborative approaches to resilience in coastal regions, emphasizing risk reduction, regional collaboration, equity and inclusion, and building enduring capacity to withstand future natural disasters. NOAA's Climate - Ready Workforce (CRW). This CRW is designed to meet the emerging and existing needs of employers while helping workers obtain the necessary skills to enter good jobs so that workers and employers can work together to enhance climate resilience. CRW will allow qualified organizations to form regional partnerships to develop training programs that build in - demand skills, offer wraparound services that allow workers to successfully enroll in and complete training, and enter or advance into good jobs that enhance climate resilience. NOAA encourages applicants to conduct recruitment outreach to workers with barriers to the labor market, including historically underserved and under - resourced communities and individuals. The CRW competition is currently underway; metrics will be finalized after full applications are received in February 2024 and before awards are announced in Summer 2024.

NOAA's Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. There will be an array of metrics expected to be collected and reported out by track one awardees, including, the number of underserved communities engaged through funded regional coalitions and the number of individuals who represent underserved communities engaged (e.g., through capacity building, workforce development, or other opportunities) and any compensation (financial or other form) provided to support engagement. Similarly, track two CRRC awardees will be expected to collect and report data on the number of risk reduction actions implemented to address known vulnerabilities and report specific data on actions implemented in underserved communities. Because awards will not be made until late FY 2024, it is unlikely that we will be able to report engagement until FY 2025. NOAA's Climate - Ready Workforce. The awardees will be expected to collect and report data demonstrating the successful placement of individuals in good jobs that enhance climate resilience. Awards will not be made until late FY 2024, meaning, NOAA will be able to report engagement until FY 2025.

NOAA's Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. To be announced in Spring 2024. NOAA's Climate - Ready Workforce. To be announced in Spring 2024.

Business Owner Demographic Characteristics. To help improve the quality and usefulness of measuring business owners ' demographic characteristics, the Census Bureau is producing hybrid data products that utilize survey response data and administrative records to develop total business ownership by demographics - including but not limited to data on employment, revenue, and exporting data for women, minority, veteran, LGBTQIA +, and disabled - owned businesses. For instance and mentioned in the Additional Efforts to Advance Equity section, Census received a FY 2023 appropriation of $ 10 million to research, adding questions on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in the American Community Survey. Geographic Inequality. The Office of the Undersecretary of Economic Affairs (OUSEA) launched a new data initiative, Regional Economic Regional Initiative (Regional Initiative), to improve our nation's understanding of local regional economies and their ability to compete. It will equip public and private sector decision - makers at every level - local, state, Tribal, and federal - with research and data tools to address entrenched and growing geographic inequality and better meet the economic needs of those they serve. The Regional Initiative will also help identify the strengths and weaknesses of regional economies, uncover new opportunities for growth, provide insights into local economic needs, and maximize the impact of regional investments. Women in the Labor Force. OUSEA launched a new dashboard that provides monthly updates of data on women in the labor force alongside the Bureau of Labor Statistics ' monthly release on the employment situation. Over the next year, the OUSEA will update the monthly reporting on women in particular industries - especially those undergoing rapid changes due to legislative or environmental factors. 5.3 Further equitable access to data for Puerto Rico. The Census Bureau seeks to empower decision - makers, businesses, researchers, and the public with timely, accurate, reliable, and meaningful data for Puerto Rico. The Census Bureau is furthering equitable access to data in several ways: Establish a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) in Puerto Rico. The FSRDC will provide the opportunity to understand better the economic, health, and social conditions affecting the Commonwealth, which would enhance the ability of federal and local officials to make decisions. Additionally, providing the Puerto Rican research community equitable access to the wealth of federal restricted - use data available through the FSRDC network will help develop statistical capacity and collaboration building on the island; Leverage data for disaster recovery. The Community Resilience Estimates (CRE) for Puerto Rico will show the social vulnerability in Puerto Rico in the event of a disaster. Using restricted microdata from the 2019 Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS) and small area modeling, the CRE creates population estimates based on ten individual / household level risk factors, including: poverty status, number of caregivers in the households, unit - level crowding, educational attainment, employment, disability status, health insurance coverage, age (65 +), vehicle access, and broadband internet access; Establish an annual Puerto Rico Economic Survey. Contingent on funding, supporting through the Puerto Rico Economic Program the establishment of an annual Puerto Rico Economic Survey and a monthly / quarterly economic indicator collection for Puerto Rico; and

Establish and serve as co - chair of the Puerto Rico Geospatial Data Group. A forum for sharing information about all geospatial data activities and resources related to Puerto Rico between stakeholders from geospatial agencies within the federal government, the Government of Puerto Rico, and non - government organizations and industry. 5.4 Promote accountability and accessibility through data transparency and partnerships. Track and evaluate the equitable distribution of above - baseline program federal funding. Through the Census Bureau's Center of Excellence (COE), the Department will leverage data sources to supplement administrative data collected by program administering agencies. This will provide standard services to the Department's agencies to support departmental evaluation of the implementation, outcomes, and impacts of above - base programs and their distribution to underserved communities through the ARP, BIL, IRA, and CHIPS.

Continue Census 2030 preparations with special attention to historically undercounted populations. The viability of new decennial procedures that support the 2030 Census Operational Plan will be researched and tested, including assessments during the 2026 and 2028 Census Tests. Metrics providing evidence of the utility and accuracy of decennial programs include household and person - level administrative record coverage, resilient data collection and case management IT infrastructure, and dynamic contact strategies that reach each community. Improve data capture of underserved communities. The creation of the official Census data product measurements will include business ownership, employment, and revenue by demographic characteristics of the business owner for all employer and nonemployer businesses.

Further equitable access to data for Puerto Rico. The output will be the creation of a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) in a Census Bureau facility that will transition to the University of Puerto Rico; other outputs metrics include a number of research projects conducted in the FRSDC. For the CRE for Puerto Rico, it is a measure of social vulnerability to disasters at the state / commonwealth, municipalities and census tract geographic levels, as well as producing more precise and timely measures of the communities most and least vulnerable to disasters. The Puerto Rico Geospatial Group will establish a Charter within FY 2023 and meet and share information on at least six geospatial topics or programs each fiscal year. Address the potential discriminatory effects of certain AI technology. Applying the NIST Al Risk Management Framework to generative Al to identify the risks and impacts, including but limited to tracking the increased participation of the public, especially underserved communities, in Al design, development, and deployment, outputs from TRAILS can be examined, including number of students participating in TRAILS programs (e.g., hackathons, internships), number of and attendance at webinars and information sessions, and volume of research outputs (e.g., papers, talks).

Promote accountability and accessibility through data transparency and partnerships. Track and evaluate the equitable distribution of above - baseline program federal funding. Increased number of programs and bureaus that understand how their funding is impacting underserved communities and their awareness of how to incorporate various indicators of distress into their funding decision - making. Address the potential discriminatory effects of certain AI technology. Adoption by organizations of the NIST Al Risk Management Framework; increased participation of policymakers, sociotechnical experts, and members of marginalized communities in research, design, development, and governance of Al systems; understanding how to build Al systems that are trusted by the people who use and are affected by them.

The Census Bureau. For the upcoming decennial, the Census began with the 2030 Census Research Federal Register Notice and associated outreach activities. The notice sought public input to develop and implement strategies to improve participation in the 2030 Census. In particular, the notice asked for feedback on reaching and motivating everyone, technology, new data sources, how the Census contacts respondents, and respondent support services. For overall public engagement efforts across all programming, the Census Bureau will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the decade, including those in underserved communities, to nurture relationships of trust and to gain a better understanding of the data collection operations; the impact of an accurate count on communities; and the Census Bureau commitment to scientific integrity, transparency, objectivity, reliability, and confidentiality of the data collected. For instance, the Census will conduct outreach and discovery with key stakeholders to investigate existing data sources and collaborate on data products most critical for measuring Puerto Rico's economy. Geographic Inequality. The Office of the Under Secretary of Economic Affairs conducts regular public awareness of the Regional Initiative by promoting the initiatives through public email updates, speeches, and event participation, publishing a regular blog on Regional Initiative topics, and engaging monthly with different stakeholder groups. Al. Through TRAILS, NIST and NSF will engage with academia and other partners in research, student engagement and training, and outreach. For the National Al Advisory Council, the meetings are posted on the federal register for anyone to attend, and public experts from advocacy groups are invited to speak.

NIST's CHIPS. CPO metrics are under development, but award recipients will be expected to provide routine reporting on a broad range of data. CPO is currently working to document the specific metrics that will be reported. EDA's Build Back Better Regional Challenge. Outcome metrics may include: the number of workers, including workers from underserved communities, placed in new jobs; the number of minority - and women - owned business enterprises reporting adoption of new technologies or access to new markets and share of the overall total; the amount of private investment secured by minority - and women - owned business enterprises and share of the overall total; and the number of new businesses created by entrepreneurs from underserved communities and share of the overall total. At the component grant level, grantees have also articulated more tailored metrics that include goals for equitable outcomes directly tied to their programmatic activities. EDA's Tech Hubs. These metrics are under development and expected to be released in Summer 2024.

NIST's CHIPS. In the incentives program for large suppliers and semiconductor manufacturers, the CPO will evaluate applicants ' plans to provide equitable workforce pathways for economically disadvantaged individuals. Applicants will also be evaluated on their engagement with minority - owned, women - owned, and veteran - owned businesses and their investment strategy to support their communities. EDA's Build Back Better Regional Challenge. Each coalition articulated a community engagement strategy that EDA will support. In many cases, regional governance structures are being set up that explicitly include investments in things such as community representation, DEIA councils, and funding for public education and engagement around the coalition's industry cluster. EDA's Tech Hubs. EDA solicited public input on its design and implementation of the Tech Hubs Program via a Request for Information in mid - February 2023. EDA analyzed and synthesized responses to incorporate feedback into the Phase 1 NOFO and will continue to do so throughout the program's duration.

The most persistent barrier to the establishment, expansion, and growth of minority business enterprises (MBEs) continues to be access to capital. The U.S. Federal Reserve found that more than half of Black - owned businesses were turned down for private bank loans, a rate twice as high as white business owners. A Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies study found that 6 in 10 Black business owners faced challenges obtaining capital. Over a third of Latino business owners faced the same. Business owners of color were more likely to struggle to access startup funding, growth funding, and capital with affordable interest rates. In 2022, in the U.S., only 1.9 percent of venture capital dollars went to all - women teams; less than. 5 percent went to Black and Brown women; only 12 percent of venture capital decision - makers are women. Innovation fueled economic growth in America for the past century, but since the 1970s, innovation (as measured by fundamental productivity growth) appears to have slowed from an annual increase of 1.9 percent to 0.7 percent. Research shows that innovation in the U.S. could quadruple if women, minorities, and children from low - income families became inventors at the same rate as men from high - income families. According to the USPTO, that increase in inventorship would grow our economy and GDP by an estimated $ 1 trillion. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, fewer than 1 percent of minority - owned businesses export goods or services. For these enterprises, insufficient financial resources often hinder their ability to invest in overseas market exploration, navigate regulatory complexities, and establish international networks.

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Strategic Goal 4: Address the Climate Crisis with Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts

Environmental Justice Scorecard (pursuant to section 223 of EO 14008)

Barriers to Equity: Minority - owned and rural - based businesses face disparities in access to capital, federal contracts, export opportunities, technical support or advice, and networking.

Implement MBDA's Capital Readiness Program (CRP). With 43 awardees, MBDA recently launched a new network of incubators, accelerators, and organizations with expertise to assist and train underserved entrepreneurs to improve access to diverse forms of capital, resources, and technical assistance to start or scale their businesses in high - growth industries such as healthcare, climate resilient technology, asset management, infrastructure, and more.

Barriers to Equity: Lack of wraparound services, such as affordable, high - quality internet service, childcare, and education, prevent many people from accessing job training programs, thereby missing out on opportunities for employment in high - growth industries. Specifically, the lack of access to internet service is a significant barrier for underserved communities, hampering full participation in modern life, such as starting a business, offering services or goods via e - commerce, taking online courses and training, finding a doctor, and much more.

Environmental Justice Scorecard (pursuant to section 223 of EO 14008)

20 percent of their BEAD grant funds and can begin implementation of eligible activities. An Eligible Entity may initiate its competitive subgrantee selection process upon approval of its initial proposal and will have up to one year to conduct additional local coordination, complete the selection process, and submit a final proposal to NTIA. The BEAD program required stakeholder outreach with a focus on ensuring robust local engagement and outreach to underserved communities. Eligible Entities must identify these communities and determine specific outreach and engagement strategies tailored to their needs, including providing outreach in the languages used in the communities these eligible activities serve.

Equity Strategy 4: Use targeted investments and program design to address the climate crisis through mitigation, adaptation, and resilience efforts to ensure environmental and economic resilience.

Whole - of - Government Equity Objective (s): Economic Justice and Environmental Justice

Barriers to Equity: Underserved communities face significant barriers in building resilience or rebuilding their communities post - disaster due to barriers of limited resources, capacity, technical capabilities, or access to technical assistance. Investing in climate resiliency also means helping workers find high - quality jobs related to climate resilience.

4.1 Benchmark and execute our Justice40 commitments. Through NOAA, EDA, and NIST, the Department has laid the foundation for programming and policies to be a part of the Justice40 Initiative, which will reach a larger and more diverse audience. Alongside this Initiative, the Department strives to address the key barriers to economic success and provide greater visibility and transparency in our effort to support communities that are underserved and overburdened by pollution and other impacts of climate change. For example, NOAA's $ 45 million Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities funding opportunity provides funding exclusively to Indian Tribes and underserved community organizations, including $ 20 million that is set aside for Tribes. The purpose of this program is to support opportunities for tribes, tribal entities, and underserved communities to meaningfully engage in coastal habitat restoration activities.

4.2 Invest Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds towards climate - related economic development in vulnerable communities. In June 2023 and through IRA, NOAA announced the $ 2.6 billion framework to protect coastal communities and restore marine resources to help vulnerable communities prepare, adapt, and build resilience to weather and climate events. NOAA continues to address the needs of underserved communities through its grantmaking; in addition to the funding previously awarded through BIL, NOAA is leveraging IRA funding to invest up to $ 45 million to advance coastal habitat restoration in underserved and tribal communities as well capacity building support for coastal resilience strategy development. Equity is a priority across NOAA's BIL and IRA implementation. Two key NOAA IRA programs to highlight are:

NOAA hosted four virtual tribal sessions and two written comment periods and produced two Tribal Input Executive Summary and Response reports to inform the implementation of its BIL and IRA funding programs. NOAA has also worked to ensure that tribes are aware of different funding opportunities. For example, on June 21, 2023, NOAA held a live Q & A session on NOAA's BIL funding opportunity for Tribal Engagement in Regional Ocean Partnerships; and, on July 25, 2023, NOAA hosted a tribal webinar to inform tribes and provide an overview of major IRA funding opportunities through NOAA's Climate Ready Coasts and Communities initiative.

Barriers to Equity: The lack of data access, timeliness, and transparency contributes to limited public trust - including for underserved communities. Advances in artificial intelligence widen the trust gap by potentially worsening existing biases and inequities and increasing concerns over the misuse of data, confidentiality, and privacy.

Strategic Goal 4: Address the Climate Crisis Through Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts

Equity Strategy 4: Use targeted investments and program design to address the climate crisis through mitigation, adaptation, and resilience efforts to ensure environmental and economic resilience

Equity Strategy 5: Expand opportunity and discovery through data capture to inform and evaluate actions that improve community outcomes

I take tremendous pride in the work being led by our first - ever Counselor for Equity to quantify, amplify, and increase equitable outcomes across the Department. The Counselor for Equity is joined by dedicated professionals who understand that equity is critical to achieving our goals. This includes our first Under Secretary and Deputy Under Secretary of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), our CHIPS Program Office Senior Advisor for Opportunity and Inclusion, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Director of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives, and the Senior Advisor for Women in Construction, among other inspiring leaders. These leaders will work closely with the Department's Equity Council to continue to drive external - facing efforts to empower underserved communities in our economy.

T he Department's FY 2022 - 2026 Strategic Plan identifies key strategic goals to advance the Department's mission and support the overarching objective to improve America's economic competitiveness. These strategic goals serve as the organizing principles for the Equity Action Plan. The equity strategies associated with each strategic goal will assist in designing programs that will address barriers to equity and meet the needs of all Americans, including underserved communities. These strategic goals and aligned equity strategies are:

The Barrier: For too long, economic growth and higher - paying jobs have clustered in a few cities. This has led to growing geographic income inequality in which wealth isn't spreading to the smallest metro areas and rural towns.

The Barrier: Minority - owned and rural - based businesses face disparities in access to capital, federal contracts, export opportunities, technical support or advice, and networking.

The Barrier: Lack of wraparound services, such as affordable, high - quality internet service, childcare, and education, prevent many people from accessing job training programs, thereby missing out on opportunities for employment in high - growth industries. Specifically, the lack of access to internet service is a significant barrier for underserved communities, hampering full participation in modern life, such as starting a business, offering services or goods via e - commerce, taking online courses and training, finding a doctor, and much more.

The Barrier: Underserved communities face significant barriers in building resilience or rebuilding their communities post - disaster due to barriers of limited resources, capacity, technical capabilities, or access to technical assistance. Investing in climate resiliency also means helping workers find high - quality jobs related to climate resilience.

Equity Strategy 4: Use targeted investments and program design to address the climate crisis through mitigation, adaptation, and resilience efforts to ensure environmental and economic resilience.

The Barrier: The lack of data access, timeliness, and transparency contributes to limited public trust - including for underserved communities. Advances in artificial intelligence widen the trust gap by potentially worsening existing biases and inequities and increasing concerns over the misuse of data, confidentiality, and privacy.

Equity Strategy 5: Expand opportunity and discovery through data capture to inform and evaluate actions that improve community outcomes.

The Department understands that developing equitable programs will be meaningless without inclusive outreach and engagement with the communities we serve and want to build trust with. For instance, following tribal consultations in 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) updated its Tribal Consultation Policy, Consultation Handbook, and Indigenous Knowledge Guidance. These updated policies and guidance will strive to provide meaningful and timely input from federally recognized Indian tribes into NOAA's decision - making process on policy matters that have tribal implications.

Our Office of Faith - Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (OBFNP) is central to our ongoing community outreach and external engagement efforts. OBFNP aims to foster stakeholder engagement and develop partnerships between businesses, communities, and faith - based organizations focused on job creation and economic growth. Since May 2022, OFBNP has cultivated a growing database of roughly 2,000 stakeholders, leading to several state - based and stakeholder roundtables and summits with 250 national faith, business, and community - based organization leaders, with the White House and federal agency partners. The Department is also proud to announce that, in Fall 2023, OFBNP hosted the first - ever government - wide Youth Summit to motivate and empower the next generation. Workshops focused on entrepreneurship, data, innovation, leadership, and invention. Attendees could meet and engage with senior leaders across the Department of Commerce and the Federal Government.

These are just a few examples of how engagement activities helped shape the Department's Equity Action Plan to outline policy priorities and outreach efforts that needed to be done to ensure inclusive and high - quality programs were designed and launched. As the Department continues its outreach and engagement efforts, it will pool the resources and expertise of all 13 Department bureaus to foster a collaborative environment and involve underserved communities in developing the equitable outcomes we seek to achieve.

NOAA has co - produced seven regional pilot projects with communities across the country to address local environmental challenges, including flooding, heat, coastal inundation, and other climate change issues. Each regional pilot responds directly to feedback received from partners during Climate and Equity roundtable discussions. Pilots will take a unique, place - based approach to helping vulnerable communities better understand, prepare for, and respond to climate change. All pilot programs will wrap up by the end of 2025.

The Department of Commerce is committed to working towards President Biden's Justice40 Initiative to target 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to reach disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment. The Department's FY 2022 Phase One Scorecard highlights include nearly $ 535 million in funding for technical assistance and capacity building through NOAA's Urban Heat Island Mapping, Community Climate Studies Program, and the Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program. In centering environmental justice in the Department's decision - making, NOAA conducted two technical assistance outreach events, five tribal Consultations, and addressed 50 related requests for information and listening sessions.

To better capture and include underserved communities in data collection, the Census received a FY 2023 appropriation of $ 10 million to research, adding questions on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in the American Community Survey. Similarly, Census is piloting a project with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to develop formally private (confidentiality safeguarded) measures of race and ethnicity at the person level, allowing Census to share protected data with the IRS. Sharing such protected microdata allows other federal agencies to study variations by race and ethnicity in enrollment, access, and usage patterns of benefits and services of federal programs without necessitating access to confidential data.

To better support rural and tribal communities, MBDA provided $ 5.7 million in 31 supplemental awards to the Business Center Network for technical assistance to minority business enterprises more than 50 miles from a Business Center in a rural area. NTIA is implementing the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP), a $ 3 billion program to support governments in bringing high - speed internet service to Tribal lands, including telehealth, distance learning, affordability, and digital inclusion initiatives. Under the first funding phase, $ 1.78 billion was awarded to 191 tribal entities since the program began in 2021. The second funding phase, for approximately $ 980 million, was issued on July 27, 2023. As part of EDA's American Rescue Plan funding, the Indigenous Communities program invested $ 100 million to support the needs of tribal governments and Indigenous communities. This program made 51 awards in 25 states and the Northern Mariana Islands. Grantees estimate that these projects will create or save 2,435 jobs and attract $ 28.7 million in private investment. In April 2023, NOAA's Office of Habitat Conservation (OHC) recommended $ 56.4 million, funded by BIL and IRA, in awards for 25 tribal projects to support tribal - led restoration, resilience, and fish passage projects and an additional 22 subawards totaling nearly $ 13 million in funding was awarded to projects that align with tribal priorities, work with tribal members, or restore habitat on tribal - owned lands. For all unsuccessful tribal applicants, OHC staff also offered the opportunity to meet to help those applicants improve their proposals for future competitions.

The Inflation Reduction Act provided NOAA with $ 3.3 billion to build on its commitment to help Americans - including tribes and other underserved communities - prepare, adapt, and build resilience to weather and climate events; improve supercomputing capacity and research; strengthen NOAA's hurricane hunter aircraft and fleet; and upgrade NOAA facilities.

STRATEGIC GOAL 4 Address the Climate Crisis Through Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts

EQUITY STRATEGY 4: Use targeted investments and program design to address the climate crisis through mitigation, adaptation, and resilience efforts to ensure environmental and economic resilience.

EQUITY STRATEGY 5: Expand opportunity and discovery through data capture to inform and evaluate actions that improve community outcomes.

Barriers to Equity: For too long, economic growth and higher - paying jobs have clustered in a few cities. This has led to growing geographic income inequality in which wealth isn't spreading to the smallest metro areas and rural towns.

Conducted an Opportunities Workshop and Intern Seminar for over 400 participants to expand awareness of DoD opportunities, provide a platform for collaboration, and encourage greater participation in the Department's initiatives to support national security functions and the defense mission. Hosted three successful Taking the Pentagon to the People educational outreach events during FY 2023 at: University of California at Riverside, a joint event at Tuskegee and Alabama State Universities, and Arizona State University. Announced the establishment of four new research centers of excellence at MIs of higher education, as part of its Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority - serving Institutions Research and Education Program. The awards total $ 40M and will enhance research programs and capabilities in critical scientific and engineering disciplines, while expanding HBCUs ' and MIs ' capacity to participate in DoD research programs and activities. These awards will also increase the number of graduates in STEM fields, including those from under - represented minorities, which is critically important to the Department's mission.

DoDEA students transition between DoDEA and non - DoDEA schools and school systems multiple times throughout their pre - k through 12th grade school careers, which leads to challenges in consistent and equitable access to educational opportunities such as, but not limited to, curricular resources, earning credit for graduation, and course options. Spousal unemployment and underemployment can be barriers to both economic and food security for military families, which, in turn, can impact readiness, resilience, and retention. Demands of military life, such as frequent moves, long periods of separation, and executing the military mission, can pose unique stressors and health equity barriers for Service members and their families. Ensuring access to resources that support well - being is critical to their readiness and resilience.

Ensure consistent and equitable access for DoDEA students through increasing opportunities to advanced placement course options, advanced academic programs and services, DoDEA Virtual School course enrollment, and ongoing professional learning for all DoDEA educators to understand the dynamic needs of military - connected students during times of transition. Expand employer partnerships through the MSEP program to provide more job opportunities for military spouses on the MSEP portal. Continue to complete actions from the DoD Food Security Strategy and Roadmap and implement other actions to address food security challenges. Provide military spouses with paid fellowship opportunities through the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot (MSCAP) to enhance their experience and marketable skills. Explore approaches to educate health care providers on using an evidence - based screening tool (" " the Hunger Vital Sign " ") to evaluate household risk of food insecurity, offer providers key resources for those patients / households who screen as being at risk, and communicate the importance of food insecurity as a social determinant of health. Explore changes to MHS GENESIS to address gaps in food insecurity screening, specifically to ensure screening of all children ages 0 - 17 years and to integrate early pregnancy screening. Consider mechanisms / processes for how health care providers can connect military beneficiaries ' households / patients experiencing food insecurity to needed resources. Add additional resources relevant to food insecurity on the TRICARE website (e.g., federal food assistance programs); ensure information and resources are easily available for providers and beneficiaries. Once finalized and approved, include food insecurity resources into the Virtual Education Center, which is currently being tested to augment provider - patient communication in the electronic record.

MSCAP: Output - Place 100 military spouses in fellowships in FY 2024; Outcome - spouses introduced to employer hosts through paid fellowships with potential for full - time employment. Food Security Strategy & Roadmap: Output - Complete at least five of the remaining outstanding actions (FY 2024 Goal: initiate and complete qualitative RAND food security study of junior Service members / families at select installations). Assess the pre - enrollment criteria of all students, including historically underserved populations participating in challenging coursework, which includes, but not limited to, advanced placement courses, advanced academics programs and services, accelerated courses. Assess the enrollment process for all students to access challenging coursework via digital learning opportunities, which includes, but not limited to, advanced placement courses, advanced academics programs and services, accelerated courses. Assess student participation and performance across all student groups in challenging coursework, which includes, but not limited to, advanced placement courses, advanced academics programs and services, and accelerated courses.

Better understanding of the root causes and challenges of food insecurity within the military community to better refine solutions through policies and programs. Increase student participation and performance in challenging coursework across all student groups. The MHS is collecting food insecurity screening data from the electronic health record in response to the new Joint Commission standards and Safety Goal related to reducing healthcare disparities; this will support military medical treatment facility efforts to address social determinants of health, such as food insecurity, which affect patient health and well - being. The Defense Health Agency is exploring how best to leverage medical records data to collect, analyze and report health equity data, including data on social determinants of health.

E.O. 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government; E.O. 13988, Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation; E.O. 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad; and E.O. 14020, Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council.

Economic Justice: Ensure strong and fair economic conditions for communities impacted by Defense Installations. Environmental Justice: Secure environmental justice and spur economic opportunity by addressing disproportionate and adverse health and environmental impacts, including from climate change and cumulative impacts, on marginalized and overburdened communities.

DoD operational and training activities during the World War II and Cold War eras resulted in adverse environmental, health, and economic impacts to communities, including American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Historically, DoD built temporary bases and bombing ranges on and near Indian lands, Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act - conveyed properties, ancestral lands, and reserved treaty rights areas. Legacy impacts from operations at these former bases and ranges may include hazardous materials, debris, underground fuel storage tanks, lead - based paint, asbestos, munitions / explosives residue, and abandoned or unsafe sites. These impacts create a barrier to Indigenous populations by potentially hindering land development for housing, economic opportunities (e.g., harvesting timber), or protecting the land for subsistence food gathering or cultural practices. Current training and operational activities, although now conducted in a manner to reduce adverse impacts, still can be barriers to equity. More recently, DoD's efforts to expand its footprint on Guam may result in additional stress on the infrastructure of the island and the local population. Much of this stress will impact underserved communities. Finally, the construction of a new installation in Guam coupled with the surge in military construction projects at legacy installations has increased the quantity of unearthed artifacts. The only certified repository on Guam is very small and is operated by the NPS to curate the NPS's War in the Pacific collection.

While choosing among waste disposal options, pay particular attention to the additional oversight and controls provided at disposal and destruction facilities with environmental permits to ensure the least exposure to communities. Evaluate which communities may be experiencing negative environmental, health, or economic effects due to proximity to DoD testing sites, bases, or munitions sites, and invest in mitigating those effects and advancing equitable outcomes for those communities. In FY 2024, DoD anticipates investing over $ 1.4B in the DERP and $ 20M in NALEMP that address legacy impacts from past DoD actions. Subject to existing legal authority, consider planning and adjustment assistance for communities where DoD has formally announced action that potentially impacts a local community. The DoD will evaluate opportunities to assist communities with defense diversification assistance where communities close to installations meet specific thresholds regarding their defense dependence. Seek opportunities for significant new investments in underserved communities around military bases and installations.

Actively seek public engagement in the cleanup process and enhance public outreach and engagement (e.g., Restoration Advisory Boards) to ensure that the voices and lived experiences of communities with environmental justice concerns inform DoD's work. The Restoration Advisory Boards provide an opportunity for the local community adjacent to the installation to discuss issues related to the cleanup with installation representatives. The installation representatives communicate how the Department's contracted cleanup is proceeding based on the Record of Decision and enables direct feedback from the public regarding potential new issues or previously unidentified impacts. Track NALEMP ad hoc tribal engagements. Conduct Association of Defense Communities meetings and other public engagement. Provide grant financial assistance to the Government of Guam's Community Defense Liaison Office to ensure Guam can speak with one voice as it engages DoD across a

Economic Justice: Ensure strong and fair economic conditions for communities impacted by Defense Installations. Environmental Justice: Secure environmental justice and spur economic opportunity by addressing disproportionate and adverse health and environmental impacts, including from climate change and cumulative impacts, on marginalized and overburdened communities.

E.O.s 12898, 14008, and 14096 have identified that communities that have been historically disadvantaged often suffer disproportionate environmental impacts, such as infrastructure decline, deteriorating housing, exposure to lead, and industrial pollution. This includes many DoD military and civilian personnel and their families living on and off base. Many communities located near military bases have historically been underrepresented in public engagement on agency decision - making. Many of these communities still lack the resources to track proposed actions and engage in the Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation processes.

The Department continues to identify and clean up past military sites that supported cold war security efforts (called Formerly Used Defense Sites) that affected remote communities. DoD used the Climate and Economic Screening Tool to determine that nearly 40 percent of major military installations are adjacent to communities that meet selected criteria for Environmental Justice considerations.

1. Advance equity for military families with a focus on healthcare, education, and economic challenges and opportunities; 2. Advance economic equity and rectify past harms for communities around military installations and bases; 3. Integrate environmental / economic justice tools into DoD planning tools for decision - making, where applicable; 4. Advance gender diversity, equity, and inclusion by removing barriers to the recruitment, development, retention, and advancement of women in DoD; and 5. Advance women's participation in democracy, representation, and decision - making in peace and security processes.

Incorporate Environmental Justice Screening and the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tools into the Defense Climate Assessment tool by May 2024. Train DoD Climate Assessment Tool users, a community of DoD installation planners and decision - makers, on environmental justice principles and how to include these principles and corresponding data into DoD planning processes by August 2024.

DoD January 2023 Environmental Scorecard. Fully incorporate Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool data into the DoD Climate Assessment Tool.

Train and equip DoD planners and decision - makers on how to access, view, and analyze environmental justice data in Department tools. Continue to ensure that DoD identifies potential impacts on and mitigation for communities that have been historically disadvantaged through the National Environmental Policy Act analysis and via Restoration Advisory Boards.

1. DoD continues to participate in the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, which is a public Federal Advisory Committee established by the White House in 2021. DoD provided a dedicated panel discussion on challenges in cleanup of legacy pollution in 2022 and anticipates supporting the committee with continued engagement. DoD provides response to public comments on Environmental Justice issues raised at the advisory committee. 2. DoD is looking for opportunities to support CEQ public engagement requests with Assistant Secretary of Defense - level engagements.

Efforts to ensure the sex - specific needs of female Service members have frequently been isolated, with limited accountability for lasting change, causing a barrier to gender equity. The lack of strategic infrastructure to advance sound scientific evidence on women's health is a barrier to advancing gender equity. Timely access to lawfully available reproductive health care is a readiness, retention, and recruitment issue, particularly for female Service members.

In 2019, the Defense Health Board was charged with exploring DoD policies, practices, structure, and capabilities that promote or inhibit women's health and access to services focused on musculoskeletal injury prevention, reproductive health, and psychological and mental health. Their final report, " " Active Duty Women's Health Care Services, " " found that active duty Women continue to experience health care and operational challenges that reviews and reports over the past 25 years have identified, evaluated, and made recommendations for improvement. The DoD Women's Reproductive Health Survey (WRHS) surveyed active - duty female Service members about their needs, preferences, and experiences accessing reproductive health through the MHS. The findings provided recommendations for improvement to support and ensure female Service members have access to the reproductive health care they need throughout their military careers. The 2019 DACOWITS focus groups collected qualitative and quantitative data during visits in April and May 2019 to eight military installations representing all four DoD Service branches (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force). During these focus groups, the Committee addressed three topics: 1. Conscious and unconscious gender bias; 2. Pregnancy and parenthood; and 3. Physical fitness assessments. (Gaddes, R., Jacobson, Z., Montgomery S., Moore, C., Stangle, J., & Williams, A. (2019). Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) 2019 focus group report.)

Global insecurity affects the national security of the United States, as regions of conflict often provide havens for terrorists and other illicit actors; become proxies for strategic competition; and lead to population displacement, migration, and further regional instability. Women, girls, and other underserved communities are disproportionally impacted by conflict and instability, which often exacerbate gender - based violence. Evidence suggests that when women meaningfully participated in security sector roles, security forces often have better information about the needs of the local community, including women and girls ' unique needs, and citizens view security forces as more credible and trustworthy. Despite the critical role women can play in their defense institutions, women's recruitment, career progressions, and involvement in security sector decision making still lags behind globally due to gender - based barriers https: / / us - east - 1 - 02900067 - inspect.menlosecurity.com / safeview - fileserv / tc download / 7267d6ebc83f7eef415b6f13509bd4b3f2e259555850b7d4eb9de12 8d57f193f /? & cid = N5F6B3DF25713 & rid = 8d39caf583e2db1a68d4d5de0ac72148 & file: rl = https: / / www.dcaf.ch / sites / default / files / imce / Women's % 2520Guide % 2520Curriculum / I clusiveSecurity Curriculum Series SSR MOD8. pdf & type = originalinstances of unsupportive leadership, discouraging culture and norms, and lack of adequate infrastructure and equipment. Defense institutions struggle integrating a gender perspective into military operations to better plan for and accommodate the disproportionate impact of conflict on women, girls, and other underserved communities.

their meaningful participation in peace negotiations makes it more likely that warring parties will reach sustainable agreements and enhance the effectiveness of peacekeeping efforts. E.O. 13595 emphasizes the importance of promoting women's participation in conflict prevention, management, and resolution, as well as in post - conflict relief and recovery; in advancing peace, national security, economic and social development; and in international cooperation. The Department's implementation of the WPS Act is a key component of how the Department works with partner nation security forces on addressing both the barriers for women's participation in the security sector and the long - and short - term security needs of women and girls when impacted by conflict or crisis. These efforts strengthen partner nations ' ability to apply a critical gender analysis to operations and activities of their own national security forces.

1. Elevate and standardize the Gender Advisor workforce to further the consideration and application of gender analysis to the Department's plans, operations, activities, and investments. a. Codify roles and responsibilities for the gender advisor workforce in DoD policy guidance (e.g., DoDI). b. Establish and maintain skill expertise identifiers for Service members and DoD civilians. C. Ensure DoD organizations maintain a gender advisory workforce, including Gender Advisors, Gender Focal Points, and WPS Program Managers, implement DoD WPS policy guidance. 2. Expand the understanding, consideration, and application of gender and socio - cultural considerations and their impacts across the Department's plans, operations, activities, and investments in support of national security decision making. a. Incorporate definitions and define gender analysis in DoD policy guidance. b. Train the gender advisory workforce and DoD personnel on steps for conducting gender analyses, as appropriate. C. Conduct gender analysis to inform security cooperation, Theater Campaign Plans, training for U.S personnel, military exercises, and DoD support to the development of Integrated Country Strategies. 3. Work with partner nations to advance gender equity and equality within national security decision - making, engagement, and cooperation with allies and partners globally. a. Update DoD security cooperation guidance and design templates to reflect gender analysis information and to encourage the design and implementation of security cooperation programs relevant to WPS.

b. Conduct a pilot program within one country in each geographic Combatant Command's area of responsibility to assess the barriers and opportunities with respect to strengthening recruitment, employment, development, retention, and promotion of women in the military forces of partner nations. C. Seek to provide opportunities for women in national security forces of foreign partners to participate in security cooperation and assistance programs, resources, training, and education opportunities, including US professional military education institutions. d. Work with partner nations to advance gender equity and equality within national security decision - making, engagement, and cooperation with allies and partners globally.

Metrics for Action # 1 Number of DoD strategies, policies, and programs that are informed by a gender analysis. Number of gender advisors, gender focal points, and WPS Programs Managers performing their duties across DoD Components. Number of Operationalizing WPS 100 and 200 level courses conducted within a fiscal year. Metrics for Action # 2 Number of trainings for DoD personnel that integrate WPS principles including how to incorporate gender and socio - cultural considerations into military operations, activities, and investments. Integration of gender and socio - cultural considerations into DoD strategic and policy - level documents. Integration of gender analysis into DoD security cooperation planning and programming. Metrics for Action # 3 Number of engagements by U.S. leaders that lead to activities conducted with partner nations on WPS. Annual increase in enrollment and participation of women in U.S. professional military education institutions and courses.

Seek to protect and mitigate harm to civilians by accounting for gender and socio - cultural considerations in response to human rights violations, sexual exploitation and abuse, crisis and conflict related sexual violence, trafficking in persons, the involvement of children in armed conflicts, and the damaging of cultural property. Work with allies and partners to seek to expand opportunities and remove recruitment, employment, retention, development, and promotion barriers that contribute to the under - representation of women in foreign security forces. Work with allies and partners on the reduction and prevention of sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic abuse, and other forms of violence that disproportionately impact women's participation in foreign security forces. Work with allies and partners on integrating gender analysis into their policy, planning, operations, exercises, and training.

1. Advance equity for military families with a focus on healthcare, education, and economic challenges and opportunities; 2. Advance economic equity and rectify past harms for communities around military installations and bases; 3. Integrate environmental / economic justice tools into DoD planning tools for decision - making, where applicable; 4. Advance gender diversity, equity, and inclusion by removing barriers to the recruitment, development, retention, and advancement of women in DoD; and 5. Advance women's participation in democracy, representation, and decision - making in peace and security processes.

Explore changes to Military Health System (MHS) GENESIS to address gaps in food insecurity screening; Invest over $ 1.4 billion (B) in the Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DERP) and $ 20 million (M) in the NALEMP that address legacy impacts from past DoD actions; Develop an implementation strategy by September 2024 for E.O. 14096, Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All Standardize reproductive health care policies through the development of a new Department of Defense Instruction; and Work with partner nations to (i) promote women in those partner nations meaningfully participating and serving at all ranks and in all occupations in defense and security sectors, and (ii) conduct related security cooperation programs and activities.

Developed and executed the DoD Small Business Strategy and Implementation Plan, highlighting the Department's commitment to fostering a robust and equitable defense industrial base and discussing Department policies on working with small businesses. Achieved a 10.14 percent Small Disadvantaged Business goal in FY 2022, exceeding the year - end goal by 0.64 percent. This achievement advanced the Biden - Harris Administration's whole - of - government approach to expanding contracting opportunities for Small Disadvantaged Businesses. Exceeded its yearly milestone (0.60 percent by January 2023), achieving 0.61 percent of AbilityOne Program contract spending. In FY 2022, DoD procured more than $ 2.5B of products and services from the AbilityOne Program, an increase of $ 125M in FY 2021. DoD contracts with the AbilityOne program to secure the services of approximately 35,000 individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities. The Military Departments and other participating DoD Components submitted their 2023 updates to the AbilityOne Strategic Plans, which will be implemented through the end of the calendar year. DoD continues to participate in the Federal level AbilityOne Representatives Program monthly meetings hosted by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission. Issued a memorandum titled, " " Actions to Support the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, " " that provides a list of actions to promote the awareness of workers ' organizing rights, contractors ' responsibilities, and government authorities when government contract workers are trying to organize the contracting workforce. Baselined Simplified Acquisition Threshold performance within Military Departments and other DoD Components and established goals for FY 2023 and beyond. DoD is on track to issue regular guidance to the acquisition workforce on maximizing small business participation and update and deploy the Office of Small Business Program's Market Research Center of Excellence (MRCOE) in Quarter (Q) 1 of FY 2024. Educating small business professionals on how to use MRCOE to enhance DoD small business utilization through targeted and consistent performance and goal management and institutionalizing the involvement of small business professionals in the earliest stages of acquisition planning through regulation, policy, or guidance are on track for Q3 of FY 2024. Finally, DoD will add

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Environmental Justice Scorecard Results

Objective: Become a leader on equitable Al research and development through programs such as Artificial Social Intelligence for Successful Teams, Grounded Al Language Acquisition Research, and Guaranteeing Al Robustness Against Deception.

Released an updated Responsible Al Guidelines by the Defense Innovation Unit in June 2023. It is a practical framework for including the DoD's Al Ethics Principles, including equity, in Al product planning, development, testing, and evaluation. It is a living document, to be updated based on evolving best practices and practical experience.

Historically underserved communities often suffer disproportionate environmental impacts. This population includes DoD military and civilian personnel and their families living on and off military installations. To address this condition, Strategy 3 of this EAP contains Integrated Environmental / Economic Justice Tools, which also include actions that will help the DoD achieve environmental justice.

One of the tools to assess environmental justice is the DoD Environmental Justice Scorecard, which can be found here. The DoD's environmental justice scorecard assesses DoD's progress in delivering environmental and health benefits to underserved communities.

DoD's renewed focus on environmental justice has advanced environmental justice results in numerous locations. For example, Fort Carson Air Program Managers work closely with local communities, non - governmental organizations, and government advisory councils on topics related to air quality in these communities. Joint Base Myer - Henderson Hall participates in multi - agency working groups to provide these communities with infrastructure investments. West Point's long and collaborative history of resource management with Tribal Nations and fair approach to development has resulted in a low risk of disproportionate impacts to traditionally underserved communities. Fort Stewart promoted free COVID vaccine clinics to ensure such communities had access to vaccines.

To address these barriers, DoD will:

Environmental Justice Scorecard Results

To address these barriers, DoD will:

Explore new partnership opportunities with EPA and other Federal agencies to advance environmental justice in accordance with E.O. 14096. DoD is committed to early and meaningful engagement with communities. For example, in its cleanup programs, DoD will identify opportunities for engagement and provide updates on its cleanup progress.

range of issues. This significantly improves the community engagement between Guam and the Department.

To address these barriers, DoD will:

Develop an implementation strategy by September 2024 for E.O. 14096, Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, signed in April 2023. This E.O. formally defined Environmental Justice and expanded the scope of the E.O. 12898, assessing for disproportional impacts to low - income and minority populations.

Advance gender diversity, equity, and inclusion by removing barriers to the recruitment, development, retention, and advancement of women in DoD.

To address these barriers, DoD will:

Advance women's participation in democracy, representation, and decision - making in peace and security processes.

The Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 establishes as U.S. policy the promotion of the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of overseas conflict prevention, management, and resolution, including by encouraging partner governments to adopt plans to improve the meaningful participation of women in peace and security processes and decision - making institutions. Studies on WPS have found that women's involvement in military and police forces improves efficacy and force readiness, while

To address these barriers, DoD will in FY 2024:

In January 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) took steps to immediately implement President Biden's Executive Order (E.O.) 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, by conducting an equity assessment to identify potential barriers that underserved communities and individuals face when accessing the DoD. Actions to address these barriers were outlined in the DoD's 2022 Equity Action Plan (EAP), which focused on five Action Areas:

Each of these Strategies was informed by community engagement. A few examples of such engagement include connecting with tribal members through the Department's Native American

Lands Environmental Mitigation Program (NALEMP), holding listening sessions with Service members and military spouses regarding food security, and hosting the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) to gain information about issues impacting female Service members. The Department will continue to connect with members of the community to advance equitable outcomes.

" " We still have a lot of work to do to achieve that community to banish racism, to fight poverty, to break down barriers, to defend our democracy, and to come together in the common cause of bringing our republic closer to its founding promise.

Key barriers to achieving equity include the high demands of military life, historical actions that have resulted in adverse community outcomes, and disproportionate environmental impacts on underserved communities, among others. The Department continues to acknowledge these barriers and, as provided in the Strategies described below, takes steps to eliminate them. Plans to address these barriers include:

Objective: Close gaps in participation by small businesses and other underserved communities and improve workforce equity through an ambitious equitable procurement and contracting agenda that includes advancing equity throughout the supply chain (e.g., advancing opportunities for prime and subcontractors who are members of underserved communities).

1) Address gaps in data collection to facilitate data - informed, equitable decision - making 2) Increase opportunities for new entrants into DOE procurement and financial assistance 3) Increase participation by individuals and institutions that are underrepresented in DOE's research and development (R & D) programs supported through financial assistance 4) Expand Tribal engagement and stakeholder engagement across DOE 5) Improve access and equity in DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program

EERE released its HBCU Clean Energy Education Prize during May 2023. This competition, with $ 7.75M in cash prizes, will help HBCU institutions develop programming to strengthen the participation of K - 12 and community college students in STEM and other associated fields that can lead to potential careers in clean energy industries. It will also give HBCUs the opportunity to create enhanced curricula and programs that will provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and establish partnerships that lead to career opportunities in clean energy. This prize supports President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, which directs 40 % of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to flow to disadvantaged communities, by helping to build a diverse STEM pipeline to support the clean energy transition. The prize aims to help HBCUs achieve these goals through two distinct prize tracks, the Inspire Track and the Partnerships Track. HBCUs of all sizes are invited to apply to help foster the next generation of the clean energy technical workforce. Details can be found at the Prize website: HBCU Clean Energy Education Prize HeroX. In FY 2023, EERE's first cohort of 11 students from the Graduate Education for Minority Students fellowship (GEM Fellowship) program, a non - governmental program, started their 10 - week summer internship assignments in various EERE program offices. The goal of the GEM Fellowship program is to enhance the value of the Nation's human capital by increasing the participation of underrepresented groups at the master's and doctoral levels in engineering and science. The FY 2023 program follows EERE's pilot program, which established GEM Fellow cohorts in a partnership pilot between EERE's Building Technologies Office and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This is the first class of GEM Fellowship students within DOE. EERE's Interagency Agreement with the Army and the MSI STEM R & D Consortium was designed to increase funding opportunities for MSIs. The program has continued to show improved results in R & D awards provided to MSIs, and during FY 2022, EERE provided $ 8.6M in direct funding awards to MSIs for EERE R & D work. For FY 2023, EERE is on target to surpass last year's figures. Through an Interagency Agreement partnership with the National Science Foundation, EERE has initiated a pilot through the Geothermal Technologies Office to support 14 non - academic internships for graduate students in the geothermal industry, with placements for the summer of 2023 within state geological surveys, private industry companies, and National Labs. The

EERE is partnering with the Office of Energy Justice and Equity and NREL to develop STEM faculty from MSIs through the Faculty - Applied Clean Energy Science (FACES) program. The FACES pilot program offers a unique opportunity to foster the growth of STEM faculty from MSIs through exposure to the National Lab systems. By providing valuable on - site experiences, fostering collaboration, and developing scalable educational modules, the program aims to expand DOE funding opportunities for MSI faculty. EERE announced six grand prize winners of the Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize on June 15, 2023. The prize seeks to foster a just and equitable clean energy future by investing in community - led innovation and entrepreneurship programs in areas historically underserved by federal funding. The winning teams in this first - of - its - kind competition received $ 250,000 each for their entrepreneurship, job - training, mentorship, and other solutions to expand clean energy and economic opportunities in underserved communities. The Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize recognized and assisted coalitions supporting underrepresented communities with a prize pool of $ 2.1 million to build capacity and address local energy challenges with clean energy solutions in line with the Justice40 Initiative. EERE announced successful completion of the prize on December 7, 2023. All ten coalitions participating in the prize successfully completed all three phases of the challenge and were awarded $ 205k each in aggregate. The top three coalitions were awarded additional prize bonuses ranging from $ 10k to $ 50k for the strength of their project implementation and vision for the future. The Community Energy Innovation Prize launched in November 2023 is the successor to both DOE's Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize and Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize. The prize program will award up to $ 7.5 million in cash prizes as well as mentorship opportunities to organizations supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, capacity building, and economic development in communities historically underrepresented in climate and energy technology funding. The expanded prize has three tracks: clean energy ecosystem track, manufacturing ecosystem track, and collegiate track.

The NNSA Technology Transfer Program has developed the Introducing Diversity in Entrepreneurial Activities (IDEA) Seminar. This seminar is aimed at STEM students at MSIs to encourage them to participate in the technology entrepreneurial career field. The IDEA seminar introduces them to patents, licensing, and funding opportunities (including SBIR / STTR). The goal is to promote diversity in the next generation of aspiring technology entrepreneurs. This seminar has been given at several HBCUs and to the MSI interns at the various NNSA labs and HQ. iv. Progress on expanding strategic Tribal and stakeholder engagement across DOE programs. The Office of Public Affairs (PA) led the effort to create the Energy Savings Hub. The Energy Saving Hub is available to the public at www.energy.gov / save. The hub is a one - stop shop for homeowners, renters, and drivers to learn how they can save energy, save money, and save the planet. The Energy Saving Hub features something for everyone, including clean energy tax incentives and tips / tricks to conserve energy. In addition to the Energy Saving Hub, DOE also launched a Clean Energy 101 video series that is captioned in both English and Spanish. The series is comprised of short explainers of various clean energy appliances and technologies that qualify for incentives in President Biden's Investing in America agenda, including the basics of clean energy technologies, such as heat pumps, rooftop solar, electric vehicles, and more. In FY 2023, PA also produced a mini documentary on DOE's work with Tribal Nations. https: / / www.instagram.com / p / Cd6ovZ8D4i8 /. DOE established a Justice40 Stakeholder Engagement Community of Practice to establish a standard of care for equitable stakeholder engagement. Participants encompass various DOE program offices.

EJE developed a Stakeholder Engagement Smartsheet in partnership with the Justice40 SE CoP which will track energy justice related stakeholder engagements by program office, technology, region, and attendees. Offices will also upload outcomes from engagements. V. Progress on improving access and equity in DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program. DOE created the Office of State and Community Energy Programs to administer state and community - facing programs, including the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The following bullets outline key accomplishments in WAP since the publication of the April 2022 EAP. On February 3, 2023, DOE published allocations of $ 30M for Weatherization Readiness from the FY 2023 WAP appropriation, an increase of $ 15M from FY 2022. DOE WAP and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) launched a Weatherization Workforce Development Pilot in February 2023 to enhance impact in four communities: Lowell, MA; Roanoke, VA; Chicago, IL; and Warner Robins, GA. The program connects HUD residents to weatherization jobs within Community Action Agencies and sets up residents for careers in green construction. This partnership aims to support the utilization of DOE Weatherization Assistance Program funds by adequately staffing the weatherization programs in local communities. Several of the communities have begun hosting job fairs to share information and recruit HUD residents interested in weatherization work. Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers (SERC) funding is available to WAP grantees, subgrantees, and non - profit organizations to demonstrate innovative technologies and approaches that go beyond the scope of the formula WAP. These grants offer more flexibility than the WAP formula grants and unique opportunities to broaden the impact of WAP. The second round of SERC funding was announced in October 2022. DOE anticipates awarding eleven grantees $ 17M with 2023 SERC funds. The projects will install various renewables, including solar technologies and heat pumps. In June 2022, DOE published WPN 22 - 9, Managing Multiple Funding Streams. This policy update provides clarification on the allowability of braiding DOE funds with other federal and non - federal funding sources to expand and enhance the services provided to low - income households.

The DOE Civil Rights Division launched a technical assistance program for recipients of DOE financial assistance. The program includes both in - person events and webinars related to providing meaningful access for limited English proficient individuals in both DOE - conducted and DOE - financially assisted programs and activities. Additionally, one session provides an overview of the Department's civil rights regulations at 10 C.F.R. 1040 and 1042, which outline compliance requirements for recipients of DOE financial assistance. On February 23, 2023, and February 28, 2023, DOE's Office of Energy Justice and Equity's Minority Business and Workforce Division hosted the inaugural DOE Minority Business and Workforce Connect Summit. This summit offered opportunities for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Department of Energy program offices, the National Labs, higher education institutions, financial institutions, and non - profit organizations who are working to realize a just clean energy future to build lasting and generative connections. The Summit allowed participants to learn about how to engage in business with the Department of Energy and to engage with leaders in government and industry to learn more about how the energy industry is responding to historic federal investments in clean energy and communities. For more information, see DOE Minority Business Enterprise Connect Summit Department of Energy DOE's 2023 Minority Business Enterprise Connect Summit Draws Record Attendance and Announces New Partnerships Department of Energy. NNSA and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory manage the NNSA Graduate Fellowship Program (NGFP) and partner with MSIs to recruit highly qualified and diverse students for this program. In 2021, 28 % of applicants hired through this program were from underrepresented minority groups. In 2023, that number increased to 45 %, an increase of 17 %. The diversity of the applicant pool increased, and, as a result, the number of diverse people has meaningfully increased over the past two years. NGFP developed a diverse team of University Relationship Managers to assist with outreach at MSIs. This approach resulted in 20 % of all applications being submitted from an MSI. On July 6, 2023, DOE announced nine states and three Tribal communities as the third cohort to receive a combined total of $ 207.6M in Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants including the Metlakatla Indian Community (Annette Island Reserve), the Native Village of Eagle, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South Dakota. The DOE Energy Justice to the People Roadshow is a series of community listening sessions and workshops dedicated to sharing information about available DOE programs and funding opportunities to support disadvantaged frontline communities and advance U.S. energy security in a just and equitable way. To date, two stops on the DOE Energy Justice to the People

In FY 2023, DOE co - sponsored White House Hispanic Initiative's Hispanic Regional Economic Summit in San Bernardino, CA, to share federal and DOE opportunities related to careers, internships, grants, and financial assistance. On October 12, 2022, EJE met with the Alliance of Hispanic Research Universities. At that time, the Alliance consisted of 21 universities which were both Hispanic - Serving Institutions as defined by Title V of the Higher Education Act and in the top 5 % of universities in the U.S. for research as determined by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The meeting was held to discuss opportunities to increase diversity in the federal work force and DOE's grant recipient pool in accordance with DOE's Justice40 implementation initiatives. In FY 2023, EJE was represented by the Minority Business and Workforce Division at the Annual U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Legislative Summit held in Washington, D.C. The USHCC actively promotes the economic growth, development, and interests of more than 4.7 million Hispanic - owned businesses. During this event, DOE presented to Hispanic owned energy businesses on funding opportunities available through various DOE program offices.

In May 2023, DOE sponsored the Federal Asian American Pacific Council's annual National Leadership Training Program in Long Beach, CA, and attended Office of Personnel Management's AA and NHPI Federal Employee Leadership Development Conference. The Department is partnering with its Asian American Pacific Islander Network Employee Resource Group (ERG) to sponsor ERG members in the federal workforce for professional development, capacity - building, and enhancing leadership skills. In FY 2023, DOE participated in two White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Regional Economic Summits in Seattle and New York City to share federal and DOE opportunities related to careers, internships, grants, and financial assistance. DOE also actively partnered with Asian Americans in Energy, the Environment, and Commerce on two external engagement events (August 2022 in Washington, DC, and October 2022 in Boston, MA) to inform the community about employment, contracting,

In July 2023, DOE announced the 67 winners of the first phase of the Energizing Rural Communities Prize. The cohort included 17 Tribes, or teams, serving Tribal communities. Each of the 67 winners will receive $ 100,000, in - kind - mentorship services, and eligibility to compete in phase two of the prize to win an additional $ 200,000. One of the winning teams is Sustainable Energy for Galena Alaska, a nonprofit run jointly by the Louden Tribal Council, the Galena City School District, and the City of Galena. See Community Profile: What Energizing Rural Communities Means for Galena, Alaska. About 400 people live in Galena year - round, and the economy is based around the schools there that draw over 50 villages ' high school students for boarding school. DOE is funding holistic energy planning for Sustainable Energy for Galena Alaska. DOE's participation in the Rural Partners Network (RPN), which is led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the White House Rural Prosperity Interagency Policy Council, builds relationships with rural communities across the Nation, especially in the states and communities designated to be prioritized by RPN. DOE employs a Rural Desk Officer, who actively participates in the network. One component of the RPN is the selection of signature projects in communities that have been identified by the network as priority areas. For example, DOE is the lead for the San Carlos Apache Tribe's solar project, which was awarded $ 4M in FY 2023 year. Upon completion, the project will add 750 kW of solar photovoltaic systems and a 500 - kW Battery Energy Storage System to its diesel generators to serve 36 residential buildings for healthcare workers and five hospital buildings at the San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation community. DOE has several offices that offer programs that directly benefit rural communities by providing technical assistance, loans, tax incentives and funding that supports the clean energy transition. Some examples include: The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), which manages the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program that supports energy investments in rural and remote areas through clean energy projects to improve reliability and / or resilience of energy systems, reduce energy poverty, and improve environmental performance of energy generation in rural or remote communities. The Office of Indian Energy, which selected 18 American Indian and Alaska Native communities to receive $ 34M in funding to advance clean energy technology. The funding strengthens Tribal communities by increasing their access to solar power and microgrids, increasing energy security and resilience, and powering unelectrified Tribal buildings. The Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) plays a critical and unique role in catalyzing investments in America's energy future to support the reshoring, skilling, and scaling of U.S. manufacturing across energy supply chains. MESC addresses critical vulnerabilities in U.S. energy supply chains, serves as the frontline of clean energy capital

(1) Establish a DOE - wide Community Benefits Plan (CBP) framework that builds trust and improves outcomes for underserved communities, which in turn supports successful Deployment & Demonstration and R & D projects that advance an equitable clean energy transition. (2) Update the DOE Merit Review Program to improve equitable outcomes for DOE awards. (3) Increase and improve access to procurement opportunities (acquisition and financial assistance) for new entrants, small, and historically disadvantaged businesses. (4) Integrate and track justice considerations through a metrics framework for the Department's R & D strategy by providing consistent communication of expectations and efficient coordination and implementation of reporting requirements across the Department. (5) Develop an agency - wide framework to effectively work with Tribal and disadvantaged communities to reimagine their clean energy future through real investments and technical assistance and ensure that community voices and decision - making are integrated into DOE funding, research, and programming.

Economic Justice Environmental Justice Educational Equity Health Equity Housing Justice and Community Investment

Dialogue between offices concerning CBP implementation, guidance, and their experience. Socialization of CBP requirements within the organization. Feedback from community and industry through engagement at Energy Justice Roadshows, and other targeted community, Tribal, and stakeholder engagement.

Ensure that CBPs are scored at a minimum of 20 % of the total application score, as applicable. Enhance community capacity to participate in DOE projects. Leverage resources available through federal assistance programs such as EPA's Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers, DOE Technical Assistance, and the awardee project developer's CBP commitments to increase communities ' ability to identify potential risks and harms, identify potential risk mitigation, and possible benefits of project deployment. Revise community commitment policy and supporting clauses to reflect current priorities. (DEAR 970.2673 - 1, DEAR 970.5226 - 3 and DOE - H - 2045)

Track how funding is distributed to disadvantaged, fossil energy, Tribal, and rural communities. Track Justice40 metrics within BIL and IRA funding awards. Track number of Community Benefits Agreements and Project Labor Agreements entered within DOE - funded projects. Capture the number of community members or stakeholders engaged by - Communities of interest (individually and collectively) Type of Engagement Degree of Engagement Report community ownership in the following ways: Number of clean energy projects with community ownership Total value of community owned clean energy projects and percent owned by communities Total value of annual compensation to communities from community owned energy assets Measure the number of projects using go / no - go contractual elements to ensure project is meeting CBP commitments. Conduct survey of impacted community response / opinion before, during, and after project deployment (mid / long term). Provide an avenue for communities to contact DOE if they are concerned about the implementation of a CBP.

Establish short -, medium -, and long - term CBP engagement support that would facilitate strong CBPs in applications in financial terms and conditions negotiations, through the go / no go decision process, and through the reporting cycles. Conduct CBP workshops that are tailored in content and method of delivery for the following specific audiences: 1) Tribal Nations to support Tribal capacity both as applicants and beneficiaries of project benefits from developers and researchers; 2) Underserved communities and rural and remote communities; 3) Project developers (e.g., industry, academia, local government, and utilities) to support development of stronger CBPs from applicants; and 4) Labor unions and other entities representing local workers, workers displaced by the energy transition, and workers under - represented in the energy workforce.

Establish a CBP Technical Assistance strategy across DOE program offices to support CBP implementation across covered programs. Connect EPA EJ Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers with community - based organizations, Tribal Communities, and organizations representing local workers to help negotiate Community Benefits Agreements. Identify opportunities to " " train the trainer " " on effective stakeholder engagement within programmatic offices. Leverage Tribal and Stakeholder Engagement framework to support CBP implementation.

Economic Justice Environmental Justice Housing Justice and Community Investment

(1) Establish a DOE - wide CBP framework that builds trust and improves outcomes for underserved communities, which in turn supports successful and support successful Deployment & Demonstration and R & D projects that advance an equitable clean energy transition. (2) Update the DOE Merit Review Program to improve equitable outcomes for DOE awards. (3) Increase and improve access to procurement opportunities (acquisition and financial assistance) for new entrants, small, and historically disadvantaged businesses. (4) Integrate and track justice considerations through a metrics framework for the Department's R & D strategy by providing consistent communication of expectations and efficient coordination and implementation of reporting requirements across the Department. (5) Develop an agency - wide framework to effectively work with Tribal and disadvantaged communities to reimagine their clean energy future through real investments and technical assistance and ensure that community voices and decision - making are integrated into DOE funding, research, and programming.

Lack of transparency and consistency across DOE merit review recruitment processes limits the agency's ability to assess overall effectiveness of the merit review process. Lack of participation by underrepresented groups affects the ability of those individuals to establish relationships with DOE personnel and understand how funding applications are evaluated, and what makes an application successful. Lack of reviewers with appropriate expertise impacts the ability to support initiatives relevant to the CBP framework (promoting jobs, Justice40, diversity, and disadvantaged communities). Lack of demographic information collected about reviewers at the registration phase makes it difficult to evaluate issues of implicit bias within panel decision making.

Work with Privacy Act Officers and the Office of the General Counsel to update systems to include demographic data with reviewer registration, which can help the agency analyze how merit review board composition may impact selection outcomes. Create a guidance document for resume screeners to mitigate implicit bias within merit review board selection and increase opportunities for underrepresented individuals to serve on merit review boards. Create and maintain a reviewer landing page to capture departmental opportunities and alert potential reviewers of opportunities to serve as merit reviewers. Expand departmental efforts to reach out to MBEs, MSIs, underrepresented groups, minority organizations, and federal equity leads to increase opportunities for underrepresented individuals to serve on merit review panels and learn more about the DOE merit review process. Create consistency in questions asked in DOE reviewer recruitment registration processes. Improve public awareness and access to DOE program managers. Capture the input of reviewers on the review process and the way proposals are solicited, evaluated, and awarded.

DOE plans to host listening sessions with previous reviewers to learn about their experiences as reviewers as well as what changes, if any, can be made to the acquisition process to reduce barriers to entry. Utilize the DOE Equity Action Plan to recruit reviewers. Interested merit reviewers should submit information via https: / / www.energy.gov / diversity / become - doe - meritpeer - reviewer.

DOE / OMB / OFPP co - sponsored two nation - wide crowdsourcing campaigns in 2021, which illustrated that underserved groups faced difficulty finding DOE financial assistance opportunities. High participation at DOE - hosted Annual Small Business Fora & Expos illustrates that small businesses, including those in underserved communities, are very interested in working with the Department and are seeking clarity on opportunities, procurement (and other funding mechanisms) processes and procedures, and subcontracting opportunities. Through involvement in numerous annual regional / local small business opportunity outreach events and conversations with business owners, DOE learned that small businesses are highly capable of performing DOE mission work that is generally less complex in nature and smaller in dollar value. By reviewing stakeholder feedback from agency Requests for Information (RFI) and Industry Days and benchmarking state and local governments and other federal agency equity procurement best practices, DOE identified the following pathways to increase equity: Create centralized, more complete forecast information for future procurement activities; Ask more detailed questions on capability during market research and provide sufficient time for industry responses; furnish more information in the pre - solicitation phase; Communicate expected timing between draft request for proposal (RFP) and final RFP for teaming purposes; Increase small business " " carve outs " " and reserve meaningful scopes of work for small businesses in larger requirements.

Deploy a centralized, public - facing DOE business forecast to provide timely access to upcoming opportunities for contracts, financial assistance, and subcontracting. Continue to leverage CBP guidance and sample terms and conditions in DOE FOAs to ensure that recipients use federal investments to fulfill the four priorities of the CBP (investing in America's workforce, engaging communities and labor, advancing DEIA, and implementing Justice40.) Continue to implement policies and procedures for expanding DOE's use of Partnership Intermediary Agreements and Other Transactions Authorities.

Continue to increase outreach to Tribal Nations, underserved communities, and socio - economic small businesses to bolster efforts to increase new entrants to DOE opportunities. Develop and leverage strategic partnerships with external entities (e.g., Minority Business Development Agency, APEX Accelerators (formerly PTACs), and Small Business Development Centers) to support expanded socio - economic and small business supplier base through training and development and access to capital programs. Continue to utilize subject matter experts (EJE, program office representatives) as a resource for the technical review of M & O contractor Diversity Plans to support DOE in their oversight of the M & O contractors. Provide technical assistance to grantees on complying with civil rights laws while carrying out DOE - funded activities. Launch a new Department Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan providing guidance to DOE offices on translation, interpretation, and outreach services for LEP persons seeking access to Department programs to help ensure that LEP communities are informed of DOE activities and funding opportunities. Utilize the Women - owned Small Business (WOSB) Small Business Program Manager to develop strategies for increased gender equity to be informed by increased data analytics, WOSB - centric North American Industry Classification System code assessments, and in collaboration with the SBA WOSB Program, and major facility management contractors. Continue to support on - going efforts for M & O contractors and major site and facility contractors to increase subcontracting opportunities for AbilityOne contractors who employ people who are blind or have significant disabilities. Continue to support ongoing activities to increase socioeconomic achievements in awarding contracts, including subcontracts under the Department's Management & Operating Subcontract Reporting Capability (MOSRC) actions. Continue to collaborate with contractor groups such as the Energy Facility Contractors Group to increase awareness and understanding of procurement flexibilities that can be used to increase opportunities for new entrants and disadvantaged communities.

(1) Investing in America's workforce (2) Engaging communities and labor (3) Advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (4) Implementing Justice40, a federal initiative that sets the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of federal climate and clean energy investments flow to disadvantaged communities.

Environmental Justice Economic Justice

Current metric collection fails to holistically assess justice outcomes in DOE R & D programs. Current Justice40 metrics do not capture R & D impacts outside of the geographical location where work is being performed. Further, some types of R & D funding (non - competitive / block grants, DOE Laboratory solicitations, Lab field work proposals) do not have metrics in place to monitor and measure project progress. Justice40 metric reporting is hindered by limited coordination and some offices lacking trained and task - dedicated personnel to measure program impacts. The nature of R & D makes outcome - based metric reporting difficult. Outcome - based metrics are data that show the extent and impact of an organization's, program's, or initiative's activities on its customers or beneficiaries. 5 Outcome - based metrics are different from performance metrics, which track the key activities that lead to outcomes, or output or activity data, which describe the organization's actions. 6 Outcome - based metrics are useful for demonstrating accountability, transparency, and efficacy. 7 The benefits of R & D can have long time horizons and broad applications. In general, technology R & D strategy roadmaps lack sufficient consideration of equity or justice. Current roadmaps emphasize technological advancement of high - performance, high - cost technologies that likely will not be affordable to underserved communities. For example, clean energy and energy efficiency programs (e.g., rooftop solar power, weatherization) are not accessible to some underserved and underrepresented communities, especially where there is a reliance upon technology to communicate and access these programs. The unequal

Although inconsistent, several offices across DOE have collected R & D impact metrics, such as the number of peer - reviewed journal articles, patents, licenses, new companies formed, and the amount of follow - on funding received from the private sector. Challenges to these current efforts include: Many of these achievements occur after a project is closed out, when awardees are no longer reporting on the project and have likely moved onto other projects. As a result, many of these outputs are not appropriately attributed to DOE funding. One study of the Web of Science - a public database of scientific articles - found that in some subject areas, as little as 28 % of the articles had any acknowledgements, and of those only 65 % acknowledged funding. 9 If funding is properly acknowledged, web - crawling techniques can be used to extract subsequent impacts. Existing project impact metrics fail to address equity or justice. There are infrequent third - party reviews of evaluation metrics. These reviews are costly, time - intensive, and limited by confidential business information restrictions. There is limited interaction and participation with citizen / community science in the development of DOE R & D strategies and metrics. There have been several approaches across the federal Government to address the foregoing challenges: In the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA - E), there are staff who follow up with past recipients to collect research outputs / publications. In the DOE Office of Science, there is an annual automated reminder to past awardees to update their profile, including information regarding publications. Existing literature shows a lack of equity consideration in R & D metrics. To fill this gap, NREL developed the Justice Underpinning Science and Technology Research (JUST - R) metrics framework - energy justice metrics specifically targeted at early - stage research. 10 Some offices have project - specific metrics. For example, DOE's Building Technology Office requires applicants of some FOAs to provide estimates of energy, cost, and emissions savings using the Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation (RECI) Impact Calculator tool - a spreadsheet - based tool for building code updates in new construction, improvements to existing buildings, and improvements in energy codes compliance. 11 Since climate change disproportionately impacts low - income and minority

Some offices track information regarding equity - based metrics related to either the funded institutions (e.g., MSIs) or individuals (e.g., demographics of PIs). EERE is currently undergoing a third - party review for Justice40 impact evaluation. In addition to hiring outside consultants and creating an internal review team, they are also exploring the use of machine learning tools with natural language processing. Increasingly during the last decade, rapid technical advances have opened opportunities for broader and deeper interaction and participation among individuals, communities, and governments, allowing all levels of government to engage previously uninvolved people in issues affecting their communities and local environments. 13 14 The EPA has established new avenues for citizen science use in their Agency's strategic plan 15 16 from which the DOE could draw inspiration and best practices. DOE showcases eight citizen science projects 17: The Open PV Project, Lantern Live, Geothermal Case Studies and Exploration, Regulatory and Permitting Information Desktop Toolkit, Space Warps, Berkeley Lab Range Hood Roundup, SETI @ home / Astropulse, and Orphan Well Location Survey.

Develop R & D - specific metrics to quantify Justice40 impacts (i.e., workforce development, research outputs) for all project phases including during the award post - project closeout, and secondary impacts beyond the site of performance. Develop automated, easy - to - use systems to capture standard and office - specific metrics and content for all funding (FOAs, non - competitive grants, DOE Laboratory solicitations, etc.) that integrate with Justice40, BIL, and office reporting requirements and are consistent with requirements established for each FOA, including expected follow - up actions, federal financial assistance guidelines, and the Paperwork Reduction Act.

12 Smith, G.S., Anjum, E., Francis, C. et al. " " Climate Change, Environmental Disasters, and Health Inequities: The Underlying Role of Structural Inequalities. " " Curr Envir Health Rpt 9, 80 - 89 (2022). https: / / doi.org / 10.1007 / s40572 - 022 - 00336 - w 13 National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. " " Environmental Protection Belongs to the Public A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA. " " EPA 219 - R - 16 - 001 (2016). https: / / www.epa.gov / sites / default / files / 2020 - 04 / documents / nacept_cs_report_final_508. pdf 14 f National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. " " Information to Action Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for Environmental Protection. " " EPA 220 - R - 18 - 001 (2018). https: / / www.epa.gov / sites / default / files / 2020 - 04 / documents / nacept_2018_citizen_science_publication_eng_final_v3_508. pdf 15 National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. " " Environmental Protection Belongs to the Public A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA. " " EPA 219 - R - 16 - 001 (2016). https: / / www.epa.gov / sites / default / files / 2020 - 04 / documents / nacept_cs_report_final_508. pdf 16 National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology. " " Information to Action Strengthening EPA Citizen Science Partnerships for Environmental Protection. " " EPA 220 - R - 18 - 001 (2018). tps: / / www.epa.gov / sites / default / files / 2020 - 04 / documents / nacept_2018_citizen_science_publication_eng_final_v3_508. pdf 17 https: / / www.citizenscience.gov / catalog / doe / #

Establish policies and procedures to increase community participation in development of research questions and citizen science in research and development. Identify communities to review proposed R & D metrics framework. Distribute an organizational chart with the DOE communities working in Justice40 R & D reporting, with attention to offices engaging in R & D projects that involve or could engage external EJ communities in R & D.

Establish appropriate R & D metrics. Identify applicable FY 2023 R & D FOAs and solicit program managers to identify baseline metrics that are readily available. Collect and monitor appropriate R & D metrics. Distribute best practices for R & D funding acknowledgements in awardee outputs and how to collect outputs after project closeout. Distribute training material for the automated metric reporting tool. Create a public dashboard or to show DOE R & D funding and outputs from R & D funding, such as the number of publications and expected Justice40 benefits based on the created R & D metrics. The dashboard may be a stand - alone product or integrated into an existing dashboard, such as the Energy Justice (BETA) Dashboard. 19

DOE will ask past awardees to test the user experience and content of the BETA platform developed to collect metrics. Utilize the participants of Justice40 Community of Practice to gather insight on how to develop metrics for their Justice40 programs. Gather feedback during the Energy Justice to the People Roadshow on Justice40 metrics.

A. 2022 Equity Action Plan Update (pursuant to EO 13985): For reference, the 2022 DOE Equity Action Plan can be found here. i. Progress on addressing gaps in data collection to facilitate data - informed decision - making. Office of Management, Office of Acquisition Management (OAM) OAM implemented an agency - wide BIL funding opportunity announcement (FOA) template for BIL and IRA actions to further the Administration's goals to advance equity, provide support for disadvantaged communities, and leverage federal resources to achieve these objectives. The FOA template includes a Community Benefits Plan requirement, along with requirements to collect equity and justice - focused data. OAM, the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), and the National Nuclear Safety Administration are co - leading an Acquisition Forecast Improvement Working Group to establish a centralized, web - based platform capturing all contracting, subcontracting and financial assistance opportunities at DOE and better reach underrepresented businesses in DOE procurement opportunities. ii. Progress on increasing opportunities for new applicants to DOE funding opportunities. Office of Management, OAM OAM implemented a strategy with M & O contractors and major site and facility contractors designed to increase subcontracting opportunities from contractors who employ people who are blind or have significant disabilities (AbilityOne). As a result of this implementation, DOE - wide AbilityOne obligations increased from $ 27.5M in FY 2022 to $ 31.2M in FY 2023, an increase of 13 %. OAM continues to co - lead the Innovative Funding Mechanisms Working Group with the Office of General Counsel, which is exploring innovative mechanisms to increase participation in DOE funding opportunities. The Working Group has focused on Partnership Intermediary Agreements (PIAs) and Other Transactions (OT) Authority as possible pathways to reach underrepresented entities and communities. PIAs are best utilized when traditional contractual mechanisms do not provide adequate outreach with non - traditional contractors and can reduce barriers to entry for such entities. DOE has put a Pilot PIA agreement in place to extend the Department's reach to new entrants and non - traditional partners, as well as small business firms, universities, and non - profit organizations. The agency has awarded one project utilizing the PIA mechanism, and additional projects are in the planning phase. Additionally, the agency has developed an OT guide for DOE program offices to increase the utilization of OT Authorities department wide. The agency anticipates that these interventions will increase contracting opportunities with new entrants and non - traditional partners. OAM undertook an initiative in the Office of Headquarters Procurement Services to utilize market research tools such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise - Wide Procurement Provider Lookup Tool, Small Business

Economic Justice Environmental Justice

Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Network EPA Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights Department of Interior Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs

Procedural and distributional inequity in engaging communities when designing technical assistance (TA), funding, and other support. Uncoordinated outreach to same Tribal Nations and community entities results in overburdening of those communities. Lack of feedback processes to incorporate community voices in program design and decision - making. Communication methods and resources dependent upon internet access and lack of accessibility for non - English speakers. Failure of DOE to meet the communities where they are, including providing resources to participate in DOE outreach activities. Inadequate allocation of agency resources and training for DOE staff to successfully engage with communities.

The Justice40 Stakeholder Engagement Community of Practice and Office of Community Engagement collected the insights and feedback of stakeholder engagement staff from 24 program offices across DOE. Tribal - specific feedback from a public process. (See DOE's Tribal Consultation Action Plan: POTUS Tribal Consultation Memo - DOE Response and Action Plan - FINAL.pdf (energy.gov)).

Engage impacted communities early in the process of project development and catalyze meaningful labor and community engagement throughout the project process. Establish a comprehensive and coordinated internal strategy that prioritizes actions to advance meaningful community and stakeholder engagement across all DOE program offices and DOE National Laboratories. Identify additional DOE Tribal Consultation and Tribal and disadvantaged community engagement positions, by type (federal, temporary, permanent) needed across the department and seek applicants with appropriate cultural competence and experience. Develop and incorporate Tribal consultation best practices and annual training DOE - wide to improve government - to - government interactions and notifications. This includes building Tribal notifications and consultation in DOE awards and studies.

Develop a DOE - Wide Relationship Management tool (similar to CRM - Client Relationship Management tool) that would contain essential foundational information about Tribal and disadvantaged community engagement or outreach related to a site, project, or program and be targeted to personnel with direct Tribal and disadvantaged community engagement responsibilities. Improve utilization of tracking system, coordination, and institutional memory of ongoing department - wide Tribal and disadvantaged community engagement. Support capacity building in Tribal Nations and disadvantaged communities through funding, grant - writing and other technical assistance, equitable communication, and improved application processes. Establish Tribal and Disadvantaged Community Engagement Principles and Practices in DOE Policy. Include mechanisms to integrate Tribal Nations and disadvantaged community decision - making into program and project processes. Create onboarding materials for new employees for Tribal engagement and update annual / ongoing training to reflect OPM / DOI & Interagency best practices guidance for Tribal Consultation and engagement. Create onboarding materials for new employees disadvantaged community engagement and update annual / ongoing training. Improve DOE's ability for effective and responsive two - way communication, including Nation - to - Nation communication, for Tribal and disadvantaged communities. Improve communications in Native languages, implementation of Title VI Limited English Proficiency requirements, non - digital formats, and other proven practices for equitable engagement. Modify DOE website to create a central portal for Tribal and community organizations to easily find DOE resources available to them and highlighting this resource on the front page of energy.gov (e.g., Energy Savings Hub).

Track number of positions by program office dedicated to disadvantaged and Tribal community engagement. Track number of program offices utilizing central disadvantaged community and Tribal engagement tracker. Monitor number of Tribal and disadvantaged communities supported by capacity building, grant - writing and technical assistance. Identify and note the number of DOE processes where Tribal and disadvantaged communities participated in decision - making. Determine percent of relevant DOE employees receiving onboarding and ongoing training on Tribal and disadvantaged community engagement. Capture the number of community members or stakeholders engaged by - Communities of interest (individually and collectively) Type of Engagement Degree of Engagement

Existing working groups such as the Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group and Nuclear Energy Tribal Working Group The White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Intergovernmental Groups, such as State and Tribal Government Working Group and Energy Communities Alliance, Tribal Programs, National Transportation Stakeholders Forum, Community Programs, and Environmental Management's Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program.

In FY 2022, SC launched Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) to establish a more targeted and intentional approach to building foundations to support undergraduate and graduate student training opportunities and support institutions historically underrepresented in the SC research portfolio. RENEW leverages the agency's unique National Laboratories, user facilities, and other research infrastructures to provide training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty. In FY 2022, SC announced 41 RENEW awards totaling $ 32M to 37 institutions, including 24 MSIs. In FY 2023, SC issued seven RENEW solicitations and awarded $ 70M in funding to 65 institutions, including 40 MSIs. In FY 2023, SC launched the Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research Initiative to build research capacity, infrastructure, and expertise at non - R1 institutions and support mutually beneficial relationships between MSIs and Emerging Research Institutions and partner institutions. SC has announced $ 37M in funding for 52 projects to 44 institutions to perform basic research in applied mathematics, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geoscience, isotope research, materials science, and physics. As a result of SC's increased outreach and engagement with MSI communities and support for funding mechanisms aimed at increasing MSI participation, SC significantly increased the participation of MSIs as lead institutions in its funding opportunities in FY 2022 over FY 2021 levels. For example: SC more than doubled the number of research grants to HBCUs as the lead institution in FY 2022 (from 15 awards in FY 2021 to 35 awards in FY 2022).

SC nearly doubled the level of funding support for research awards to Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) from FY 2021 levels (from $ 58.0M in FY 2021 to $ 109.0M in FY 2022). SC nearly doubled the number of new awards to HSIs in FY 2022 (from 71 awards in FY 2021 to 136 awards in FY 2022). In FY 2023, SC established a requirement that all research proposals submitted to SC include a plan for Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER). PIER Plans describe the strategies and activities the applicants will incorporate into their research projects to promote opportunity, inclusion, and access to STEM research and training for individuals from all backgrounds. PIER Plans are evaluated as part of the merit review process. Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) FECM is collaborating with National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) acquisition professionals to embed societal and community impact criteria into FOAs - whether mandated by BIL or IRA, or program directed - that expand the pool of new entrants (e.g., MSIs) participating in program procurement, acquisition, and development activities. FECM's University Training and Research (UTR) program supports novel, early - stage research at U.S. colleges and universities, with an emphasis on student training. The UTR program has a sub - program dedicated to supporting projects specifically at HBCUs and other MSIs; in FY 2023, FECM made 18 awards totaling more than $ 7M with nearly half (10 awards) going to MSIs (totaling nearly $ 3.5M). (See University Training and Research netl.doe.gov.) FECM held a workshop (April 2023) for potential future grant applicants to provide information about the UTR program and the associated application process. Over 90 people from educational institutions participated. In June 2023, FECM announced up to $ 17.7M in available funding (FOA 3002) for five different areas of interest, including establishing multi - institution collaborations for student exchanges from MSIs, new academic curricula related to geosciences, supporting interdisciplinary training in humanities - driven STEM fields.

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

B. Environmental Justice (EJ) Scorecard (pursuant to section 223 of EO 14008):

Barriers to Equity:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Barriers to Equity:

Public Participation and Community Engagement:

Justice40 Research and Development Metrics

Tribal and Community Engagement

iii. Progress on increasing participation in DOE R & D and financial assistance programs.

In May 2023, the White House published the EJ Scorecard to set the baseline for federal activities to advancing EJ. Future versions of the EJ Scorecard will build on this baseline assessment. DOE's scorecard highlights some of the funding announcements in the past year, including the $ 25M Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience opportunity and the $ 13M Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling Design and Deployment opportunity. The Scorecard also describes program modifications that support disadvantaged communities, including mentioning DOE's new Community Benefits Plans. The Scorecard highlights Title VI and the National Environmental Policy Act's relationship to environmental justice and some of the community - oriented programs like DOE's collaboration on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers,

and DOE's Energy Storage for Social Equity (ES4SE) Initiative. The scorecard also has a section on partnerships with Tribal communities as well as an overview of efforts to institutionalize environmental justice within the agency. The scorecard also notes that DOE has 143 staff working on environmental justice either in full or part time capacity as well as 63 tools to advance environmental justice.

Link: Department of Energy Environmental Justice Scorecard (geoplatform.gov)

DOE supports President Biden's Investing in America agenda by providing technical assistance programs for states, territories, Tribes, and local governments to make a once - in - a - generation investment in infrastructure, clean energy and climate resilience.

The Department of Energy strives to ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. DOE prioritizes equity and place - based 1 strategies in its investments to model a clean energy transition that will deliver real benefits to frontline communities, especially those historically impacted by the legacy of pollution and environmental injustice. To ensure that every community has a role in this energy transition, DOE must strive to eliminate barriers to access, transform programs and policies to open even broader pathways for underrepresented groups to access DOE resources, and create new programs to better serve communities.

Strategy # 2: Update the DOE Merit Review Program to improve equitable outcomes for DOE awards.

DOE will collaborate with the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and NASA to advance this strategy. In particular, the agency is eager to learn if sister agencies have successfully revised their merit review programs to advance more equitable outcomes.

Observations from informational interviews conducted with DOE office staff support this strategy.

On his first day in office, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. This order recognizes that although equal opportunity is part of the American Dream, for too many Americans, that dream remains out of reach. In that order, the President called on every federal agency to examine barriers to accessing its resources. In response the Department released its first - ever Equity Action Plan in April 2022, identifying five strategies to advance equity throughout DOE:

Strategy # 4: Integrate and track justice considerations through a metrics framework for the Department's Research & Development strategy by providing consistent communication of expectations and efficient coordination and implementation of reporting requirements across the Department.

8 Sunter, Deborah A., Sergio Castellanos, and Daniel M. Kammen. " " Disparities in rooftop photovoltaics deployment in the United States by race and ethnicity. " " Nature Sustainability 2.1 (2019): 71 - 76. 9 Smirnova, N., Mayr, P. " " A comprehensive analysis of acknowledgement texts in Web of Science: a case study on four scientific domains. " " Scientometrics 128, 709 - 734 (2023). https: / / doi.org / 10.1007 / s11192 - 022 - 04554 - 9 10 Dutta, Nikita S., Gill, Elizabeth, Arkhurst, Bettina K., Hallisey, Mary, Fu, Katherine, and Anderson, Kate. " " JUST - R metrics for considering energy justice in early - stage energy research. " " (2023) Web. doi: 10.1016 / j.joule. 2023.01.007. 11 RECI Calculator. " " Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation " " https: / / eere - exchange.energy.gov / Default.aspx? Search = DE - FOA - 0002813 & SearchType =

DOE will seek input on this strategy and the implementation efforts through its existing engagement efforts including:

Current Departmental metrics and their reporting fail to holistically2 assess Justice40 efforts across DOE. Specifically, current Justice40 metrics do not capture R & D efforts and how they advance Justice40 goals and objectives beyond where research is being conducted. To ensure the Department's R & D efforts advance Justice40 goals, DOE will develop a coordinated DOE - wide reporting strategy to implement holistic Justice40 metric development, collection, and evaluation.

2 From Oxford Dictionaries, holistic is defined as being " " characterized by the belief that the parts of something are interconnected and can be explained only by reference to the whole. " " Most Justice40 metrics focus only on the Principal Investigator (PI) who has received Departmental funds. Subcontractors are often omitted from DOE program impact metrics. The Department's approach to data collection creates a gap in assessing overall funding impacts. Research often has far - reaching implications beyond the location where the research is done, and more holistic metrics would permit the tracing of interconnected benefits in communities outside of the PI's place of business.

Currently, DOE lacks a department - wide strategic framework for community engagement. Over the past year, the Justice40 Stakeholder Engagement Community of Practice (Justice40 SE CoP) and Office of Community Engagement (OCE) teams have completed internal assessments to understand Departmental approaches to stakeholder engagement. The Justice40 SE CoP and OCE teams found a lack of an agency - wide framework, which has caused inconsistencies in distributing resources such as technical assistance, funding, and other support mechanisms to underserved communities. Additionally, uncoordinated outreach often means duplicate communications to some Tribal and community entities and no outreach to others. Further, the lack of a formal feedback process fails to incorporate Tribal Nations and community voices in program design and decision - making. To remediate these deficiencies, DOE will develop an agency - wide " " ground game " " to fully engage community entities and Tribes.

program is intended to encourage participation, including by those from underrepresented communities, in the geothermal industry.

Strengthen external civil rights enforcement and proactive engagement activities to increase equitable access to federally conducted and assisted programs and activities_for members of the public; Increase public trust in DOI Law Enforcement by evaluating its workforce, increasing transparency and accountability, and providing mental health and wellness support to law enforcement; Advance equity in contracting practices to include businesses with characteristics that align with the definition of underserved communities, taking incremental steps to ensure the Department's obligated dollars are equitably distributed to underserved communities; Increase opportunities for members of the public to access public lands, prioritizing access to recreation areas and services in underserved communities; and Institutionalize environmental justice and increase the proportion of benefits of the Justice40 initiative covered programs reaching disadvantaged communities to work toward the goal of 40 percent and progress environmental justice further.

Recruit, hire, retain, and supervise a trusted and adequately staffed workforce that reflects the people and communities they serve. Improve the effectiveness and efficiency in communicating with the public during and after critical incidents. Develop a wellness program to increase the health, wellness, and effectiveness of the law enforcement workforce.

Create a comprehensive baseline of data on law enforcement workforce to support assessments. Perform a standardized staffing analysis across all Bureaus to ensure consistency in approach and facilitate comprehensive insights into workforce requirements. Update the current System of Records Notice for DOI's law enforcement records management systems to ensure the appropriate and lawful public disclosure of law enforcement records and video footage for the purpose of transparency and communicating during a crisis, as authorized routine practice. Prioritize and assist Bureaus in hiring full - time mental health and wellness coordinators.

Long - term retention and advancement of a law enforcement workforce that reflects the people and communities served. Conduct staffing analyses every 5 years to ensure alignment between staffing numbers and changes in trends, communities, visitation, and other relevant factors. Review critical incidents that require public communication and an evaluation of the appropriateness and timeliness of the response, with a focus on enhancing transparency and accountability. Evaluate the status of law enforcement mental health and wellness efforts, and identify and expand on successes ensuring Bureaus are appropriately staffed with trained personnel.

To develop these strategies, DOI engaged with the public including members of underserved communities, during the public outreach phase of DOI's LETF. This engagement phase provided baseline data that was analyzed and informed the final recommendations for improvement. The Department plans to conduct future public engagement and participation activities to continue identifying additional barriers and potential solutions and assess progress, which may include: Collecting feedback about DOI law enforcement programs after the recommendations are implemented. Analyzing the resultant feedback related to DOI law enforcement programs and reorienting as necessary.

Difficulty Finding Opportunities. Through ongoing engagement with small vendors - small, small disadvantaged, women - owned small, service - disabled veteran owned small businesses, businesses located in historically underutilized business zones, and ISBEEs DOI has repeatedly helped vendors who convey that learning about contracting opportunities can be challenging, especially for new or inexperienced businesses. New entrants to the Federal procurement process lack experience and understanding of how to access opportunities and the various methods that DOI uses to procure goods and services. Communication. During DOI's listening sessions, participants indicated frustration with the communication between the Department and vendors, including identifying the appropriate individuals within Bureaus to help them, response rates, and obtaining information about specific opportunities before and after award. In addition, outreach - especially in - person outreach - can be limited by geography and established networks, which may also present barriers for some businesses. Process Complexity. During DOI's listening sessions, participants provided input regarding the complexity of the procurement process, with each step governed by statute and regulations that may differ from commercial contracting. It can be particularly challenging for new or inexperienced businesses to understand requirements, terms and conditions in solicitations, and other elements of the process. Limited opportunities to gain experience and / or training on the process may present barriers to some businesses. Departmental Procedures. Ensuring Departmental processes and policies contribute to an equitable distribution of awards to underserved communities is a critical component to achieving equity in Federal procurement. Based on the barriers identified above - awareness of procurement opportunities and communication with vendors - preliminary review of DOI policy, feedback from listening sessions, and survey results, the Department identified the following process and policy as a focus area for additional targeted review and analysis: Publicizing procurement actions. Communication with vendors throughout the acquisition process, such as communication with vendors who were unsuccessful at securing an award during debriefing.

The Department conducted both quantitative and qualitative analysis to identify impactful actions. Listening sessions were conducted, along with focus groups and surveys. These methods provided feedback that led directly to the Department's implementation plan. Extensive analysis of the Department's historic procurement data was also conducted. Results of ongoing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved customer experience information collection surveys, including product testing, vendor feedback, and vendor research (Improving Customer Experience Information Collection, OMB Control Number 1090 - 0012), are being used to inform strategies and actions to advance equity in the Department's contracting practices and counseling of businesses.

Increase opportunities for Indian - owned economic enterprises. The Department will continue to monitor performance against annually established ISBEE goals to ensure that benefits previously described are being realized. Additionally, the Department will seek opportunities to collaborate with other Federal partners such as SBA and HHS to increase opportunities for Indian - owned businesses in Federal procurement. Implement policy on communicating with vendors throughout the procurement process, especially with unsuccessful offerors after award. Continue implementation of the vendor communications guidance. Review Departmental procedures and practices related to the length of time that acquisition actions are publicized. The DOI will enhance its current policies to ensure that adequate time is provided for all business types to be competitive. Review Departmental procedures and practices related to contracting vehicles. The Department will develop and implement updated guidance on DOI operational practices, to simplify the process and close the gap of understanding by small and disadvantaged businesses. Collaboration with Federal partners. The DOI will seek out and continue to participate in collaborative opportunities with OMB, SBA, and other Federal departments that focus on Government - wide small business initiatives, including other equity - focused EOs - Executive Order on Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council - and OMB - led focus groups. Modernize DOI's small business counseling services. Utilize data visualization to publish acquisition data providing greater access to detailed information about DOI's purchasing history and include the most recent acquisition data educating vendors on the use of tools during vendor engagement sessions. Expand digital services utilizing vendor survey information collected to curate digitally available information, resources, and tools for the small business vendors that consider their varying maturity, life situations (such as accessibility for those with disabilities and mobile access through quick - response coding), and experiences in Federal contracting.

Percentage of total contract dollars awarded to ISBEEs for the Department. Annual DOI - wide small business procurement scorecard, as issued by SBA, which is an assessment tool that (1) measures how well Federal agencies reach their small business and socio - economic prime contracting and subcontracting goals, (2) provide accurate and transparent contracting data and (3) report agency - specific progress. Distribution of awardees by their maturity (new entrants, recent entrants, and established vendors), as tracked by Government - wide dashboards. Demographic and qualitative results of ongoing OMB approved customer experience information collection surveys, including product testing, vendor feedback, and vendor research, per OMB Control Number 1090 - 0012, entitled " " Improving Customer Experience. " "

Long - term, the Department will monitor these metrics to evaluate and continually maximize opportunities to small and disadvantaged businesses. Expand digital services materials to include languages other than English, with resources available in at least one additional language by 2029.

Economic Justice: Build a strong, fair, and inclusive workforce and economy. Ensure equitable procurement practices, including through small, disadvantaged businesses contracting and the Buy Indian Act (25 U.S.C. 47). Civil Rights: Protect the civil and constitutional rights of all persons, including the right to vote, language access, and prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color,

Developed new policies and procedures to strengthen and fulfill the Federal Government's responsibility to ensure regular and meaningful consultation with America Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, as well as a second policy consultation with Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Corporations. Enhanced data collection to support park programming that is more inclusive of under - represented communities through the investments made in the National Park Service's (NPS) socio - economic program as well as the park unit visitor surveys. Released the Campground Modernization Guide to support an improved and more inclusive visitor experience. Enhanced the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Tracked the short - and long - term success outomces of (LWCF) and Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership investments in under - represented communities. Distributed inclusive storytelling grants through NPS, which included $ 2.1 million in grant funding provided to 30 NPS units to help share more inclusive and comprehensive narratives, reduce park storytelling backlogs, and invest in staff capacity to sustain transformative interpretation. Provided transportation investments, including a partnership with Uber / Lyft in three pilot cities where access is limited for urban communities. This partnership includes subsidized rides to NPS units and partner - based data collection to track success of the program. Developed and published a simple to use, public facing, DOI - specific acquisition data visualization that provides access to detailed information about DOI's purchasing history. This tool provides new entrants a simple way to distill extensive DOI contracting data, use the tailored results to target marketing of their products and services, and identify potential networking opportunities, which reduces administrative burdens of vendors interested in participating in DOI procurements. B. Environmental Justice Scorecard (pursuant to section 223 of EO 14008) Established the DOI Environmental Justice Steering Committee. Developed the DOI Climate Task Force. Implemented the first - ever DOI Environmental Justice Scorecard. The Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program made Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 grants available to the six Appalachian states and three Tribal communities with Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Programs. Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia each received $ 26.6 million; Alabama, Ohio, and Virginia were each allocated $ 10.6 million; and the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, and Crow Tribe were each allocated $ 3.5 million to return legacy coal mining sites to productive use and foster economic and community development.

Individuals may face challenges accessing DOI - managed sites due to the remote nature of many public lands. Accessing public lands often requires a personal vehicle - 4 - wheel drive or high clearance vehicles are often required - and there are limited alternative transportation options (e.g., public transit, alternative access, pedestrian and cycling trails) for visitors. Costs may serve as a barrier to access as not all people have the means to travel to, or participate in, recreational activities on DOI - managed lands. Accessing many sites requires visitors to spend money as well as time. Even sites that do not charge a fee generally have a cost implication. Safety concerns may limit local access to public lands without safe and well - designed facilities.

Strengthen partnerships that will support broader equity - based representation and engagement with diverse and underserved communities and audiences. Support close - to - home recreation opportunities. Create a 21st century transportation system through investments in transit, trails, and technology. Expand partnerships to better connect neighboring communities, eliminate fatalities, and minimize injuries on the NPS transportation system, and address visitor needs as well as prepare for the future of transportation. Increase equity considerations in LWCF implementation.

Increase investments in programs and services with proven track records of effectiveness. Coordinate and report on implementation of the work of the Reconciliation in Place Names Subcommittee, which remove derogatory names from Federal lands. Implement the reduction of barriers to improve accessibility. Particularly, focus on factors that reduce or eliminate physical or perceived barriers such as fees, transportation, and infrastructure to improve accessibility for underserved communities such as individuals with disabilities. Implement actions that provide improved visitor access of information to plan, recreate, and remain connected with NPS sites. Expand inclusive programming and leveraging of partnership options in storytelling, ranger programs, education, and community engagement enhanced inclusive experiences. Strengthen data collection tools to support evidence - based evaluation of information that will better inform decision making to create an equitable visitor experience.

Number of partnerships formed and project collaborations with community - based organizations, state and local governments, and new partnerships. Number of first - time visitors and number of people making repeat visits to public lands and waters. Improve data collection processes to capture visitation numbers as well as visitor demographics, which will facilitate a better understanding of who is visiting public lands and waters and who is not more accurately.

Overall trends in responses to visitor surveys, visitor demographics, and other metrics to track increases in use based on improvements to web - based information and reduction of barriers. Changes in transit usage numbers for new transportation infrastructure to determine any equity outcomes.

Lack of expertise and / or capacity of disadvantaged communities to engage in the Federal grant - making process, or the process of seeking Federal financial assistance as identified through listening sessions and public comments solicited through a Federal Register Notice. The structure of the Department is such that environmental justice activities are distributed across various Bureaus, and the Department's diverse set of missions - protecting natural resources and cultural heritage, providing scientific and other information about these resources, and honoring our nation's trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities - can make it particularly difficult for community groups or nonprofit organizations from disadvantaged communities to engage with those programs or figure out how to access those funding streams, based on feedback received from community members at broader engagements about federal environmental justice programs. The complexity of the grant process - application forms, timing, process, and requirements - hinders disadvantaged communities from applying for financial assistance, based on feedback received from community members during listening sessions and public comments solicited through a Federal Register Notice. Lack of awareness of the Justice40 Initiative, the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, and the Department's Justice40 Initiative covered programs by some of the underserved and disadvantaged_com we interact with, based on feedback received from community members during engagements with them.

Analysis and outreach, including public listening sessions, performed in response to EO 13985 produced evidence that Tribes, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians were often unaware of the range of grant opportunities available to them and / or lack the technical capacity or time required to apply for grant opportunities which are a central element of the Department's environmental justice efforts. In FY 2022, the Department conducted foundational fact finding, including research and data collection, to develop the Minority - Serving Institutions (MSI) Dashboard and enable essential funding analysis and data modeling needed to assess barriers to achieve the Department's equity outcomes. The DOI utilized the Department of Education's MSI datasets to initiate the analysis of its financial assistance and procurement funding to MSIs. The Department continues efforts to assess how its policies and programs may perpetuate barriers for underserved communities.

Modify the way existing programs are implemented to emphasize the importance of delivering benefits to underserved communities and design new programs equitably, which will ensure that a greater portion of funds flow to those communities. Examples include: For the ORLP, NPS specified the following criteria for emphasis to be considered in the evaluation of proposals for awards in FY 2023: (1) environmental justice, (2) urban heat map areas, and (3) military outdoor recreation. The LWCF State Assistance Program provides grants to States to support the acquisition of land and the development of facilities for public outdoor recreation. The NPS - revised LWCF State Manual, which lays out the requirements for State participation in the program, asks States to be more intentional in selecting LWCF projects that are in alignment with Justice40 Initiative goals and direct States to use the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool in project selection. In order for States to participate in the LWCF program, they must prepare a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan that outlines how they will implement the program. The NPS will also ask States, through their quinquennial updates, to include underserved communities as they identify recreation issues of Statewide importance and the actions States will take to address them. In implementing the BIL AML Program, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is encouraging States and Tribes to prioritize projects that invest in communities marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution, consistent with the President's Justice40 Initiative. This work will be informed by a planned investigation, per the Department's FY 2022 - 2026 Learning Agenda, into identified sites on Tribal lands that require remediation from prior coal mining activity to determine that which is hindering completing reclamation work and identify potential solutions. In implementing the BIL Orphaned Well program, the Department is requesting States and Federal partners receiving funds through the orphaned well program to prioritize plugging and remediation of wells within 0.5 miles of underserved communities as much as possible under legal authorities to maximize the environmental justice impact.

Revise Departmental and Bureau policies to make environmental justice considerations an essential part of the decision - making process, which will help shape program development and implementation to have a greater focus on environmental justice. Examples include: Update the Department's environmental justice policy as stated in the Departmental Manual to reflect EO 14008, entitled " " Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad " " and EO 14096, entitled " " Revitalizing Our Nations Commitment to Environmental Justice for All. " " Create guidance documents for the use of science and data in environmental decision - making to incorporate data related to environmental justice and Indigenous Knowledge, along with an environmental justice science and data integrated decision model. This work, which helps address the Department's priority learning question: " " How well does DOI collect and document traditional knowledge that informs decisions? " ", which is based on feedback received at numerous listening sessions and through public comments that will result in more equitable outcomes by ensuring that the voices of Indigenous communities and communities with environmental justice concerns are part of the decision - making process. The BLM issued an " " Instruction Memorandum about Environmental Justice Implementation " " and " " Addressing Environmental Justice in NEPA FAQs " " in September 2022. These documents update and formalize best practices while recommending methods for scoping, outreach, and analysis in environmental reviews. These policies will help guide BLM staff in implementing environmental justice and Justice40 Initiative and will serve as examples for other Bureaus to develop policies. Expand outreach and assistance efforts to better meet the needs of underserved communities. Priority learning question 4.4 in the Department's FY 2022 - 2026 Learning Agenda asked, " " How can the Department increase stakeholder engagement to improve environmental justice outcomes for infrastructure investments? " " Examples include: Develop a stakeholder relationship management platform to reduce stakeholder fatigue and help staff across the Department learn about the needs communities identify during engagements and consultations. This will lead to more equitable outcomes by increasing the effectiveness and usefulness of engagements. Provide technical assistance for grant writing and grant writers, which we have learned from listening sessions and public comment is an important tool for reducing the barriers to participating in funding opportunities. Work with on - the - ground partners that can help guide and direct our outreach to communities who need it most. For example, the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations has been working with certain Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs) that have facilitated outreach to other NHOs and portions of the community that have not historically applied for or received funding from the Department due to capacity issues or other barriers to participation. This outreach helps inform program design to reach those communities. Use funding provided in the Inflation Reduction Act for outreach regarding permitting environmental reviews and authorizations to perform stakeholder and community engagement, with emphasis on enabling underserved communities to be part of the decision - making process. This will help address a priority learning question in the FY 2022 - 2026 Learning Agenda that inquires how the Department can increase capacity to augment the

Develop and provide training for Departmental staff to improve their ability to work with underserved communities, which was identified through internal discussions with staff as an area of need. Examples include: Develop and host Departmentwide environmental justice training, including on Indigenous Knowledge. Develop a stakeholder toolkit, including an internal needs assessment and gap analysis that enables employees to assess their own skills regarding engagement with communities. Develop a community of practice, mentorship network, and list of DOI employees who work on stakeholder engagement. Develop an environmental justice toolkit site including environmental justice screening and mapping tools compendium for use internally by Department staff. Conduct a geography - focused impact analysis project to develop a more comprehensive understanding of how various Department activities can combine to impact a region. Conduct a Justice40 Initiative covered program pilot evaluation to get a more comprehensive understanding of what is working about a program, what could be modified to remove any identified barriers, and how stakeholders perceive it.

The DOI provided $ 46 million in funding to Tribal communities to address the unique impacts of climate change in Indigenous communities. This initial funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and FY 2022 appropriations funded projects and initiatives address and strengthen climate resilience and adaptation; ocean and coastal management; community - driven relocation and protect - in - place activities; and internships and youth engagement. The DOI announced $ 8.5 million in grant awards by the Office of Insular Affairs ' Energizing Insular Communities program to support energy initiatives in the U.S. Territories. This award included $ 1 million to the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority for the procurement of hybrid and electric utility fleet vehicles and equipment, and $ 1 million to the American Samoa Medical Center Authority for microgrid, cooling tower, and LED lighting retrofit projects. The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) modified the evaluation criteria for WaterSMART grants to encourage projects that directly benefit disadvantaged communities and support climate change resiliency. The NPS announced $ 192 million in funding for the LWCF - Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP), which enables urban, disadvantaged communities to (1) create new outdoor recreation spaces, (2) reinvigorate existing parks, and (3) form connections between people and the outdoors in such communities. As part of the notice of funding opportunity, NPS modified the evaluation criteria in ORLP grants to encourage States to submit projects focused on environmental justice, addressing heat islands, and support for recreation outside of military facilities. The NPS also created two deadlines for the grant - January 23, 2023, and May 31, 2023 - to encourage States to submit more grants. In standing up the BIL Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells Federal Program, DOI established evaluation criteria to prioritize disadvantaged communities, and ensure projects identify and address any disproportionate burden of adverse human health or environmental effects of orphaned wells on communities of color, low - income communities, and Tribal and Indigenous communities. C. Additional Efforts to Advance Equity The DOI launched a Women's Mentoring Program in 2022 to provide a platform for Department employees who would benefit from accessing a women - centered space. With a mission of fostering meaningful relationships through mentorships in which women build knowledge, confidence, leadership, and skills, this program is run by volunteers. It also addresses Federal workforce gender inequalities and supports the administration's National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. The Department's procurement staff and Office of the Solicitor collaborated to develop a vendor communications guidance document. This guidance addresses issues identified during public engagement. Specifically, the guidance seeks to improve how information is conveyed to unsuccessful offerors after award. Such meaningful communication supports new entrants and other small and disadvantaged businesses in learning about Government contracting, grow as a business, and being better poised to submit competitive proposals for future acquisitions.

Increased percentage of Justice40 Initiative covered program benefiting investments going to disadvantaged communities. Increased percentage of benefits going to underserved communities. Increased number of technical assistance engagements that target information sharing and assistance to underserved communities, including increased partnerships and joint events with other Federal agencies.

Increased number of collaborations between Bureaus and Offices across the Department that leverage the impact of individual activities on disadvantaged communities throughout a region. Number of program modifications made to reduce barriers and improved stakeholder perceptions of those programs.

Secretary Haaland announced support for President Biden's establishment of the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni - Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in northern Arizona. The new national monument consists of three distinct areas to the north and south of Grand Canyon National Park, totaling approximately 917,618 acres of Federal lands in northern Arizona. The DOI and Department of Housing and Urban Development collaboratively announced support for more Affordable Housing in Nevada. In support of President Biden's Investing in America agenda investing in climate resilience and ecosystem restoration, DOI highlights Typhoon Recovery, Habitat Investments in Visit to Guam. D. Advancing Equity Through Key Legislation The Department set annual goals for all Bureaus and Offices for contracting with the Indian Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEE). These goals set the expectation that the entire Department, not just the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education, consider the use of the Department's Buy Indian Act authority to set aside contracts for Indian - owned businesses in equal measure to the other statutorily required small business categories. The Department also developed and provided training to all Contracting Officers on the use of the Buy Indian Act. The DOI collaborated with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to hold the first - ever joint industry day event focused on outreach to Indian - owned businesses. This event provided a learning opportunity for Indian - owned businesses to grow their understanding of the Government contracting process and to hear from top executives from both agencies about upcoming business opportunities.

gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or disabilities in any actions related to national parks, wildlife conservation, land management, and cultural heritage preservation. Public lands accessibility focuses on ensuring that everyone benefits from the experiences offered by America's public land, such as national parks, wildlife refuges, and recreation areas. This means removing existing and potential barriers by reasonably modifying the Department's programs and activities to permit equitable access for people who have disabilities as well as provide meaningful access for members of the public who may be limited English proficient.

Increase compliance reviews with respect to granting Federal financial assistance as well as the Department's and Bureau's actions which affect their interaction with the public. Partner with stakeholders to ensure public civil rights statutes, regulations, and EOs are considered early in all actions and processes to ensure that all are aware of their public civil rights obligations and requirements to comply SO that discrimination does not occur. Build and expand on the Department's and Bureau's efforts to allow access for all members of the public to their programs and activities which include the lands managed by the Department SO that all may participate. Increase the staffing in the DOI Public Civil Rights Office and in the Bureaus to meet the increasing demands for outreach, enforcement, and technical assistance.

Implement a comprehensive Language Access Plan for the Department and all Bureaus in order that persons who may be limited English proficient have access to the Department's and Bureaus ' programs and activities. Improve the Department's and Bureaus ' capacity to provide technical assistance and enforcement by ensuring that all Bureaus can conduct compliance reviews and process complaints of discrimination. Develop and implement a system of surveys for accessibility for persons with disabilities to determine where the Department and Bureaus are not providing access to managed lands and facilities as well as their respective programs and activities.

Continue to improve on the Department's comprehensive Language Access Plan in order that persons who may be limited English proficient have access to the Department's and Bureaus ' programs and activities. After building capacity, conduct compliance reviews of the Department's and Bureaus ' programs and activities to determine which programs and activities are out of compliance and then ensure access to all, while also processing all complaints involving these programs and activities. After determining which programs and activities involving the Department's and Bureaus ' managed lands and facilities need improvement, ensure that they are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Officer Mental Health, Wellness, and Safety: Police officer mental health, wellness, and safety are important to achieving equity. When officers face high levels of stress, trauma, or mental health challenges, it can impact their interactions with the community and undermine their ability to serve and protect their communities safely and effectively. This barrier becomes evident through a recent survey of Department law enforcement personnel. The findings revealed that: Only 62 percent rate their mental health as " " good " " or " " great " " during core job functions. Over the last 6 months, 43 percent have experienced mental health concerns. Only 52 percent believe there are sufficient resources for their mental health support. Law Enforcement Program Effectiveness: In October 2022, the Department announced a series of updated policies that will help advance safe, transparent, accountable, and effective policing practices; build public trust; and strengthen public safety. The policies provide clear guidelines on use of force standards, require DOI officers to wear body - worn cameras, and restrict the use of no - knock warrants. These policy updates were part of the Department's continuing implementation of President Biden's May 2022 EO 14074, entitled " " Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety. " "

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Barriers to Equity

Public Participation and Community Engagement

Economic Justice: The Department can use the power of procurement to contract with and support small and disadvantaged businesses, which may help narrow the racial and gender wealth gaps. The Department will improve access to procurement opportunities for businesses owned by underserved communities by identifying and addressing barriers in the Department's procurement process.

The Department of the Interior's (Department or DOI) workforce fulfills its mission to protect and manage the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provide scientific and other information about those resources; and honor its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated island communities. The Department plays a pivotal role in how the United States stewards its public lands and waters, increases environmental protections, pursues environmental justice, and respects our nation - to - nation relationship with Tribes. The Department is advancing this mission by embracing opportunities to promote equity in all actions through prioritizing the strengthening of interactions with the public in civil, equitable, and engaging ways that authentically demonstrate our pledge to equity. Likewise, DOI has taken a holistic approach ensuring equity is embedded throughout policy and program development and delivery across the agency.

To address these barriers, DOI will:

Executive Order (EO) 14091, entitled " " Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government, " " cascades and builds upon EO 13985, entitled " " Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. " " The Department externally focuses its lens to refine and redefine how we engage with underserved communities throughout the Nation to build on progress and ensure DOI's success through building meaningful sustainability for generations to come. Further, advancing equity is a principle that is reflected in how the Department serves the American people and fulfills its mission. In drafting this Equity Action Plan, DOI was guided by an evidence - based approach that utilizes qualitative and quantitative methods to identify root causes in order to identify and fundamentally address systemic barriers to equity. As the Department continues to grow in this space, we are taking immediate steps to further explore improvements to equity analytical capabilities. By shifting beyond data analytics and encompassing technical and process analysis, DOI is better informed to fortify all its lines of business and tangible outcomes. The Department is proud to put forward this Equity Action Plan, which provides the foundation to achieve outcomes that remove barriers to equal opportunity and deliver resources and benefits equitably to all.

The Department protects and manages the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust and treaty responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated island communities. The Department plays a pivotal role in how the United States stewards its public lands and waters, increases environmental protections, pursues environmental justice, and respects our nation - to - nation relationship with Tribes.

To develop this strategy, the Department hosted listening sessions that attracted diverse participation from across the country, with sessions ranging from 30 to 400 + registrants. Likewise, the Department invited public comments through the Federal Register and participated in the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and Department of Energy's Government - wide equity crowdsourcing campaign. The Department also surveyed employees and conducted a policy review. The DOI will continue to engage with the public and specifically with members of underserved communities in similar ways throughout the next year.

Environmental Justice: Secure environmental justice and spur economic opportunity by addressing disproportionate and adverse health and environmental impacts, including from climate change and cumulative impacts, on marginalized and overburdened communities. Implement the Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments (e.g., in clean energy, climate, pollution reduction, and critical infrastructure, flow to disadvantaged communities across rural, urban, and Tribal areas).

The Department used multiple data points to identify the best strategies which yield the highest and most meaningful outcomes. Such datasets include recreation activities data, Every Kid Outdoors voucher data (https: / / everykidoutdoors.gov / index.htm), outdoor participation report, 200 - day report, internal focus groups, and external public listening sessions.

To address these barriers, DOI will:

To develop these strategies, DOI engaged with the public and members of underserved communities through public participation and community engagement. Such engagements included strategic outreach - surveys and workshops - to communities with initial reporting to reflect on whether their needs are being met and determine if their feedback is being included in park programming, visitor satisfaction, and accessibility.

Incorporate environmental justice considerations into Department policies and program designs and expand outreach to communities with environmental justice concerns to increase the proportion of the benefits of the Department's Justice40 Initiative covered programs that reach disadvantaged communities.

Environmental Justice: Secure environmental justice and spur economic opportunity by implementing the Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments, flow to disadvantaged communities across rural, urban, and Tribal areas.

As outlined in the Department's FY 2022 - 2026 Learning Agenda, to address the Priority Learning Question " " How can DOI remove barriers to participation and ensure equitable access to the Department's grant and contracting opportunities for historically underrepresented populations?, " " planned activities include data and analysis related to awards, applications and determining whether a specific step in the process of grant award and management demonstrates a statistically significant disparity of underrepresented groups. This evaluation will also explore whether a specific step in the process demonstrates a statistically significant disparity increase. The DOI will conduct extensive stakeholder outreach, surveys, and other data gathering, which will inform how we act to modify the implementation of existing programs SO that those changes reduce barriers to participation.

Developing a quantitative and qualitative approach with emphasis on evidence - based findings, public participation, and community engagement informed this plan's scope of refinement. To this end, DOI has established five focus areas that support its mission and have strong potential for equity impact. These five foundational focus areas also distinctively linked to equity objectives, including civil rights, criminal justice, economic justice, and environmental justice. The five focus areas are:

To address these barriers, DOI will