Procurement

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.

In partnership with the White House Task Force on New Americans and the Interagency NWG, bring together professionals with equities in immigrant integration and citizenship education from the National Immigrant Integration & Citizenship Education Conference to provide access and inclusion. In FY 2024, expand the number of Citizenship Ambassadors, who help demystify the naturalization process and increase awareness of the life - changing impact of U.S. citizenship, and explore the possibility of hiring a private vendor to conduct various marketing activities to promote naturalization. Annually track the number and percentage of successful applicants from groups of LPRs who have historically been less likely to apply for naturalization to review factors that contributed to increased access to the naturalization process.

Year - over - year increase in the number and percentage of individuals who are successful in naturalization proceedings (i.e., pass English and civics tests, respond to Requests for Evidence, navigate the legal eligibility review during the naturalization interview, and become citizens). Annual percentage increase of the number of enrollees in grantee programs (e.g., citizenship courses and assistance in completing naturalization forms). Percentage of enrolled students who post - test (i.e., complete courses), percentage of enrolled students who demonstrate learning gains between pre - test and post - test, number of individuals who received a naturalization eligibility screening, number of enrollees who file a Form N - 400 and a Form G - 28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative), and number of enrollees who file a fee waiver. Year - over - year increase in the number of medical professionals eligible to fill out Form N - 648. Reduction in time and expense related to applicants ' completion of Form N - 648.

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.

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. " "

(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.

Number of new TVTP grantees representing underserved community organizations. Number of training sessions on threat assessments and management capabilities for prevention professionals. Number of equity - focused and cultural competency training sessions conducted by community members for frontline practitioners and mental health specialists. Incorporation of public health focused frameworks in local law enforcement and mental health systems tracking DVE risk identification and mitigation to improve the capacity of community prevention professionals. Number of public education sessions regarding targeted violence prevention concerning diversity and equity related issues.

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 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.

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

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.

Ensure Tribal representation in DHS advisory councils, committees, or other groups. Pursue modifications to service delivery, including where legislative fixes are needed. Utilize the Secretary's Tribal Homeland Security Advisory Council's forthcoming recommendations on ways to enhance equitable access to the Department's programs and resources, including grant opportunities.

Number of DHS grant funds awarded to Tribal Nations. Number of Tribal consultations to expand partnerships and disseminate technical assistance for grant awards. Number of complaints alleging mishandling of Tribal sacred, ceremonial, or cultural items. Training sessions conducted on appropriate handling of Tribal sacred, ceremonial or cultural items. Number of Tribal Nation representatives participating in advisory councils and committees.

Changes in the number of Tribal governments accessing federal grants. Increased Tribal Nation capacity and infrastructure dedicated to obtaining federal resources. Changes in administrative burdens reported and experienced by Tribes through the grant application process. Changes in annual amount of grant funds awarded to Tribes.

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

Year - over - year change in number or proportion of applicant cases in compliance (e.g., has properly applied for asylum, is determined to be a refugee as defined under section 101 (a) (42) (A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and is not " " barred " " from receiving asylum). Year - over - year increase in the number of cases adjudicated by USCIS. Track the proportion of " " reopens " " that are granted asylum or other form of relief. Decrease in processing time from USCIS interview to admission to the U.S. (goal is down to three months). Increase in the number of supporting letters provided by labor agencies on behalf of workers at worksites they are investigating.

Annually track application processing time by applicant type (rendering of final decision) controlling for location and other factors. Cost savings to relevant applicants; reduced burden on USCIS to adjudicate fee waiver requests likely to be approved. Increase in the percentage of virtual asylum orientation sessions. Increase in the number of workers requesting deferred action through the centralized process.

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.

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).

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.

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).

DHS regularly engages with underserved communities and stakeholder groups, including those representing diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities; the LGBTQI + community; persons who are limited English proficient; individuals with disabilities; and others. For example, in September 2022, Secretary Mayorkas announced the appointment of 25 members to the reinvigorated Faith - Based Security Advisory Council. The Council's membership, with representatives from the Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh faith communities, as well as law enforcement, has met three times and has issued recommendations on enhancing information sharing with faith - based organizations, improving the accessibility of DHS grants and resources, and building trust and partnerships with faith - based communities.

In April 2022, DHS released its inaugural Equity Action Plan, setting forth strategies and concrete action items to advance equity in seven key homeland security programs: (1) applying for naturalization; (2) accessing humanitarian protection during immigration processing; (3) bidding on DHS contracts; (4) countering domestic violent extremism and targeted violence; (5) filing complaints and seeking redress in DHS programs and activities; (6) airport screening; and (7) accessing Trusted Traveler Programs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued its own Equity Action Plan, focusing on strategies to advance equity in high - impact, public - facing programs: Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and Procurement.

limits, and waiver authority. See IA Program Equity Unified Agenda. In FY 2024, FEMA is restructuring and updating the guidance for assigning Public Assistance Program Delivery Managers to ensure better technical assistance for historically underserved and vulnerable applicants. 13

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.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is procuring portable handheld tools that provide real - time translation at sea to augment in - person translators. The tools are currently being developed by two vendors to meet specific USCG requirements and are in different phases of development. The portable translators are expected to provide instant off - line translations at sea for 16 different languages, including, but not limited to: Arabic, Chinese - Mandarin, German, French, Haitian - Creole, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian - Iranian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. In addition, the tools will have the capability to translate documents (text - to - voice).

MBDA's Capital Readiness Program. The total amount of capital raised and the number of SEDI - owned businesses that have formed or scaled. MBDA Business Centers. Increase percentage of MBEs and increase the percentage of public / federal contracts awarded to MBEs. EDA's Build to Scale. Build public and private capacity for entrepreneurs and innovators to invent, improve, and bring to market new products and services in critical, emerging, and transformative sectors and industries; accelerate the growth of regional economies that are focused on industries of the future; and equitably and inclusively increase access to capital for technology - enabled entrepreneurs. USPTO's Council for Inclusive Innovation. Assess the number of patents and trademarks filed and granted through the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program. ITA's Global Diversity Export Initiative. Increase exports coming from businesses in underserved communities. ITA's Rural Export Center. Increase exports coming from businesses in rural communities.

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.

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. Percentage increase in broadband availability and adoption, and socioeconomic outcomes such as jobs created and increased labor productivity, business activity, and positive local and regional economic impacts. EDA's Good Jobs Challenge. Increased hiring of local workers into in - demand jobs including from underrepresented communities; wage growth; closure of employment gaps for employers in critical competitive sectors like clean tech, manufacturing, and supporting care economy jobs (e.g. childcare, education); increased capacity of workforce development, higher education, non - profits, and unions to increase domestic job quality in targeted sectors; strong, agile community networks able to respond to quickly changing skills and talent needs necessary for US global competitiveness. EDA's Recompete Pilot Program. To be determined, though EDA anticipates it will track the change in the Prime - Age Employment Gap, per capita wages, and long - term comprehensive economic development for regions awarded implementation grants. EDA's STEM Talent Challenge. The number of jobs created, wage or earnings growth, the number of participants trained; the amount of private investment matched; and demographic data of participants. Million Women in Construction Initiative. The number of women employed in the construction industry by requiring funding recipients of both the Internet for All program and the CHIPS program to report the demographics of their workforce. Given the nature of the timeline of those programs, the Department does not expect to begin receiving demographic data from funding recipients until 2024.

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.

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.

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.

Leverage MBDA Business Centers. MBDA will continue to leverage its 41 Business Centers and nine Specialty Centers focused on procurement, exporting, and manufacturing. With nationwide coverage and grants totaling $ 16.4 million, these centers provide high - quality business advisory services, counseling, and mentoring to MBEs to access capital, contracts, and grants. Implement EDA's Build to Scale (B2S). EDA awards and manages a portfolio of grants designed to increase regional capacity to strengthen ecosystems that equitably and inclusively support diverse technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups. EDA will run two types of B2S programs. First, the Venture Challenge will fund organizations to start and speed up regional growth through technology - based economic development and by strengthening regional innovation ecosystems that promote the commercialization of new technologies, grow industry clusters, and lead to better - paying jobs. Second, the Capital Challenge awards provide programmatic and operation support for the formation, launch, and or scale of investment capital for technology companies to start and scale.

MBDA Business Centers. Number of MBEs served and reached; gross revenues generated (including contracts); percent of clients increased profits; the value of financing / bonding / capital, number of jobs created and retained; and the number of formed strategic partners. EDA's Build to Scale. The number of entrepreneurs and startups that participate in the program; the value of investment fund capital raised; number of 1 - on - 1 meetings with potential investors; number of clients secured funding; number of patents; number of new technologies were commercialized, licensed, or brought to market; number of training or skills assistance sessions were hosted; number of seed stage, angel investment, or early - stage venture capital deals made; number of outreach and networking events were hosted; number of mentoring and coaching sessions hosted; number of products launched; and number of jobs created or retained. USPTO's Council for Inclusive Innovation. The number of students participating in law school clinics and the number of law schools participating in the clinic certification program. ITA's Global Diversity Export Initiative. Number of export and investment clients assisted, including clients from underserved communities. For FY 2023, the GDEI target is to assist 458 clients. As of August 2, ITA had assisted 695 clients, reaching 152 percent of the established goal. ITA's Rural Export Center. The number of businesses in rural communities that have been assisted or benefited. ITA has already achieved its REC assistance goals for FY 2023 by assisting 410 clients, 170 more than the original goal.

Collaborating Agencies: Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Small Business Administration (8 (a) Graduates, Department of State, Department of Treasury, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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.

MBDA's Capital Readiness Program. Number of Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual (SEDI) entrepreneurs served, number of SEDI entrepreneurs that graduated from the project, number of networking or match - making events hosted, number of SEDI entrepreneurs or SEDI - owned business pitches to capital providers, number of SEDI - owned businesses formed or scaled, and total amount of capital raised (equity investments / debt / grants).

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.

Implementing DE Programs. The $ 2.75 billion program includes three grant programs that promote digital inclusion and equity to ensure that all individuals and communities have access to the skills and tools needed to reap the full benefits of our digital economy. Since late 2022, NTIA has awarded State DE Planning Grant funds to 56 states and territories and expects digital equity plans to be submitted starting in late 2023.

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:

he Department has long declared its mission is " " to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. " " T In 2022, Secretary Raimondo and Deputy Secretary Graves created the Department's new mission statement: " " to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities. " " To include " " for all " " is a small change with a significant meaning. The addition acknowledges that global competitiveness and sustained economic growth require that all communities have an opportunity to participate in the 21st - century economy. This new mission embodies the Department's commitment to institutionalizing equity across policy design, grant development, external outreach, and program implementation strategies. In short, inclusive growth is good economics. We will fail to meet our full potential as a nation unless we harness the talents and strengths of communities in all parts of the country.

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

Building innovation: In June 2023, NTIA announced funding allocations for the $ 42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. BEAD funding will be used to deploy or upgrade broadband networks to ensure everyone in America has access to reliable, affordable, high - speed internet service. Once deployment goals are met, any remaining funding can be used to pursue eligible access, adoption, and equity - related uses. Announced in June and September 2023, NTIA's Middle Mile (MM) program provided nearly a billion dollars in grants across 36 organizations across 40 states and territories to support the construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle - mile infrastructure, reduce the cost of bringing high - speed internet to unserved and underserved communities, and increase the resilience of internet infrastructure. Lastly, the purpose of the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP) is to build partnerships between states and internet service providers to expand internet access to areas without service, especially rural areas. With $ 288 million, NTIA awarded 14 recipients, and projects began breaking ground this year.

In Fall 2022, the Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that all $ 3 billion in American Rescue Plan dollars had been released across 780 awards through six innovative grant programs. Additionally, EDA committed $ 300 million to American coal communities through its Coal Communities Commitment. Ultimately, EDA exceeded the commitment and awarded $ 551 million to coal communities.

Growing businesses and expanding the workforce: The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has increased investments in its national network of programs to include an expansion of 35 Business Centers to 41 and provided $ 2.62 million in Federal Procurement Supplemental awards to 26 existing Business Centers to support the President " " Investing in America " " agenda to expand contracting opportunities to minority business enterprises. MBDA also launched the Capital Readiness Program (CRP) on December 17, 2022. With $ 125 million, CRP will fund business incubators or accelerators designed to prepare underserved entrepreneurs and business owners to secure capital from the $ 10 billion State Small Business Credit Initiative and other capital sources. In late summer of 2023, MBDA announced the 43 competition winners.

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.

To better support minority - serving anchor institutions, NTIA is implementing the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC), which provides $ 268 million in grant funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic - Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Minority - Serving Institutions (MSIs) to purchase broadband internet service and eligible equipment or to hire and train information technology personnel, to upgrade classroom technology, and to increase digital literacy skills. In February 2023, NTIA announced that all funding from this grant program had been awarded to 93 universities, including 43 HBCUs, 31 HSIs, 21 MSIs, and five TCUs.

To increase entrepreneurship and access to quality jobs for women, ITA's Women Accessing Global E - Commerce Initiative (WAGE) is dedicated to building the capacity of women - owned businesses and entrepreneurs to engage in cross - border e - commerce to scale and create more jobs. To date, ITA has established seven strategic partnerships with organizations that provide training programs and counseling. EDA's Good Jobs Challenge (GJC) encouraged applicants to reach underserved communities, including women, through their awards, and nearly 90 percent of GJC Challenge grantees have investments that focus on uplifting women's access to good - paying jobs in America's workforce. Additionally, wraparound services are a key provision for all GJC awardees. Such support is essential for ensuring participants can access training and job opportunities. While childcare is not exclusively accessed by women, all 32 grantees have included childcare as a key area for supportive services in their projects.

The American Rescue Plan funded EDA's $ 1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) and $ 500 million Good Jobs Challenge (GJC) program. For both programs, EDA has made geographic diversity a top priority, and for the first time in history, the Department has its own grant program that invests in industry - led workforce training and registered apprenticeships - focusing on underserved communities, including women and people of color.

CHIPS also authorized funds later appropriated in the FY 2023 omnibus to NIST and EDA to launch programs. With $ 1.5 billion, NTIA's Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund will help drive wireless innovation, strengthen supply chain resilience, and help unlock opportunities for innovation and competition in a market historically dominated by a few suppliers. With $ 500 million, the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program will drive regional technology - centric growth by leveraging existing innovation capacity to catalyze the creation of good jobs in the industries of the future for American workers at all skill levels equitably and inclusively. With $ 200 million, the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete) will provide grants to eligible communities to alleviate persistent economic distress, supporting long - term comprehensive economic development and job creation.

NIST's CHIPS. The CHIPS Program (CPO) is committed to building strong communities that share in the prosperity of the semiconductor industry. This commitment includes promoting a sustainable, competitive domestic semiconductor industry; facilitating the creation and expansion of innovation clusters through economies of scale and investments across the supply chain; and generating benefits for a broad range of stakeholders and communities, including workers; small businesses; minority - owned, veteran - owned, and women - owned businesses; and universities and colleges. For instance, applicants were asked to outline proactive efforts to include such businesses in a project's construction and production supply chain, to make a commitment to tracking and disclosing disaggregated data on supplier diversity and contractor / subcontractor diversity, to build robust outreach plans for engaging with small businesses; minority - owned, veteran - owned, and women - owned businesses, and to identify sectoral partnerships to support

high - quality, equitable workforce development strategies. CHIPS Incentives applicants are expected to describe how they will collect and report demographically disaggregated data on workforce efforts. Additionally, applicants will have to describe how they will track and disclose data on supplier diversity that is demographically disaggregated (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, veteran status), including statistics on what share of suppliers are majority - owned by different groups.

1. Procurement and Contracting; 2. Military Installations and Bases; 3. Military Family Equity Advancement; 4. Equity Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research and Development; and 5. Underserved Community Investment.

Established the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) - led University Affiliated Research Center at Howard University in Tactical Autonomy. Awarded 82 grants to HBCU / MI researchers totaling $ 61.7M, which represents a record amount of research grants given to HBCU / MI research projects. Placed 114 interns at 13 defense laboratories and OSD organizations through the DoD HBCU / MI Summer Research Internship program in Summer 2023. Sponsored six town halls in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to facilitate discussions on equitable research and the educational partnerships necessary to advance HBCU / MI involvement in defense research activities.

Track NALEMP funding execution. Track DERP funding execution. Track grant funding of awards and execution on Guam.

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

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

Closed 13 FY 2021 Cooperative Agreements (CAs) in Q4 2023. At the beginning of Q2 2023, DoD finalized and approved the FY 2023 Short List of NALEMP projects and budgets for 14 Federally Recognized Tribes. The Short List is a list of Tribes with eligible sites that have been approved for NALEMP funding to address past DoD environmental impacts on Indian lands and other locations where DoD, an Indian tribe, and the current landowner agree that such mitigation is appropriate. These FY 2023 CAs are expected to be executed by Q4 2023. Additionally, NALEMP is currently considering 16 Tribes for FY 2024 CAs. Completed over half of the Preliminary Assessments / Site Inspections (PA / SI) at 707 installations where DoD may have used and potentially released PFAS materials. DoD obligated $ 2.0 billion (B) through FY 2022 to conduct PFAS - related drinking water mitigation, investigations, and cleanup on its installations, as well as in nearby communities. Awarded three non - construction planning and organization assistance grants to Guam in FY 2022 totaling $ 2.3 million (M) to address cumulative DoD socioeconomic and environmental impacts in Guam. Provided approximately $ 218M in appropriated funding for outside - the - fence investments in Guam, including a cultural repository ($ 12M), public health lab ($ 32M), upgrades to the Northern District Wastewater Treatment Plant ($ 139.3M), Interceptor Sewer Refurbishment ($ 30.6M), Northern Guam Lens Aquifer Monitoring System ($ 3.7M), and surface transportation network improvements ($ 246M). Three of the five Guam outside - the - fence investments are complete, one is under construction, and one is completing final design. All projects are estimated to be completed by 2025. Initiated a robust environmental cleanup communication and outreach effort to improve transparency and engage communities affected by DoD's cleanup activities.

Action 1 - Procurement and Contracting

The DoD brought together a team that includes leaders responsible for implementing these Executive Orders. Additionally, because the DoD's EAP 2023 Update addresses the requirements of several different Executive Orders, the DoD worked closely with the Domestic Policy Council and the Office of Management and Budget and selected the following Strategies for the 2023 EAP Update:

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

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,

deployment, and accelerates America's transition to a resilient, equitable energy future through direct investments in manufacturing capacity and workforce development. The Grid Deployment Office, which offers the Grid Resilience Innovation Program and provides financial assistance grants for grid resilience, smart grid, and grid innovation projects. This year, Secretary Granholm has prioritized visiting rural areas across the region including Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Georgia, where she spoke about clean energy investments for Tribal communities and well - paying energy union jobs, met with local labor leaders, and led town halls.

(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.

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.

(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.

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.

Stakeholders have routinely expressed frustration in accessing DOE opportunities. DOE is underutilizing federal acquisition statutory and regulatory authority to provide procurement opportunities to underrepresented groups.

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.

Increase the number of federal and DOE acquisition awards to new entrants. Increase usage of DOE and SBA Mentor Protégé Programs.

U.S. Energy Information Administration U.S. Digital Services National Science Foundation National Laboratories White House Council on Environmental Quality White House Office of Management and Budget U.S. Department of Labor U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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

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.

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

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.

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

In FY 2022 and FY 2023, Congress appropriated EM $ 56M in each year for EM's Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP), a program designed to promote the education and development of the next generation workforce in critical science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related disciplines in support of EM's mission. EM MSIPP grants assist minority serving institution (MSI) efforts to build competitive academic STEM programs and to purchase the tools and equipment necessary for scientific learning. In FY 2022, EM awarded $ 30M in financial assistance to MSIs in South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington. These grants help to develop highly qualified STEM students and foster a well - trained, technically skilled, and inclusive workforce. In FY 2023, EM reviewed MSI applications for potential financial assistance through the EM MSIPP 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.

Procurement (Acquisition and Financial Assistance)

and business opportunities resulting from investments via BIL and IRA. DOE co - sponsored the July 2023 WHIAANHPI Regional Economic Summit to share federal and DOE employment and contracting opportunities with AA and NHPI communities and connect with stakeholders on energy justice. In FY 2023, EJE also met with the Small Business Diversity Network focused on AA and NHPI business owners to share opportunities.

Strategy # 3: Increase and improve access to procurement opportunities (acquisition and financial assistance) for new entrants, small, and historically disadvantaged businesses.

DOE will support government - wide activities that OMB (e.g., OFPP, Office of Federal Financial Management) is undertaking to advance the Administration's equity objectives in contracting and financial assistance.

This information will be updated when SBA issues the FY 2024 Goaling Memorandum for DOE, which is expected in January 2024. Additionally, to fulfill the President's vision on equity in procurement and meet his goal of increasing annual spend to SBDs to 15 % by FY 2025, SBA has negotiated FY 2023 SDB goals with federal agencies SO that, in the aggregate, federal agencies can reach a government - wide goal of 12 % of total eligible contract spending (OMB M - 22 - 03).

Increase new entrants into DOE market and track data being provided by the Supplier Dashboard located at Supplier Base Dashboard D2D (gsa.gov) and captured in the DOE SB Scorecard at Individual Scorecard (sba.gov).

In an effort to advance equity and justice, spur job creation and, accelerate economic development, DOE now requires CBPs as part of BIL and IRA funding opportunities and loan applications. These plans are based on a set of four core policy priorities:

Current approaches to awarding DOE procurement opportunities lead to inequitable outcomes among economically disadvantaged groups. The Department of Energy, along with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), co - sponsored two nation - wide crowdsourcing campaigns, and found that women - owned small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, minority - owned small businesses, veteran - owned small businesses; Tribal - owned and Native American - owned small businesses; and Historically Under - utilized Business Zone (HUBZone) businesses lack clarity on procurement and subcontracting (and other funding mechanisms) opportunities, processes, and procedures. The Department also found that DOE is underutilizing federal acquisition statutory and regulatory authority to award procurement opportunities to underrepresented groups. Based on these data points, DOE will fully exercise its statutory and regulatory authority to expand opportunities for new entrants and small and disadvantaged businesses in DOE procurements (acquisition and financial assistance).

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.

Administration (SBA) Dynamic Small Business Search, General Services Administration (GSA) Market Research as a Service Request for Information (RFI) Tool to increase procurement awards to small business and other disadvantaged socioeconomic categories. In FY 2023, these robust market research techniques resulted in awards valued at approximately $ 70.5 million (M) for Women Owned Small Businesses; $ 55.6M for Veteran Owned Small Businesses; $ 38.5M for Tribal - Owned and Native American Owned Small Businesses; and $ 3.8M for HUBZone Businesses.

ongoing and emerging technician and skilled craft trades needs at National Laboratories and covered facilities of National Security Enterprise (NSE) and supports grants to develop or strengthen apprenticeship training programs in coordination with NSE labs and covered facilities ' defined needs. NNSA awarded two five - year grants totaling $ 2.17M to Hardinge Inc. and the Association of Journeyman and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Local 412. Hardinge, located in Elmira, N.Y., will receive $ 978,053 for the project Level Up @ Hardinge, which will recruit and train apprentices in advanced manufacturing for workforces at Los Alamos (LANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories as well as the Kansas City National Security Campus and the Y - 12 National Security Complex.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

A Message from Joan Mooney, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget of the United States Department of the Interior

Advance equity in the Department's contracting practices to include businesses with characteristics that align with the definition of underserved communities.

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.

Develop a small business toolkit. The Department will continue to develop, adapt, and post new tools and resources that promote the inclusion of underserved communities in DOI procurement engagements.

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.

In executing the Department's diverse mission goals, DOI spends more than $ 3 billion annually in procurement contracts. These contracts are performed throughout the country across a wide variety of industries, from construction to information technology and beyond. The Department is committed to ensuring a diverse supplier base for these contracts because businesses of all types should realize economic and developmental benefits from DOI's contract dollars - and DOI's programs benefit from diverse experience, background, and expertise.

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.

A. Removing barriers to access to grant funding and resources for organizations led by and that primarily serve historically marginalized and underserved communities that have faced societal and systemic barriers in accessing and receiving Federal resources, as well as to communities disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. B. Supporting corrections and reentry programs that seek to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for justice - involved individuals (including those from historically marginalized and underserved communities and those disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization), including by improving healthcare coverage and continuity of care supports, reducing barriers to obtaining government - issued identification, addressing burdens associated with inability to pay fines and fees, and improving community supervision models to decrease incidence of revocation for technical violations. C. Promoting an inclusive, diverse, and expert law enforcement workforce to strengthen public trust and improve public safety outcomes by removing barriers to representation within Federal, State, Tribal, local, and territorial law enforcement agencies for underrepresented communities. D. Improving the response of law enforcement and criminal justice personnel to crimes that disproportionately affect women, girls, transgender individuals, and gender non - conforming people (including gender - based violence and sex trafficking) by providing and / or supporting: (1) targeted training on how to investigate and prosecute these crimes; (2) training and resources on trauma - informed and culturally responsive approaches, care, and services available to victims; and (3) resources and support for building relationships with and increasing access to services and assistance for historically marginalized and underserved communities. E. Ensuring that underserved communities (including people with LEP and people with disabilities, among others) are aware of and able to access legal services to address environmental crime, pollution, climate change, and other environmental hazards and have help navigating the legal and regulatory landscape necessary to secure access to clean water, air, and other natural resources.

Combating hate crimes and hate incidents. The Department has increased multilingual resources to combat hate crimes through Federal law enforcement action and enhanced training, support, and outreach to State and local partners. For example, DOJ has further prioritized civil rights violations and hate crimes enforcement among the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) field offices. As of September 2023, DOJ launched the United Against Hate program in all 94 U.S. Attorneys ' Offices (USAOs) to help improve the reporting of hate crimes by informing communities on how to identify, report, and help prevent hate crimes, and to encourage trust building between law enforcement and communities. 10 Reforming law enforcement practices. Pursuant to EO 14074, 11 DOJ is executing on more than 90 Executive Order deliverables to advance effective, fair, and constitutional policing; improve conditions of confinement and reentry; promote officer safety and wellness; and improve data collection and analysis. This work includes prohibiting the transfer or purchase of military - style weapons and equipment to State, Tribal, Local and Territorial (STLT) law enforcement agencies (LEAs), administering grants in a manner that is consistent with the adoption of EO 14074 ' s policies, creating accreditation standards to help encourage STLT LEAs to adopt policies consistent with the EO, and working to establish the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database. DOJ also released a Strategic Plan for supporting the goals of the Federal Interagency Alternatives and Reentry Committee, which seeks to safely reduce criminal justice system interactions, support rehabilitation during incarceration, and facilitate successful reentry. 12 Lastly, DOJ has invested in state - and local - level correctional services, including by supporting correctional and educational institutions as they enhance post - secondary educational opportunities in prisons following the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students in July 2023. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is also expanding access to Pell Grants within Federal correctional facilities to help incarcerated students earn college credits and / or a college degree. Combating sexual misconduct and gender - based violence. CRT has developed resources to assist Department prosecutors and investigators in understanding how to use Federal civil rights statutes to redress sexual misconduct. 13 DOJ has also produced a report related to sexual misconduct by BOP employees, which offers actionable recommendations to improve

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA). 19 BSCA provides DOJ with essential tools to help reduce gun violence. Notably, BSCA established new criminal offenses that address straw purchasing and firearms trafficking, changes to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and provided additional grant funding to reduce gun violence. BSCA also changed the background check process and narrowed what was known as the " " boyfriend loophole " " by expanding the misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence (MCDV) prohibitor to persons convicted, on or after June 25, 2022, of a qualifying offense that was committed against a person with whom they are or recently were in a dating relationship. In August 2022, NICS began denying the transfer of firearms from Federal firearms licensees to applicants based on the expanded definition of MCDV. Not Invisible Act Commission. The Joint Commission on Reducing Violent Crime Against Indians (Commission) was extended to increase intergovernmental coordination in combating violent crime within Indian lands and against Indigenous persons. Department components are supporting the work of the Commission, which is developing recommendations on establishing best practices for Federal, State, Tribal, and local LEAs to improve coordination and resources for survivors and victims ' families and combating the epidemic of missing, murdered, and trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples. In 2023, the Commission held field hearings in the communities most affected by this crisis, which will result in a final report to the U.S. Congress, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of the Department of the Interior. V. Strategies to Advance Equity in Fiscal Year 2024 A. Strategy 1. Removing Barriers to Access to Federal Grantmaking (Economic and Criminal Justice Strategy)

VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022. 17 DOJ is implementing the Alaska Pilot Program (Pilot Program) to advance the public safety needs of Alaska Native Villages through the expansion of Tribal criminal jurisdiction over non - Indians who commit certain covered crimes in Villages designated by the Attorney General to participate in the Pilot Program. In furtherance of this work, the Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) has led formal consultations with Tribal leaders and continues to collaborate with Tribal representatives and organizations to develop the Pilot Program. In addition, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) issued a special solicitation for Alaska Tribes interested in preparing for the Pilot Program through funding under the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative. The USAO for the District of Alaska also convened approximately 800 Tribes and Tribal agencies, LEAs, and victims ' services organizations to establish the Alaska Tribal Public Safety Advisory Committee, as required by the Reauthorization. In connection with the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, the Attorney General and OVW are authorized to make grants to

These organizations have faced barriers to participating in Federal grant programs, including a lack of sustained outreach to inform these communities about available Federal funding and technical assistance opportunities; a lack of resources and training to navigate complex Federal grant application processes and recordkeeping obligations in some population - specific organizations; 20 and a lack of trust in Federal agencies or negative past experiences interfacing with government

Research shows that through funding and technical assistance, population - specific organizations can play a significant role in effectively implementing system strategies. In fact, supporting these organizations improves outcomes by leveraging their established role as trusted community resources and relying on their proven knowledge of communities, including historically marginalized and underserved communities. For example, the White House Alternatives, Rehabilitation, and Reentry Strategic Plan stressed the need to invest in culturally responsive strategies to break the cycle of criminal justice system involvement for those disproportionately exposed to or victimized by crime. In addition, the 2023 U.S. National Plan to End Gender - Based Violence (the Plan), reaffirmed the need to support historically marginalized and underserved communities, immigrant survivors, and victims in rural communities, among others. Specifically, the Plan identified strategies to support these communities, including by simplifying the grantmaking process and utilizing partnerships with community - trusted organizations to serve as funding intermediaries for selected Federal grants. 22

This economic and criminal justice strategy seeks to improve and increase access to grant funding and technical assistance resources that benefit communities disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization at the State, Tribal, Territorial, and local level. As such, this strategy seeks to empower these communities to develop tailored initiatives and solutions to ensure more effective and transformative public safety outcomes.

To advance this strategy, DOJ's grantmaking components have and will continue to implement two key actions, among others. First, DOJ is simplifying its grantmaking application process, has enhanced application assistance support, has worked to eliminate unnecessary application requirements, 23 and has increased the use of plain language in solicitations. DOJ also offers webinars to potential applicants to walk through the award programs and their specific application requirements. 24

Second, the Department is working to ensure that the needs of historically marginalized and underserved communities are considered in the grantmaking process. 25 In SO doing, DOJ administers several grant programs that aim to ensure that population - specific organizations and the communities they serve have more equitable access to funding and that such funding is tailored to their needs. 26 In addition, the Department employs several flexible funding models to support organizations at different stages of growth, including by offering planning grants for new organizations, capacity - building grants for expanding organizations, implementation grants for established entities, and intermediary funding models that provide subawards and capacity - building technical assistance to community - based organizations.

In order to craft this equity strategy, the Department relied on the research referenced above as well as feedback from community partners, and current and potential Federal grantees. DOJ's engagements with organizations that represent, serve, or are led by historically marginalized and underserved communities, are critical to better understanding the funding needs and barriers they face in order to mitigate those barriers and meet those needs, where possible.

In terms of direct engagement with communities, DOJ has hosted listening sessions with population - specific organizations, met with law enforcement groups, and developed outreach materials targeted to various population - and linguistic - specific communities. Of note, from May 2022 to May 2023, OVW visited organizations serving historically marginalized and underserved, Tribal, and rural communities to learn about emerging issues and barriers to accessing Federal funding. OVW also conducted listening sessions with community - based organizations serving sexual assault survivors in underserved communities to solicit feedback on grant solicitations, reporting, and management.

In 2023, ATJ, in collaboration with CRT and the Department's grantmaking components, conducted outreach to current recipients regarding DOJ's funding tools, which included discussing funding solicitation language, award conditions, award letters, and application instructions to determine whether those resources were clear, effective, and accessible. Participants noted that the process for applying for Federal funding can be cumbersome, obtuse, and time - consuming for potential applicants, especially applicants with limited resources and expertise in DOJ's processes. In response to this feedback, the Department has, as much as practicable, employed the use of plain language in drafting its solicitation templates, and is currently developing guidance on best practices to simplify application requirements.

In the near to mid - term, DOJ will use data to assess its efforts to improve the grantmaking application process and community engagement efforts to ensure that the Department has succeeded in reaching organizations serving and / or led by historically marginalized and underserved communities and will measure any increases in community engagements. In the near to long - term, DOJ will identify and pilot opportunities to collect the data necessary to ascertain whether these equity actions are increasing applications from population - specific organizations and reaching historically marginalized and underserved communities and those disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. For example, starting in FY 2024, if relevant to the operations of a grantmaking component, a survey instrument will be appended to applicable funding solicitations to gather the required data to determine if equity actions are leading to an increase in applications from population - specific organizations.

OJP is utilizing grant funding to support State and local reentry initiatives focused on providing healthcare access, improving supervision outcomes, and addressing the ability to pay fines and fees post incarceration. For example, in October 2022, the Department announced awards totaling almost $ 100 million to reduce recidivism and support adults and youth to successfully return to their communities after a period of confinement. 34

Lastly, the Department clarified its guidance SO that State, Tribal, territorial, and local jurisdictions can better leverage Federal funds received under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program and the National Criminal History Improvement Program to support efforts to seal and expunge criminal records. This will represent a critical step forward for returning citizens as they seek to access housing and employment opportunities.

benefits, and other critical reentry needs. Through OJP, DOJ will utilize grants to States for reentry efforts focused on securing healthcare access, improving community supervision outcomes, and reducing the burden of criminal justice fines and fees. In the long - term, the Department will continue the use of OJP grants designed to help lower the rates of recidivism for individuals leaving Federal custody, and increase connections to healthcare, public benefits, housing, and employment for returning citizens at the Federal and State level.

There is growing evidence about what works and what matters to improve the representation and experiences of underrepresented groups across law enforcement ranks. 41 For example, one study found that law enforcement recruitment messages focusing on the personal benefits of applying to a particular job could be three times as effective at getting individuals to apply to a job without those details, and are particularly effective at increasing the number of applicants from groups traditionally underrepresented in the profession. 42

This civil rights strategy enhances and promotes gender equity and equality through trauma - informed, culturally responsive, and victim - centered training and technical assistance for Federal, State, Tribal, local, and territorial law enforcement and prosecution agencies. In SO doing, DOJ will increase awareness of Federal laws and programs that address gender - based violence, support collaborations with community partners, and mitigate deficiencies and biases that may negatively impact the successful implementation of community - driven responses to gender - based violence. To advance this equity strategy, the Department has adopted a comprehensive, multi - pronged approach to prevent and address hate crimes through its grant programs, which support law enforcement and State - based efforts to increase victim reporting, as well as State, Tribal, and local law enforcement and prosecution agencies and their partners in conducting outreach and education

In addition, in recognition of the fact that " " [ w ] omen, girls, and LGBTQI + individuals are disproportionately affected " " by online harassment and abuse, 55 the Department is taking concerted efforts to address cybercrimes. In particular, the Department is establishing a National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals, which will provide grants for training and support to State, Tribal, and local law enforcement, prosecutors, and judicial personnel to assist victims of cybercrimes. These cybercrimes will include the use of technology to harass, threaten, stalk, extort, coerce, cause fear to, or intimidate an individual, as well as the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images. Additionally, OVW will support an initiative focused on the prosecution and investigation of online abuse, and ATJ will work with USAOs and the pro bono community to promote awareness of a new civil cause of action relating to the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images, to ensure that individuals are aware of their rights. 56

In the near to mid - term, all Department employees who interact with victims of crimes that disproportionately affect women, girls, transgender individuals, and gender non - conforming individuals will receive information and training regarding the latest supports and services afforded to victims, including the revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance and the rights afforded to victims under the Crime Victims ' Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3771, 57 and the Victims ' Rights and Restitution Act, 34 U.S.C. 20141. 58 DOJ will also regularly assess the efficacy of those trainings. Certain grants are subject to performance measures that require grantees to provide data pertaining to various metrics to assist in evaluating the reach and effectiveness of the programs funded by the grants.

Identify gaps in our enforcement service delivery, to provide targeted information and outreach to vulnerable worker populations and increase awareness around worker protection and wage laws; Increase outreach to Southeast business owners, to increase awareness of federal contracting opportunities and to stimulate participation by the Southeast business owners in the competitive federal procurement process; Conduct a series of listening sessions and outreach sessions across the Southeastern United States, connecting workers with other workers, community leaders, and State officials and encouraging coalition building; Embed an equity focus on the Southeast region agencywide through upcoming agency strategic plans; and Development of a strategy for the Power of Community - amplifying the voices of marginalized communities to provide feedback on DOL engagement / services.

Expanding agency partnerships in OFCCP's Megaproject Program The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), in concert with other federal agencies will designate additional Megaprojects in FY 2024. Under this designation, OFCCP will engage with a wide range of stakeholders to remove hiring barriers and promote equal employment opportunity in federally funded large construction projects pre - construction including through outreach to underserved populations and the use of apprenticeship and pre - apprenticeship programs. Embedding equity provisions in federal Investing in America (IIA) investments, such as the Good Jobs in Federal Investments: A Toolkit for Employers, Workers, and Government, the MOU between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and DOL, and the MOU between the U.S. General Services Administration and DOL, requiring, preferencing, or encouraging funding applicants to provide supportive services on their projects. Securing equity commitments from localities implementing IIA investments, through place - based strategies. Encouraging DOL grant applicants to develop projects that specifically address each of the Good Jobs Principles, which envision equitable pathways to family - sustaining wages, to promote development of new workforce development models that can be applied to other federal investments. Directing DOL grant applicants to provide more robust and detailed supportive services strategies to develop frameworks that can be applied to other federal investments. Investing in strategies to improve good jobs for care workers: The Women's Bureau (WB), Office of Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP), and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), are working to identify and maximize utility of data on the Direct Care Workforce. In FY 2024, DOL will continue to expand analyses on care workers who serve people with disabilities and older adults through the DOL - HHS workgroup on direct care workforce. WB, ASP, and the Chief Evaluation Office are collaborating on a research report to explore wages in the Care Workforce, to be published in FY 2024 as well as guidance to help States and localities conduct their own analyses of comparable pay rates for care workers in their respective jurisdictions.

Number of Memoranda of Understanding established with Federal agencies to increase the number of agencies aligning their efforts and leveraging their individual and combined resources to educate and encourage industries to attract, train, retain, and empower a diverse, qualified, well compensated workforce; and Number of equity and job quality incentives built into federal infrastructure dollars and Federal grants, where data is publicly available.

To host additional Good Jobs events similarly to those carried out in recent years, such as the FY 2022 DOL Good Jobs Summit, which joined over 350 cross - sector stakeholders to discuss effective strategies for building partnerships to empower working people; and the series of FY 2023 Good Jobs events that DOL hosted specifically aimed at uplifting examples of Good Jobs creation and workers from underserved communities including women, people of color, and others, employed in critical sectors like construction. See, e.g., Making Equity Real: Black Workers and Good Jobs, Empowering AA and NHPI Workers and Promoting Good Jobs for All Workers, and Latinx Workers & Invest in America: Building the High Road While Combating the Low Road. Through the Megaproject Program, OFCCP will establish Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Committees to discuss hiring barriers and strategies to promote equal employment opportunity for all applicants, including women, people of color, veterans, and people with disabilities.

(4) Improving services for Limited English Proficient individuals Federal agency services often lack the capability to effectively interact with Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals, leading to decreased service delivery and unmet community needs. To meet the needs of LEP individuals, DOL is continuing to standardize language access tools and integrate language access into agency activities. (5) Evaluating our procurement practices to advance equity, including to support - small, disadvantaged businesses such as Black and women - owned businesses. Small, disadvantaged businesses such as Black and women - owned businesses are underrepresented in Federal procurement contracting which can have a substantial impact on the success of the business. To understand the full scope of why and which businesses are underrepresented, DOL is conducting an evaluation exercise, and will produce an evidence - based strategic plan for engagement based on exercise results.

Disrupting occupational segregation, getting more women in pathways to good - paying jobs The Employment and Training Administration's (ETA) Office of Apprenticeship (OA), WB, ODEP, and Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) will collaborate to increase female participation in pre - apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships, including leveraging the recently launched RA Academy to add training resources for program sponsors and State Apprenticeship Agencies on EEO and DEIA in apprenticeship; design a Federal Apprenticeship Accelerator with DEIA Focus; and award new contracts and grants like WB's Tradeswomen

Improving wages and working conditions in key, female - dominated sectors In support of EO 14095, Executive Order on Increasing Access to High - Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and WB are collaborating through an MOU to promote the rights of the care workforce by creating sample employment agreements for domestic workers that provide child and long - term care to negotiate the terms of employment, facilitating compliance and awareness of labor law and best practices, and incorporate language to embed the requirements of relevant worker protection laws. WB will work with elected officials to support investments in care infrastructure, strengthen the majority female workforce that performs essential work, and provide technical assistance through the Good Jobs Great Cities Academy. OSHA Rulemaking in progress: OSHA is currently developing Prevention of Workplace Violence in Health Care and Social Assistance, a standard on workplace violence prevention in the healthcare and social assistance industries, occupations which tend to employ significantly more women than men WB will continue working with HHS to elevate ways to build equity in wages and job quality in female dominated sectors through the DOL - HHS workgroup, and technical assistance to agencies for support services. Reducing caregiving penalties for women and low - paid workers In FY 2024, the WB will continue to expand and tailor the National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP), in collaboration with ICF International and HHS, to develop key analytical tools to evaluate how childcare prices are linked with gender and racial inequality in the labor force. WB is partnering with the Urban Institute to conduct the project, Understanding Equity in Paid Leave through Microsimulation Analysis. This project will provide research and technical assistance to states or local jurisdictions considering paid leave programs, and answer new questions about policy impacts, costs, and benefits of paid leave policies. Eliminating gender - based discrimination in the workplace DOL will contribute key deliverables toward the implementation of the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality and the National Plan to End Gender - Based Violence, including: In FY 2024, WB will administer its Fostering Access, Rights, and Equity (FARE) grant, focusing the program to support women who have been impacted by gender - based violence and harassment in the world of work. As the federal government makes historic investments in infrastructure, OFCCP intends to develop a best practices document outlining how federal contractors and subcontractors can create safe environments free from gender - based violence and harassment. In anticipation of the FAR Council's rulemaking prohibiting salary history inquiries by federal contractors, OFCCP plans to publish sub - regulatory guidance clarifying how reliance on salary history for hiring and compensation decisions may result in discrimination under Executive Order 11246.

Number of grants provided to increase women's participation in apprenticeship programs; Set standards for addressing gender - based violence and harassment in the workforce; and Number of state partnerships formed to support investments in female - dominated work sectors.

Lack of awareness of the requirements that DOL agencies and grant recipients must take due to language barriers, which - prevents or hinders workers from accessing key government benefits and services, such as unemployment insurance. Lack of reasonable steps to provide meaningful, timely, and free language assistance to include qualified written translation or oral interpretation, DOL's interpretation, translation, and other language access activities were generally decentralized across each of the Department's agencies, resulting in inconsistent standards and practices across the Department.

Current data collection fails to capture data disaggregation and analysis into baseline outreach to and procurement contracting with small disadvantaged and women owned Businesses; and Lack of agency - wide strategies to increase outreach to small disadvantaged and women owned business competition in contracting.

Historically small, disadvantaged businesses such as women, Black and Hispanic owned are underrepresented in Federal procurement contracting. For example, the share of procurement dollars going to Black - owned businesses is the lowest (about 1.9 %) compared to other race / ethnicity groups. In DOL's evaluation of equity in Federal contracting, for FY 2021, the Department awarded to minority - owned businesses contracts commensurate and above the representation in federal contracting; however, DOL's procurement contracting such as with women - owned, Hispanic - owned, and Black - owned businesses are below the proportion of eligible businesses available for federal contracting. DOL's procurement practices have received an A + in contract awarding to small, disadvantaged businesses (SDB) and women owned small businesses (WOSBs). However, DOL has not disaggregated data to determine whether there are potential opportunities to further increase outreach and contracting opportunities, including current engagement levels with these businesses. To increase the number of underrepresented groups in contracting, studies have shown it is necessary to identify gaps in the procurement process, evaluate internal processes, and increase stakeholder engagement and partnership development.

Explore options to collect expanded demographic categories for contractors, as permitted by and in accordance with Federal procurement regulations and other laws. Review relevant and available data and develop a strategic outreach plan to improve engagement with underrepresented groups, remove internal barriers to engagement as applicable, and encourage expanded participation in contracting opportunities.

Development of an evidence - based analysis within agencywide procurement efforts. Based on analysis, number of agencies that develop strategic plans to remove internal barriers and expanded engagement with small disenfranchised and women owned businesses.

DOL has developed two tools or resources to advance environmental justice: DOL's Good Jobs Initiative created a set of tools to ensure good jobs in climate and environmental justice investments. The Good Jobs in Federal Investments: A Toolkit for Employers, Workers, and Government, is a toolkit intended to assist federal agencies, state, tribal and local governments, employers, and labor and worker advocacy organizations unleash their power to improve job quality and equity and data collection in federal investments. DOL has hired two staff that work on environmental justice, either in a full - time or part time capacity. DOL has two new or strengthened internal working group (s), steering committee (s), council (s) on environmental justice. The internal Climate Working Group, organized by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP), consists of representatives from across DOL sub - agencies, and coordinates the various climate priorities of the Administration and DOL leadership. The Climate Action Plan meetings, organized by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM) is a cross - DOL subagency meeting focused on the implementation of the Climate Action Plan, published yearly, which is an ongoing program to ensure robust federal mission resilience, protect worker safety (before, during, and after climate - related events), mitigate environmental threats to our facilities, and improve our procurement and acquisition stewardship. DOL is currently updating its Environmental Justice Strategic Plan, to be released Fall 2023.

provide hiring authority technical assistance, educate about the provision of effective reasonable accommodations, and encourage expanding WRP and Schedule A hiring as part of agency strategic planning. In FY 2024, ODEP expects available funding of approximately $ 13M to support approximately four Equitable Transition Model (ETM) demonstration grants focused on underrepresented youth with disabilities, including youth experiencing homelessness, leaving foster care, and / or involved in the justice system, to improve employment outcomes, as well as increase states ' capacity to develop innovative employment strategies for underserved youth and their families. To further align with the Department's mission, goal, and objective of creating an economy for all workers, DOL has expanded its outreach and engagement with HBCUs, HSIs, tribal communities, and other minority serving institutions. We have advanced our engagement through mentorship programs, training, and grant opportunities, listening sessions, roundtables, formal invitations to extended procurement and contracting webinars, and more. The impact of engaging with more diverse populations through colleges and universities informs our efforts and allows for participation with communities that mirror the workforce in America. In addition, we have and will continue to embed this extended outreach and initiative into our agency strategic plans.

Strategy 5: Evaluating Our Procurement Practices to Advance Equity

Collaborating Agencies with Good - Jobs - Initiative MOUs: Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, and the General Services Administration. With each of these agencies, GJI draws upon Department of Labor expertise to embed job quality, worker empowerment, and equity provisions in federal funding opportunities from these agencies. GJI shares its subject matter expertise on job quality, equity, and worker empowerment with federal agencies as well as shared stakeholders including funding applicants, state and local governments, the private sector, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, labor unions, and others, through joint engagement opportunities.

Building Infrastructure and WANTO grants and through initiatives like ODEP's Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship, as well as support ongoing evaluations of RA grants.

Increase outreach to small, disadvantaged businesses, such as Black - and women - owned businesses, in contracting processes, through the development of an evidence - based evaluation to identify opportunities in the procurement processes and implementation of a strategic engagement plan.

Implement the strategic outreach plan to improve engagement with underrepresented groups and encourage expanded participation in contracting opportunities.

Expand engagement with small, disadvantaged businesses to build on current contracting representation in the DOL procurement process.

As part of the evidence building analysis, the Department will engage with small business and strategic community partners for feedback on the procurement process and potential opportunities to encourage participation by small disadvantaged and women owned businesses.

Evaluating our Procurement Practices to Advance Equity

The Department of Labor is deeply committed to improving the well - being of underserved, marginalized, disadvantaged, and excluded communities. Through our 2022 Equity Action Plan, we have embarked on a mission to improve the well - being of underserved, marginalized, and excluded communities, advancing (1) enforcement of wage and hour laws; (2) administering and improving the federal - state Unemployment Insurance (UI) system; (3) broadening access to DOL programs, services, and information for workers with limited English proficiency; (4) expanding sector - based training and employment strategies; and (5) diversifying the federal workforce by building new pathways into government apprenticeships. I am proud to say that our ambitious plan is well underway; we've strengthened our partnerships to prevent and address workplace retaliation, provided millions of dollars to States in grants to improve the UI system, created a Centralized Office for Language Access SO that our services can reach all workers regardless of language barriers, launched a national online dialogue to strengthen employment and training services, and expanded apprenticeship opportunities across the Department.

To deepen the equity work we've accomplished, we have researched the barriers the communities we serve face and developed five areas of focus for the 2023 Equity Action Plan: (1) supporting workers in the Southeast United States; (2) ensuring underserved communities have access to good jobs; (3) embedding gender equity into our partnerships and services; (4) improving services for Limited English Proficient individuals; and (5) evaluating procurement practices to advance equity. These focus areas will allow us to improve on the work we've already accomplished by further committing our programmatic, policy, and budget levers to target our most underserved communities.

The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL, the Department) mission to foster and improve the welfare and conditions of all workers translates into four core functions: (1) worker protection; (2) benefits administration; (3) workforce development; and (4) development of labor market information. In response to Executive Order 14091 on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, the Department has employed its programmatic, policy, and budgetary levers to advance equity in five key areas:

Measuring access and system condition should be further developed in DOT's ETC Explorer and other tools that can help increase availability of information. By disaggregating data, DOT and stakeholders could better analyze impacts and equity concerns at a local level. It can be challenging to compare results of different equity tools because of differences in definitions, datasets, scales, or measurements. Technical assistance is important in supporting underserved communities, local community - based organizations, and first - time grant applicants to successfully secure and administer federal grants. In - Person and Virtual Public Dialogues: DOT held an in - person public dialogue at DOT Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on June 20, 2023. The event included participation by 65 external attendees. The event was open to the public and included remarks from DOT leadership, a question and answer (Q & A) session, and an " " open house " " period wherein attendees had an opportunity to meet DOT staff who work across modes in the equity space. A virtual public dialogue was held on June 23, 2023, and followed a similar format. The virtual dialogue had 562 attendees, with attendees from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, from government agencies, trade associations, community advocacy groups, educational institutions, private companies, and other types of organizations. The events helped participants better understand DOT's equity work and respond to the RFI.

Disability Policy Priorities: The DOT Disability Policy Priorities highlight work that DOT is undertaking to increase access for people with disabilities across four focus areas: safe and accessible air travel; multimodal accessibility of public transportation facilities, vehicles, and rights - of - way; access to good - paying jobs and business opportunities for people with disabilities; and enabling accessibility of electric vehicles and automated vehicles. Justice40: The government - wide Justice40 Initiative establishes the goal that 40 % of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities. At DOT, Justice40 is an opportunity for both the agency and our stakeholders to understand the burdens that result from the lack of affordable, safe multimodal transportation options and how to identify transportation investments that will create benefits that will reverse or mitigate those burdens, inclusive of a meaningful public engagement process that spans a project's lifecycle. Gender Justice: DOT has identified Gender Justice priorities in response to EO 14020. These priorities include strategies to advance gender diversity in certain segments of the transportation sector, address gender disparities in transportation safety, combat human trafficking, improve DOT utilization of small disadvantaged businesses that are both women - and minority - owned, and, increase gender diversity within the DOT workforce. Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, and Pacific Islander Action Plan: DOT's plan, created as part of a government - wide initiative, focuses on assessing perceptions of public transportation; promoting Title VI awareness; improving competitiveness of businesses for federal contracts; and increasing workforce participation rates.

Reduce the number of direct displacements resulting from federal - aid highway projects. Increase the number of entities using local and economic hiring preferences on highway and transit projects. Increase DOT direct contract dollars to small disadvantaged businesses from 18.2 % in FY 2021 to 22 % by FY 2026.

Lack of access to capital sources means Black - and Hispanic - owned businesses have less growth capital. These businesses are half as likely as non - minority counterparts to be fully approved for loans, lines of credit, and cash advances. 4 Minority - owned businesses and small disadvantaged businesses often have inadequate bonding capacity and access to surety expertise. This makes it difficult to compete and perform in government contracts, which limits award opportunities for many small, disadvantaged businesses. 5

In the top four industries receiving direct contracts from DOT, the following small and disadvantaged business enterprises were underrepresented in terms of total FY 2022 DOT direct contract dollars: Women and Black workers are significantly underrepresented in the construction workforce, a key job growth area from infrastructure investments. In 2020, women held about 1 in 10 construction jobs while non - Hispanic Blacks held 5.1 percent of construction jobs, compared with their 11.8 - percent share of total employment. 7

January 2022: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) integrated the Small Business Program Manager into the Acquisition Strategy Review Board for procurement planning and coordination to help identify small business contracting opportunities. January 2022: OST launched a DOT - wide procurement dashboard to raise awareness of contracting opportunities and drive accountability for meeting small and disadvantaged business goals. February 2022: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) began tracking the number of residential and non - residential displacements to ensure displacements, especially in communities with Environmental Justice (EJ) concerns, are reduced across all projects and that mitigation measures are in place to minimize impacts of relocation. July 2022: OST issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to modernize the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Airport Concession DBE (ACDBE) program regulations to help further level the playing field for small disadvantaged businesses. November 2022: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) held the first meeting of the Women of Trucking Advisory Board, whose work will support women pursuing careers in trucking, expand scholarship opportunities for women in the trucking industry, and enhance trucking training, mentorship, education, and outreach programs for women. December 2022: Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) launched the Master Capacity Building Series Federal Contracting 101. April 2023: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) established a Small Business Program to increase participation of small businesses, including minority and woman - owned small businesses in publicly funded rail projects. LAUNCHING EDUCATION SEMINARS TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SEEKING DOT CONTRACTS: Small and minority - owned businesses can face hurdles in obtaining federal contracts. Many businesses without the capacity or resources to receive primary contracts are also unaware of opportunities to work as a subcontractor. To address these concerns, OSDBU launched the Master Capacity Building Series. The initial session hosted more than 500 participants, and the program has reached over 6,400 small and disadvantaged business owners as of June 2023. Technical assistance has contributed to an increase in small disadvantaged business utilization, from 18.2 % of DOT direct contract dollars in FY 2021 to 21.25 % in FY 2022.

By 2025, increase by 5 % the number of DOT discretionary grant applicants from disadvantaged communities who have never applied for DOT funding before. Work to meet the Justice40 goal that 40 % of the benefits of certain federal investments flow to transportation disadvantaged communities. Increase the number of new projects in disadvantaged communities utilizing formula funds from Justice40 covered programs. Increase the total federal transit grant dollars announced or allocated for rural or Tribal areas.

Due to historical and systemic patterns of disparity, underserved communities may lack resources needed to develop successful discretionary grant applications. Without assistance, many underserved communities may miss chances to compete for discretionary funding due to a lack of resources rather than a lack of need. Even if awarded a grant, underserved communities may also lack the necessary resources to finalize grant agreements, meet funding requirements, and conduct or implement the work. Community Based Organizations (CBOs) often represent and advocate for underserved and overburdened communities. However, CBOs face capacity challenges since coordinating with stakeholders, transportation agencies, and contractors can be both costly and time consuming. 16

Navigating the complex environment of federal grant opportunities requires specialized expertise and experience. Overburdened or disadvantaged communities in urban and rural areas may not have adequate resources to gain access to the necessary expertise and experience. Benefit - cost analysis (BCA) is a requirement for several major transportation discretionary grant applications. BCAs require specialized analysis tools and skills and are based on how benefits measure up to costs. When underserved communities do not have access to those tools or are located in areas where there are too few " " benefits " " to measure, potentially beneficial projects in underserved communities might not be selected due to incomplete or flawed BCAs.

Between 2016 - 2021, DOT had approximately 3,500 total unique applicants to its funding programs. In 2022, approximately 350 new applicants from disadvantaged communities applied to DOT's discretionary funding programs, accounting for close to a quarter of new applicants to DOT programs. The volume of new applicants, and DOT's goal of further increasing the number of new applicants from disadvantaged communities, calls for a corresponding increase in technical assistance to help ensure new applicants ' success in delivering transformative transportation projects. In the ETC Explorer, the majority of rural census tracts are experiencing transportation insecurity. 18 A significant portion also experience heath 19 and socioeconomic vulnerability.

October 2022: DOT released a guide on Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision - Making to help funding recipients meaningfully involve the public in various stages of transportation decision - making and build their organizational capacities to do SO. December 2022: FHWA surveyed State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) on their inclusion of quantitative equity screenings and meaningful and representative public participation in their Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs (S / TIPs) in order to help develop a baseline and work toward achieving the related Key Performance Indicator (KPI). February 2023: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a final rule, as required by BIL, updating the Uniform State Highway Safety Grant Program to require NHTSA grant recipients to conduct meaningful public engagement among affected communities, particularly those most significantly impacted by traffic crashes resulting in injuries and fatalities. April 2023: Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, convened the first ever Green Shipping Corridor Network Collaborative Forum with a variety of stakeholders to promote green shipping and environmental justice for the Great Lakes region. September 2023: DOT issued a fact sheet on Title VI and discrimination on the basis of shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.

Measuring the effectiveness of public involvement is challenging and time - consuming for DOT, as it is for our grantees and interagency partners. Practical methods that have been developed to evaluate the success of public involvement activities have not yet been applied at large scale. Building contact lists inclusive of underrepresented communities, including members of the public as well as representatives of non - profits, companies, and state, local, and Tribal governments, takes time.

1 Department of Transportation Equity Council | US Department of Transportation, https: / / www.trans - portation.gov / mission / department - transportation - ed uity - council. 2 Advancing Equity and Racial Justice Through the Federal Government. The White House, https: / / www.whitehouse. gov / equity / 3 Butrica, Barbara A, et al. Women in Apprenticeships and Nontraditional Occupations in the United States. Urban Institute, 2023. https: / / www.dol.gov / sites / dolgov / files / Nieves - Cartagena % 40DOL.GOV / WANTO - knowl edge % 20Brief / WANTO - knowledge - report - 508 % 20 6.15.23. pdf. Note: the cited research was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. DOT is conducting a fuller assessment of barriers to jobs in the construc - tion industry as required by Section 25019 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 4 Small Business Credit Survey 2021: Report on Firms Owned by People of Color. Federal Reserve, 2021. https: / / www.fedsmallbusiness.org / survey / 2021 / 2021 - report - on - firms - owned - by - people - of - color. 5 McCloud, Edith. Improving Minority Businesses ' Access to Capital Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). 2021, https: / / opportunity.census.gov / assets / files / 2021 - problem - statements / post - covid / MBDA_ Im - proving % 20Minority % 20Businesses % 20Access % 20 to % 20Capital.pdf 6 Data Bank Contract Data Reports SAM.Gov, https: / / sam.gov / reports / awards / static. 7 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Construction In - dustry: Characteristics of the Employed, 2003 - 20. Apr. 2022. https: / / www.bls.gov / spotlight / 2022 / the - con - struction - industry - labor - force - 2003 - to - 2020 / home. htm. 8 The White House. Fact Sheet: Biden - Harris Adminis - tration Announces New Measures to Promote Equitable Community Development. The White House, 27 Jun. 2023, https: / / www.whitehouse.gov / briefing - room / statements - releases / 2023 / 06 / 27 / fact - sheet - biden - har ris - administration - announces - new - measures - to - pro - mote - equitable - community - development /. 9 Aimen, David, and Anne Morris. Practical Approaches for Involving Traditionally Underserved Populations in Transportation Decisionmaking NCHRP Report, no. 710, Project 8 - 72, 2012, https: / / trid.trb.org / view / 1135054, 10 Madzlan, Mardzuki, et al. Government's Advertising Information Content Strategy in Newspaper Print Advertisement. Jan. 2020, https: / / ir.uitm.edu.my / id / eprint / 43768 / 1 / 43768. pdf 11 Spivak, Jeffrey. 6 Tips for Inclusive Public Meetings. American Planning Association, https: / / www.planning. org / planning / 2019 / mar / 6tipspublicmeetings /. 12 United States Department of Transportation. Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision - Making Oct. 2022, https: / / w.transportation.gov / priorities / equity / promis - ing - practices - meaningful - public - involvement - transpor - tation - decision - making 13 Brown, Bruce, et al. Measuring the Effectiveness of Public Involvement in Transportation Planning and Project Development. Transportation Research Board, 2019. Na - tional Academies Press, https: / / doi.org / 10.17226 / 25447. 14 Brown, Bruce, et al. Measuring the Effectiveness of Public Involvement in Transportation Planning and Project Development. 15 Schedule Census Urbanized Areas and MPO / TMA Desig - nation Census Issues Planning FHWA, https: / / www. hwa.dot.gov / planning / census_issues / ar - eas and mpo tma / schedule / Notes: The percent of TMAs was designated as of Summer 2022, prior to the DOT Secretary designation of new TMAs based on the 2020 Census. 16 Increasing Federal Funding to Community - Based Orga - nizations Prepared for Organizations in the Strong Pros - perous and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC). Enterprise, https: / / www.sparcchub.org / wp - content / uploads / 2022 / 03 / Final - CBO - Memo - March - 2022. pdf 17 Archer, Deborah N. Transportation Policy and the Underdevelopment of Black Communities. 3797364, 4 Mar. 2021. Social Science Research Network, https: / / papers.ssrn.com / abstract = 3797364. 18 Notes: Transportation insecurity occurs when people are unable to get to where they need to go to meet the needs of their daily life regularly, reliably, and safely. 19 Notes: Health Vulnerability category assesses the increased frequency of health conditions that may result from exposure to air, noise, and water pollution, as well as lifestyle factors such as poor walkability, car dependency, and long commute times. 20 Notes: Social vulnerability indicators measure lack of employment, educational attainment, poverty, housing tenure, access to broadband, and housing cost burden as well as identifying household characteristics such as age, disability status and English proficiency. 21 US EPA, OP. Smart Growth and Transportation. 26 Apr. 2013, https: / / www.epa.gov / smartgrowth / smart - growth - and - transportation. 22 Jiao, Junfeng. Understanding Transportation Related Infrastructure Access in 52 Major US Cities. Cooperative Mobility for Competitive Megaregions, 2019, p. 42, https: / / sites.utexas.edu / cm2 / files / 2019 / 04 / Year2_ TransitDeserts.pdf. 23 Bureau, US Census. Vehicles Available. Census.Gov, https: / / www.census.gov / acs / www / about / why - we - ask - each - question / vehicles /. 24 Economic Well - Being of U.S. Households (SHED): Dealing with Unexpected Expenses. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, https: / / www.federalreserve.gov / publications / 2022 - economic - well - being - of - us - house - holds - in - 2021 - dealing - with - unexpected - expenses.htm 25 Multimodal Access to Public Transportation US Depart - ment of Transportation, https: / / www.transportation gov / mission / health / Multimodal - Access - to - Pub - lic - Transportation 26 Chetty, Raj, et al. Race and Economic Opportunity in the United States: An Intergenerational Perspective. https: / / www.nber.org / system / files / working_papers / w24441 pdf. Dec. 2019. 27 Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer US Department of Transportation, https: / / www.transporta - on.gov / priorities / equity / justice40 / etc - explorer. 28 Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rate by Sub - Categories in 2020. Jun. 2021, https: / / crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov / Api / Public / ViewPubli - cation / 813118 29 Evaluating Disparities in Traffic Fatalities by Race, Ethnicity, and Income. Sep. 2022, https: / / crashstats. inhtsa.dot.gov / Api / Public / ViewPublication / 813188 30 Rural / Urban Comparison of Traffic Fatalities. May 2020, htps: / / crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov / Api / Public / ViewPubli - cation / 812957. Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES). Aug. 2023, https: / / www.transporta - tion.gov / rural. 31 Air Travel Consumer Report. The Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, 2023, https: / / www.transpor - tion.gov / sites / dot.gov / files / 2023 - 04 / February % 20 2023 % 20ATCR_Revised.pdf. 32 The National Transit Database (NTD) FTA, https: / / www. transit.dot.gov / ntd. 33 DOT's Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity Charter US Department of Transportation, https: / / www.transportation.gov / civil - rights / acte / charter. 34 An Overview of the Americans With Disabilities Act ADA National Network, https: / / adata.org / factsheet / ADA - overview. 35 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law | US Department of Transportation, https: / / www.transportation.gov / biparti san - infrastructure - law. 36 What Is a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)? US Department of Transportation, https: / / www.transporta - tion.gov / osdbu / disadvantaged - business - enterprise / hat - disadvantaged - business - enterprise - dbe. 38 Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to Envi - ronmental Justice for All. Federal Register, 26 Apr. 2023, https: / / www.federalregister.gov / doct hnts / 2023 / 04 / 26 / 2023 - 08955 / revitalizing - our - na - tions - commitment - to - environmental - justice - for - all, 37 Disadvantaged Communities - DOE Directives, Guidance, and Delegations, https: / / www.directives.doe.gov / rms_definitions / disadvantaged - communities - 1 39 Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Under - served Communities Through the Federal Government. Federal Register, 22 Feb. 2023, https: / / www.federal - register.gov / documents / 2023 / 02 / 22 / 2023 - 03779 / further - advancing - racial - equity - and - support - for - un - derserved - communities - through - the - federal. 40 What Is an HBCU? White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportu - nity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities, https: / / sites.ed.gov / whhbcu / one - hundred - and - five - his - rically - black - colleges - and - universities /. 41 Rep. Yarmuth, John A. H.R. 5376 - 117th Congress (2021 - 2022): Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. 16 Aug. 2022, https: / / www.congress.gov / bill / 117th - congress / house - bill / 5376 / text. 42 Justice40 Initiative I Environmental Justice, The White House, https: / / www.whitehouse.gov / environmentaljus - tice / justice40 /. 43 Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) FTA, https: / / ww.transit.dot.gov / regulations - and - guidance / trans. portation - planning / metropolitan - planning - organiza - tion - mpo. 44 Public Involvement | US Department of Transportation. 2022, https: / / www.transportation.gov / public - involve - ment. 45 Enrolled in These Institutions Postsecondary Education Descriptive Analysis Report. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2007, p. 196, https: / / nces.ed.gov / pubs2008 / 2008156. pdf. 46 What Is the National Environmental Policy Act? | US EPA, https: / / www.epa.gov / nepa / what - national - environmen - tal - policy - act. 47 US EPA, OEJECR. EJ 2020 Glossary. 20 Oct. 2016, https: / / www.epa.gov / environmentaljustice / ej - 2020 - glossary. 48 Small Disadvantaged Business I U.S. Small Business Administration, https: / / www.sba.gov / federal - contract - ing / contracting - assistance - programs / small - disadvan - taged - business. 49 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) FTA, https: / / www.transit.dot.gov / regulations - and - guid - ance / transportation - planning / statewide - transporta - tion - improvement - program - stip. 50 Thriving Communities Program I US Department of Transportation, https: / / www.transportation.gov / grants / thriving - communities. 51 Civil Rights Division Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 9 Apr. 2023, https: / / www.justice.gov / crt / fcs / TitleVI. 52 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) FTA, https: / / www.transit.dot.gov / regulations - and - guidance / transportation - planning / transportation - improve - ment - program - tip. 53 23 CFR Part 450 Planning Assistance and Standards, https: / / www.ecfr.gov / current / title - 23 / part - 450. 54 Executive Order on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government. The White House, 16 Feb. 2023, 3, https: / / www.whitehouse.gov / briefing - room / presidential - actions / 2023 / 02 / 16 / executive - or - der - on - further - advancing - racial - equity - and - sup - port - for - underserved - communities - through - the - feder - al - government /.

February 2022: OST published a toolkit for planning and funding rural and Tribal electric mobility infrastructure. An updated version of the Charging Forward toolkit was published in May 2023, which includes expanded content on electric transit and micromobility. March 2022: DOT piloted a new approach of releasing combined Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) to streamline the process for applicants applying for multiple discretionary grant programs. April 2022: OST launched federal partnerships with key agencies making place - based technical assistance investments. June 2022: OST released the DOT Navigator, a new one - stop shop for communities to access DOT technical assistance and capacity building resources and to get more information to help them apply for DOT funding. July 2022: OST calculated baselines of benefits distribution for Justice40 covered programs with at least one round of funding awarded. October 2022: OST launched the Thriving Communities Program to provide hands - on technical assistance and capacity building support to underserved and overburdened communities using DOT funds and issued a call for projects for place - based initiatives that are co - designed with communities most impacted by poor access and climate change. February 2023: DOT awarded $ 185 million to disadvantaged communities as part of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program to provide planning and construction grants to communities who have been cut off from opportunities by infrastructure projects. February 2023: OST announced $ 800 million in grant awards for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program to help communities improve roadway safety, especially for the most vulnerable roadway users, benefitting disadvantaged communities who are disproportionately impacted by roadway fatalities.

May 2023: OST launched an online DOT Discretionary Grant Dashboard to make it easier for communities to search the full set of federal transportation grant programs and find those that may align with local needs. June 2023: DOT announced a first - of - its - kind philanthropic collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to leverage and expand technical assistance opportunities for DOT grantees and potential applicants to deepen community engagement, resource community - based organizations, and build local capacity. July 2023: OST published the joint FY 2023 NOFO for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program, making up to $ 3.16 billion available for planning activities and capital construction projects that that advance community - centered connection. September 2023: September 2023: DOT participated in a convening of the interagency Thriving Communities Network, bringing together governmental, non - profit, academic, community - based and philanthropic partners to leverage and align place - based technical assistance efforts.

March 2022: FHWA advanced Complete Streets as the default design approach and as a transformative strategy in which the transportation network is planned, designed, built, operated, and maintained to enable safe mobility and access for all road users. October 2022: DOT announced the " " TIFIA 49 Program " " that offers low - cost and flexible financing for transit and Transit - oriented Development (TOD) projects at up to 49 % of eligible project costs through DOT's Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program, a higher level of financing that will help more projects get off the ground. December 2022: FTA announced 15 projects in 9 states that will receive approximately $ 686 million under the new All Stations Accessibility Program to make transit rail stations built before passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) fully accessible to people with disabilities. January 2023: DOT encouraged discretionary grant project sponsors to identify how their project will reverse or mitigate how the community is experiencing disadvantage.

INCREASING DOT DISCRETIONARY GRANT APPLICANTS FROM DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES:

Upgrade skills, grow entrepreneurs, increase incomes, expand net asset ownership, and foster social well - being for underserved communities through direct procurement, infrastructure projects, community wealth building, and industry at large.

Expand DOT's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) programming and resources focused on federally assisted contracts, including a focus on access to capital and development of internal and external tools. - September 2025

Provide hands - on technical assistance and planning grants to enable disadvantaged and under - resourced communities to advance infrastructure projects that will help them thrive. - Ongoing

Publish a Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) tool for grant applicants to use when applying for DOT grant opportunities with a BCA requirement. - December 2023

Provide technical assistance for grantees and potential grantees under the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program through the Reconnecting Communities Institute (RCI). - October 2023

Conduct quarterly DOT Navigator webinars to share information on successful grant writing strategies and spotlight new resources to assist those considering applying for grants. - Ongoing

Reduce burdens for low - capacity communities through streamlined grant application processes and match flexibility. - Ongoing

The DOT Navigator provides a comprehensive list of technical assistance programs as well as frequently asked questions on Navigating Grant Program Applications, What is a Benefit - Cost Analysis?, and more.

Equity is relatively new as a priority focus for DOT at the level of a Department - wide strategic goal. Many staff have limited experience and expertise applying an equity lens to their work. It can be challenging to access outside expertise through formal mechanisms such as contracting, hiring, and advisory groups.

This 2023 update to the DOT Equity Action Plan (the Plan) highlights actions being taken across DOT to address key disparities, including disproportionately high traffic fatality rates among Black people, high transportation insecurity and cost burdens experienced by low - income households and rural communities, and underrepresentation of Black -, Hispanic -, and women - owned small businesses receiving DOT direct contracts. The Plan advances equity in alignment with related Executive Orders, including Executive Order 13988 (Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation), Executive Order 14008 (Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad), and Executive Order 14020 (Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council). The highlighted actions in the plan are also in alignment with DOT's June 2022 Equity and Access Policy Statement and include providing technical assistance to small and disadvantaged businesses, reinvigorating programmatic enforcement of

Wealth Creation: Upgrade skills, grow entrepreneurs, increase incomes, expand net asset ownership, and foster social well - being for underserved communities through direct procurement, infrastructure projects, community wealth building, and industry at large.

The Kensington Expressway is one example of how some past infrastructure investments served to divide rather than connect or create shared prosperity - and how the effects of that infrastructure still harm communities today, contributing to cumulative burdens and disparities in economic opportunity, health impacts of pollution, roadway fatalities, access to reliable transportation, the jobs and contracts from transportation work itself, and more. In other cases, we see

This section highlights many of the programs, grant initiatives, internal improvements, and accomplishments by the Office of the Secretary (OST) and individual Operating Administrations (OAs) to advance the goals of the 2022 Equity Action Plan, as well as the impacts they have made.

inequities in our failures to invest, as with transit deserts that leave out the communities that most need affordable transportation options, or contracting opportunities for transportation projects that fail to engage and utilize the talents of women and people of color.

The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has made ensuring that underserved communities are prepared to respond to hazardous materials transportation emergencies a top strategic priority. PHMSA expanded its outreach efforts to vulnerable communities by utilizing new strategies, including conferences, workshops, direct stakeholder meetings, and compliance assistance visits. This included a three - day workshop attended by representatives from all 50 states and five U.S. territories. PHMSA's comprehensive stakeholder list will be used to provide targeted grant funding, emergency special permits, technical assistance, and access to data.

DOT launched the Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) initiative to address concerns and identify transportation challenges facing rural communities. Department officials hosted a series of webinars and informational sessions to solicit input and increase awareness of DOT programs for rural communities and convened a council dedicated to addressing rural and Tribal initiatives. ROUTES offers comprehensive technical assistance to rural communities across a variety of transportation - related topics, including grant funding, electric vehicles, safety, and infrastructure development and maintenance.

In March, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a $ 55 million grant to help Buffalo cap the Kensington Expressway - effectively moving it underground - and build new crossings and park space on top of it, making it safer, reducing pollution, and reconnecting residents to grocery stores, schools, and jobs. That was one of 45 projects we awarded through the Reconnecting Communities program, the first - ever federal program dedicated to this work. Across the country, we're expanding rail and bus lines to reach more people. And we launched the new Thriving Communities Program, providing tailored technical assistance to 64 under - resourced and disadvantaged communities, helping them better access historic infrastructure investments and deliver transformative projects.

In FY 2022, applicants representing disadvantaged communities accounted for about a quarter of new applicants to DOT programs. This sets the baseline for increasing the number of new applicants from disadvantaged communities by 5 % by FY 2025.

In June 2023, FRA awarded $ 570 million in project funds under the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program. With the proximity of rail infrastructure to minority and low - income areas, there often is a correlation between grade crossing delays and negative impacts to those communities.

The building of all this infrastructure creates good paying jobs and contracts, and spurs additional private sector investment, all of which can build generational wealth for Americans with and without college degrees. We have met skilled transportation workers across the country, some of whom were previously working at much lower wages, now able to buy a home in the neighborhoods they grew up in, and able to greet their kids with pride when they come back from work every day. We have a range of efforts underway ensuring that people and businesses that have not been fully included in past federal infrastructure investments have a fair chance to help us deliver this one.

1. Improve college access, affordability, and degree completion for underserved students to increase economic mobility. The Department aims to address barriers to college access, affordability, and completion by supporting colleges to enroll more students from underserved groups, including students of color, students from low - income backgrounds, students who are English learners, and others to raise graduation rates and close graduation rate gaps for these student populations, and offer affordable credentials of value that lead to careers offering economic mobility. 2. Implement Maintenance of Equity requirements to ensure historically underserved students have equitable resources for learning recovery. The Department aims to ensure that school districts serving historically underserved student groups, including students of color, students from low - income backgrounds, students who are English learners, students experiencing homelessness, and others have the resources they need to support learning recovery. This includes the allocation of $ 122 billion in ARP funds for Title I schools, and the ARP's Maintenance of Equity requirements to protect high poverty schools from reductions in State and local education funding. 3. Address inequities faced by justice - impacted individuals by expanding access to postsecondary learning opportunities that improve outcomes for communities and reduce recidivism rates. The Department aims to ensure that our society is more just and equitable through supporting better opportunities for education during periods of incarceration and post - release. Current initiatives are set to improve the well - being of people who are incarcerated and increase successful reentry outcomes, smoothing pathways to further education, increasing workforce readiness and engagement, and reducing recidivism and preventing crime. This includes the partnerships that exist between institutions of higher education, correctional agencies, accrediting agencies, and community - based organizations. 4. Advance equity in and through career and technical education. The Department aims to invest in career and technical education to create new and inclusive pathways to well - paying jobs and upward mobility. This includes leveraging data to promote strategies that reduce segregation by gender, race, and ethnicity in high school career and technical education (CTE) programs. 5. Increase mental health resources with an emphasis on underserved communities, from the historic legislation and funding provided by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Funding: Postsecondary institutions serving larger proportions of students of color and low - income students receive less funding per student on average than other institutions, such that four - year institutions serving larger proportions of Black students and Pell Grant recipients only spend half as much on instructional expenditures per student compared to other institutions. 8 These funding inequalities are due in part to state policies that provide more funding to more selective, research - intensive public institutions than the less - selective public four - year universities and community colleges that students of color and low - income students are more likely to attend. This is also due to the concentration of these student populations in states with lower higher education expenditures overall, particularly in the South. 9 Completion: While completion rates have increased modestly overall in recent years, about one - third of students starting in four - year institutions do not complete their degrees within six years, and about two - thirds of students starting at two - year institutions do not complete their credentials within three years. Double - digit gaps in completion rates remain between students of color and white students (e.g., a 22 - percentage point gap between Black and white students) and low - income and high - income students (e.g., a 22 - percentage point gap between Pell Grant recipients and non - recipients) in four - year institutions. Furthermore, completion rates have declined for Black and Hispanic students in the two - year sector, widening gaps with white students. 10 There are a number of obstacles to completion for students of color and low - income students, including insufficient, inaccessible, or uncoordinated academic and financial support services at the under - resourced institutions they are more likely to attend. 11 Value: While postsecondary education is critical to achieving economic mobility in this country, people of color, people from low - income circumstances, and women, especially women of color, often earn less than their peers with the same college credential. This is partly due to persistent wage discrimination against these populations in the

Accessibility: Research has shown that students who complete the FAFSA are much more likely to enroll (and continue to re - enroll) in college, reducing enrollment " " melt " " especially during the summer between high school and college. 14 However, surveys have found that 10 percent of students did not fill out a FAFSA because they found the forms too complicated, and that a quarter of Black students and one - third of Hispanic or Latino students who did not file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ®) didn't have the information needed to finish it. Making it easier to fill out the FAFSA can address one of the key barriers to enrolling in college for students of color and low - income students. 15 Affordability: Research has found that a $ 1,000 increase in grant aid can increase college enrollment by 4 percentage points, and that a $ 1,000 increase in need - based grant aid can increase college completion by nearly 4 percentage points. Increased grant aid provided by institutions, states, and the federal government can help address barriers to college access and completion for students of color and low - income students. 16 Funding: Research has found that a 10 percent increase in total expenditures can generate an additional 55 bachelor's degrees per year at a typical four - year university, while a decrease in spending can negatively affect degree completion at already underfunded institutions such as community colleges. Equalizing funding for

Funding: The Department will continue to work to increase appropriations for Title III / V grant programs to strengthen HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, implement a new grant competition to increase research funding and infrastructure in HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs with awards to made in the fall. The Department will also ensure successful implementation of the HBCU Partners Act to strengthen federal support for HBCUs across agencies, including working with HBCUs to increase capacity to apply for federal programs, and work with States to support funding parity between 1890 land - grant HBCUs and their counterparts to address the more than $ 12 billion in funding disparities. Completion: The Department will continue to lead the Raise the Bar: Attaining College Excellence & Equity initiative, focused on supporting data - driven improvement in inclusive institutions to improve outcomes for students, including students of color and low - income students. The initiative will include a series of summits, playbooks, and webinars on evidence - based practices that equitably improve completion including data, advising, transfer, and career - relevant learning. The initiative will also include developing new Scorecard dashboards using the Department's data to recognize inclusive institutions providing equitable value to students and provide postsecondary leaders with information to further increase their impact. The initiative complements the new Postsecondary Student Success Grants program to implement evidence - based interventions to increase completion rates, which will be awarded later this year. Value: The Department will continue to protect students from postsecondary institutions or programs that offer little to no financial value by publishing a low financial value watch list of programs and institutions not serving students well, and beginning to implement a new, stronger gainful - employment rule to help ensure that program graduates make more than high school graduates and earn enough to repay their loans. These protections are expected to help address the financial barriers that students of color and low - income students face in the workforce after attending institutions that either did not offer quality programs or did not support them through to degree completion yet left them with debt to repay.

Affordability: Select and implement new options for debt relief following negotiated rulemaking in October - December 2023, and fully implement the new income - driven repayment plan, SAVE, by June 2024, measuring near - term decreases in undergraduate loan payments and increased participation due to auto enrollment after missed payments. Equitable funding: Release NIAs for Title III / V grant programs to strengthen HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs S (specific grants and timelines TBD pending budget) and implement the new HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs Research Funding grant with awards made by December 2023. Near - term measures include number of technical assistance activities provided to grantees to support implementation of the grants. Completion: Measure engagement with the Raise the Bar initiative through three more summits for approximately 200 attendees each to be held in fall 2023 (on Student Transfer and Credit Mobility Policies), spring 2024 (Holistic Student Advising and Wraparound Supports) and fall 2024 (Career - Relevant Learning Experiences). Implement Postsecondary Student Success Grant Program with awards by December 2023, and measure near - term implementation through the number of technical assistance activities provided to grantees including on evaluation. Tentatively plan to launch new Scorecard dashboards in summer / fall 2024 with user metrics to be developed. Value: Released the final Gainful Employment regulations by November 2023 to take effect in July 2024 and measure near - term implementation with the number of institutions / programs successfully complying with the new reporting requirements. The low - value watch list is tentatively expected to launch in 2025 with user metrics to be developed.

Accessibility: Measure increase in FAFSA completion rates for the overall population, including by students of color and low - income students; approximately 600,000 more low - income students are expected to receive Pell Grant awards with the new FAFSA. Analyze and address disparities in application and award (e.g., FAFSA verification) rates by key demographics including race, income, and gender to further increase federal aid accessibility. Affordability: Continue to increase uptake of public service loan forgiveness among eligible borrowers and measure uptake of the new SAVE program by quantifying the volume of loans covered by SAVE (which is projected to increase between 1 - 19 percentage points depending on the institutional sector). Analyze and address disparities in PSLF and SAVE application and approval rates by key demographics including race, income, and gender. Funding: The Department's FY24 budget requests $ 1.76 billion - $ 429 million over FY23 - to enhance institutional capacity at HBCUs, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), MSIs, and low - resourced institutions, including community colleges. This includes $ 350 Million for research and development at HBCUs, TCCUs,

Completion: Increase commitment and engagement by institutions and States to increase completion rates, close completion gaps, and confer credentials of value through Raise The Bar activities, including engaging nearly 1,000 field leaders through summits from 2022 - 2024. Generate new evidence and exemplars from the new Postsecondary Student Success Grant program about what works to improve completion, with annual data collections (2024 - 2028) and evaluations to be published in 2028 and beyond. Value: Hold institutions accountable under the Gainful Employment rule for programs that leave students unable to pay their debt or no better off than if they had not obtained the credential, upon implementation in July 2024. Under the new rule, career training programs that fail either of the metrics in a single year will be required to provide warnings to students, and programs that fail the same metric in two out of three consecutive years would lose eligibility to participate in Title IV Federal financial aid programs. About 1,700 career training programs enrolling nearly 700,000 students are projected to fail at least one of the two metrics in the new Gainful Employment rule in a single year.

1. Prioritized college access and college completion as accessibility, affordability, equitable funding, and verification remain barriers to postsecondary education. Improved Accessibility: In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling last summer limiting the ability of colleges to consider an applicant's race in and of itself as a factor in deciding whether to admit an applicant, the Department provided colleges and universities with resources on what admissions practices and programs remain lawful to ensure diversity, convened a National Summit on Educational Opportunity, and released a report on strategies for increasing diversity and educational opportunity. The Department also awarded over $ 40 million in Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) and TRIO Upward Bound grants in FY23 for programs focused on helping low - income students, first - generation students, and students with disabilities gain access to college. Improved Affordability: The Department worked to secure a $ 500 hundred increase in the maximum Pell Grant award, the largest increase in 10 years, in the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations bill and awarded $ 22 million in grants to colleges to address students ' basic needs, including food, housing, transportation, and childcare earlier this fiscal year. The Department has implemented a number of efforts over the last year to ease repayment and reduce debt burden for student loan borrowers, which disproportionately impacts low - income students and students of color, including recently approving an additional $ 9 billion in debt relief through fixes to income - drive repayment (IDR) and Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) programs and granting automatic relief for borrowers with total and permanent disabilities, bringing the total approved debt cancellation to $ 127 billion for nearly 3.6 million Americans. The Department also rolled out initial implementation of the SAVE plan last fall, which is the most affordable repayment plan ever created, and has already enrolled more than 4 million borrowers. Equalized Funding: The Department worked to secure a significant increase in appropriations for programs to strengthen HBCUs, TCUs, HSIs and MSIs in the FY23 budget. The Department issued Notices Inviting Applications (NIAs) for and awarded a number of Title III / V grant programs to strengthen HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, including Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander - serving institutions (AANAPISIs) and HSIs over the last year, and published the NIA for the new $ 50 million HBCU, TCU, and MSI Research and Development Infrastructure grant last summer, which aims to provide funds to implement transformational investments in research infrastructure, including research productivity, faculty expertise, graduate programs, physical infrastructure, human capital development, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding.

Number of PEPs receiving renewed approval by the Department. Number of individuals who are incarcerated participating in PEPs eligible for Pell Grants. Number of credentials attained by students participating in PEPs.

Improved Completion: The Department re - launched the Raise the Bar: Attaining College Excellence & Equity initiative with a summit this spring focused on data - driven improvement efforts to equitably increase completion rates for students of color and low - income students, published the NIA for the Postsecondary Student Success Grants this summer, which the Department worked to increase from its initial appropriation of $ 5 million to $ 45 million this year, and renewed Project Success, which provides funding to HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs through Federal Student Aid (FSA) in partnership with Guaranty Agencies to increase completion rates and decrease default rates. Increased Value: The Department has reinstated the FSA enforcement office, which was closed under the previous Administration, to better protect student loan borrowers by ensuring that schools are adhering to the federal student aid program rules and delivering quality education to students. 2. Ensured equitable impact of ARP funding for K - 12 students to support student groups most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including but not limited to students from low - income backgrounds, students with disabilities, multilingual learners, students experiencing homelessness, and migratory students. The Department implemented Maintenance of Equity ARP Elementary and Secondary School Relief (ESSER) requirements to ensure historically underserved students have the State and local resources necessary for continued recovery. The Department provided guidance, including weekly technical assistance calls with State educational agencies (SEAs) and educational materials, including frequently asked questions (FAQs), optional reporting templates, and webinars, and other targeted supports to States to promote continued equitable investment of State and local resources in K - 12 education in high - poverty communities. The Department continues to work with States to provide technical assistance in using historic investments in Title I, now totaling $ 19 billion annually, along with other permissible funding sources to sustain key activities funded by ARP; this includes increasing academic achievement, supporting students ' mental health, expanding access to preschool, and strengthening teacher recruitment and retention. The Department continues to collect per - pupil and full time equivalent (FTE) staff data from States on the LEAs and schools they have identified as serving the highest proportion of students in poverty in FY19 - 23. 3. Invested in resources to help advance civil rights to identify inequities in educational opportunities as the country grappled with the COVID - 19 pandemic and its effects on students ' academic, social, and emotional development.

The Department's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) within the Office of Finance and Operations (OFO) has remained committed to providing small, women - owned, disadvantaged, service - disabled veteran - owned, HUBZone, and all other categories of small businesses with equitable opportunities to participate in both prime and subcontracts. The Department's White House Initiatives on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans, Hispanics, HBCUs, and Native Americans and Strengthening TCUs (Initiatives) and Center for Faith - based and Neighborhood Partnerships (CFBNP) has remained committed to ensuring that historically underserved communities in procurement and contract activities receive full and equal participation to minimize barriers. The Initiatives and CFBNP has leveraged public participation, community engagement, and outreach to promote equitable and effective utilization of food vendors, speakers, American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, speech - to - text transcribers, and other engagement strategies. The Department is committed to creating equitable strategies to engage policy influencers, stakeholders, community leaders, and key decision makers to create more procurement and contract opportunities by mitigating barriers.

The Department updated the OSDBU site to maximize access and opportunity for small businesses to participate. The Department published a resource on the Forecast of Department Contract Opportunities to help ensure that small businesses have access to specific opportunities and requirements. The contents on the contracts information page from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) have been moved to the a new location titled " " Doing Business with the Department " ". The page consolidates information and shares resources related to policies and regulations, contract opportunities, and how the Department equitably supports small businesses.

5. Advanced equity in grant process strategies through funding programs that focused on improving access to high - quality educational opportunities and programs that pursue innovations in teaching and learning with an emphasis on underserved students. Designated the $ 1 billion from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) as the Stronger Connections Grant Program. This enables SEAs to competitively award subgrants to high - need LEAs for activities to support safe and healthy students under ESEA section 4108. Funded 264 grants with $ 1 billion in BSCA funds to more than 40 states to increase the supply of school - based mental health professionals under the School - Based Mental Health Services Grant and the Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration (MHSPD) Grant Program. At least 40 States used " " high poverty " " in their definition of high - needs school. The Department estimates these 5 - year grants will result in an increase of 14,000 mental health professionals. In FY23, nearly 50 percent of the MHSPD grants include a partnership with MSIs, HBCUs, or Tribal Colleges. In a letter to State educational agencies, the Department encouraged states to prioritize funding for districts with high rates of poverty and one of the following a high student - to - mental health professional ratio; high rates of chronic absenteeism, exclusionary discipline, and / or referrals to the juvenile justice system, bullying / harassment, community and school violence, or substance abuse; or students who recently experienced a natural disaster or traumatic event. The Department issued revised non - regulatory guidance to inform SEAs, LEAs, institutions of higher education, schools, educators, partner organizations, and other stakeholders on how they can use evidence - based activities, strategies, and interventions to strengthen education investments. The Department also published a training to inform grantees of sourcing requirements for capital improvements authorized by the Build America Buy America Act (BABAA).

Accessibility: Exacerbated by the pandemic, undergraduate enrollment has declined for all students since 2019, including Native American (- 7.9 percent), Black (- 7.3 percent), Hispanic (- 5 percent) and Pell Grant recipients (- 9.9 percent) students, which threatens our ability to continue to increase postsecondary attainment rates in this country. 3 Students of color and low - income students face a number of barriers to enrolling in postsecondary education, including lack of sufficient access to counselors and advisors to support them with completing college admissions and financial aid applications. 4 Affordability: The financial burden of paying for college has increased for students and families as prices have soared and the purchasing power of the Pell Grant has diminished over time, now covering only about 25 percent of average college costs. 5 As

This plan highlights and builds upon the Department's programs that foster educational equity such as Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the federal Pell Grant program, authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965 as well as the use of the Secretary's supplemental priorities for discretionary grants, including priorities to promote educational equity and adequacy in resources and opportunity for underserved students and support for entities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Minority - Serving Institutions (MSIs). To inform the development of this plan, the Department has engaged with the key elementary, secondary and postsecondary leaders, parents, innovators, and researchers to seek input and feedback on these strategies.

Provide outreach and technical assistance to institutions of higher education, State and local correctional agencies, accreditors, and other relevant stakeholders to explain and facilitate their implementation of the requirements for approval of Prison Education Programs (PEPs) for which individuals who are incarcerated could use Pell Grants beginning July 1, 2023, which will result in new PEPs being offered in states.

Percentage of states reporting in the Department's annual Grantee Satisfaction Survey that the Department has provided technical assistance resources they found useful in advancing equity in CTE.

The Medicaid Budget and Expenditure System (MBES) expenditures reports for 2021 show more than $ 5.98 billion in total computable payments for school - based health care services to Medicaid students. This report will be used to determine growth in school - based health services supported by the Medicaid program.

14,000 new school - based mental health professionals to be trained by 2028 through the 5 - year grants funded in FY 2023.

The Department has engaged the field formally through public comments, the Stronger Connections Webinar Series, and the BSCA Grant Program FAQs, and informally through proactive outreach to key stakeholders such as local and State and leaders, mental health organizations, and researchers on a regular and on - going basis.

The Department's inaugural 2022 Equity Action Plan focused on five areas: prioritizing college access and college completion; ensuring equitable impact of ARP funding for K - 12 students; investing in resources to help advance civil rights; advancing equity in contracting and procurement; and advancing equity in grant process strategies. The Department remains committed to continuing progress in these areas. Select accomplishments include:

4. Advance Equity Contracting and Procurement to identify opportunities to award higher dollar actions to minority owned small businesses as they received significantly fewer overall dollars in procurement actions.

As Secretary, I have tasked the Department to assess how our policies, grants and other programs perpetuate opportunity gaps and develop policies to break down these barriers. Such efforts are especially vital at a moment when States, districts, and schools are working to address learning losses that disproportionately impacted underserved students.

a result, low - income students and students of color face considerably more unmet financial need than their peers; the average net price after grant aid for students from the lowest - income families represents 94 percent of their annual family income compared with 14 percent for students from the highest - income families. 6 To make up the difference, low - income students and some students of color are more likely to borrow, and face more difficulties repaying their loans especially since they are also more likely to drop - out with debt but no degree.

Affordability: The Department will work with Congress to double the maximum Pell Grant by 2029, work with States to increase the number of States and institutions offering free community college, and continue to work with institutions to increase

students ' access to basic needs supports such as childcare, housing, and nutrition assistance. The Department will also build on our work to date to support student loan borrowers by conducting three negotiated rulemaking sessions this fall to provide an alternative path to debt relief following the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that blocked a plan to discharge loan debt, including for former Pell Grant recipients.

At the U.S. Department of Education (Department), we believe that our nation's future is brighter when we provide every student in every community with equitable access to an academically rigorous, well - rounded education in a safe and inclusive school. We are answering President Biden's call to prioritize equity across government by working intentionally to ensure our policies, grants, and programs address longstanding disparities in education still faced by underserved students, families, and communities. Our " " Raise the Bar: Lead the World " " agenda tackles these inequities head - on with an emphasis on accelerating learning in our schools, ensuring access to a comprehensive and well - rounded education, strengthening supports for students ' mental health and wellbeing, empowering educators, expanding access to multilingual learning, and reimagining pathways to college and careers. Together, we can build an education system that ensures all students have opportunities to discover their passion, find their purpose, and realize their potential.

Led process of integrating EPA organizational culture change efforts that enhance vendor diversification, procurement equity, and inclusion. A webinar was hosted during Small Business Week to amplify the use of small and socioeconomic businesses. Over 1,000 EPA personnel attended this webinar. Developed EPA training curriculum for small businesses, compromised of nine topics that will be offered in FY 2024.

Proposed stronger requirements5 for the removal of lead - based paint hazards in pre - 1978 buildings and child - care facilities to better protect children and communities from harmful effects of exposure to dust generated from lead paint. Released outreach and educational materials in various languages highlighting the risks of heavy metal exposures primarily to children and pregnant women in products such as spices, cosmetics and cookware. Announced a series of free educational sessions6 on the dangers of lead and ways to reduce and prevent lead exposure in children and across U.S. communities. Published the Renovate Lead - Safe Media Kit to educate about the availability of lead - safe certified contractors and the importance of following do - it - yourself lead - safe work practices in removing lead - based paint. Released an environmental justice toolkit for lead paint enforcement programs that provides strategies, examples, and other information for federal, state, Tribal and local government enforcement practitioners to use during all stages of environmental enforcement and compliance monitoring activities designed to eliminate harmful exposures to lead paint in housing. Issued principles for addressing environmental justice concerns in air permitting and conducted outreach to state and Tribal partners. In the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Emissions Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Electric Generating Units (EGUs), conducted pre - proposal outreach to environmental justice organizations and representatives of communities affected by pollution from the power sector. Awarded $ 900M in funding for Clean School Buses to support replacement of existing school buses with zero - emission or low - emission buses that reduce exhaust, which is linked to asthma. In June 2023, conducted a public webinar on ways to make bilingual pesticide labeling accessible to farmworkers and conducted outreach and solicited feedback from stakeholders, including the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, farmworker advocacy groups, and the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee. Promoted best burn practices and cleaner technologies. Assisted partners with wood heater changeout programs to meet requirements of New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Residential Wood Heaters, which helps to protect low - income families and communities who rely on wood heaters from wood smoke. Awarded $ 2M among 10 winners for the Cool Communities Challenge. Hosted a national webinar to share innovative and effective communication strategies that inform people of the risks of extreme heat, providing materials in 13 languages and offering ways to keep safe during the hottest days to better reach communities with environmental justice concerns in inner cities and farmworkers, among others. Hosted a prize competition to protect public health, including maternal health, through the Let's Talk About Heat Challenge, focused on innovative communication strategies to warn people of the risks of extreme heat and provide solutions on how to keep safe during the hottest days. Among the winners were messages targeted to people known to be more susceptible to extreme heat, which includes those who are pregnant and children.

EPA's ongoing engagement with communities in multiple forums provides information on challenges faced by communities navigating opportunities. These include engagement through: Environmental Justice Grants and Technical Assistance programs; the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC); and additional existing channels such as monthly National EJ Community Engagement calls. The Government Accounting Office (GAO) has found communities with environmental justice concerns, in particular those in rural areas, Tribal lands, and financially disadvantaged, face challenges in accessing federal grant opportunities, navigating federal systems and managing federal grant funds.

Operationalize a National Network of EJ Thriving Community Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs). The EJ TCTACs will be the backbone of EPA's comprehensive community support efforts. The TCTACs will provide ground floor front door accessibility to thousands of capacity constrained communities across the United States free of charge and with no application to receive help. The EJ TCTACs will focus on basic capacity building assistance such as organizational development, engagement and collaboration building between communities and others such as local utilities and states, grant - writing training, and support. Operationalize EJ TCTACs as a one - stop shop to support communities, that will also serve as a navigator for capacity constrained communities to identify and receive additional forms of support from across government and other sources that match their needs. Traditionally the government has squarely placed the burden on communities of looking across thousands of different assistance programs (grants, assistance, other forms of support) and understanding which programs are available to meet their needs. The EJ TCTACs will be a single point of entry for capacity constrained communities into this broader constellation of assistance and will not just inform communities of different programs but facilitate access to the support that matches the needs of communities. Establish and operationalize a National Network of EJ Thriving Community Grantmakers (EJ TCGM). The EJ TCGM program will build a nation - wide network of Grantmakers that will provide

subgrants to communities in their regional coverage areas in amounts between $ 100 - 350K. These subgrants will essentially replace EPA's traditional grant programs such as the EJ Small Grants, which would provide such small levels of support directly to communities through a traditional government grant competition and award process. The subawards through the Grantmakers will achieve two equity goals - greatly reducing the burden capacity - constrained communities face when seeking small amounts of funding directly from the federal government, and also increasing the speed with which communities receive an award. EPA plans to make at least eleven (11) Grantmaker awards across the United States with $ 50M each, of which at least $ 40M must be directly subawarded to capacity - constrained communities. EPA anticipates that over the next three years the Grantmakers will make approximately 2,000 subawards in the amounts cited. EPA has announced the eleven (11) recipients of the EJ TCGM awards totaling $ 600M. Launched a new $ 2B Environment and Climate Justice Community Change Grant program with a focus on re - envisioning the application process to ensure equity. In FY 2024, EPA will compete these new Community Change Grants, which will be the vehicle through which approximately $ 2B in IRA funding will flow. Community Change Grants will focus on awarding between $ 10 - 20M to multi - faceted proposals from community - driven collaborations that bring together efforts to deal with legacy pollution, the impacts of climate change, development of local workforces, meaningful engagement, community education - all with a goal of implementing solutions that create positive change on the ground for communities. EPA is implementing several innovative solutions to increase equity through this program. While the EJ TCTACs will focus on providing more basic forms of support to capacity - constrained communities, they will also facilitate communities with higher levels of capacity to access more specialized forms of technical assistance provided by contractors. This contractor - provided technical assistance will offer communities the support they need for planning, project development, financing, etc. in the development of multi - faceted proposals for the Community Change Grant program. Technical assistance by the contractor will also support proposals that receive support to ensure high quality reporting, tracking, and telling the story of how the Community Change Grants catalyzed positive and meaningful change on the ground for the recipient communities. The Community Change Grant program will have a two - stage application process. The first stage will be a more traditional written application that is streamlined to the extent feasible to ease the burden on applicants. Proposals that meet minimum criteria in the paper application will then be invited to an oral presentation that will achieve two goals - minimize the role that professional grant writers play for typically better - resourced communities and allow EPA grants staff to engage directly with community leaders and their partners to investigate the authenticity of the project's community - driven nature and the sustainability ensured by different partners of the project. In addition - to ease the burden on communities - the Community Change Grant will have a 12 - month open application period. This will achieve several equity goals. It will provide communities significantly more time to build the partnerships and multi - faceted proposals sought through this competition. It will allow EPA program staff the opportunity to tailor the competition over the year - long window based upon feedback from prospective applicants and the actual proposals received to ensure that the competition fits the needs and purpose as closely as possible. The rolling application will

Number of communities that receive fundamental capacity building assistance through the EJ TCTACs. Number of new grantees and resources flowing to disadvantaged communities through EPA Justice40 programs. Number of successfully completed project elements vs. number of projects unsuccessfully completed resulting in funding returned to EPA. Number of new community - driven partnerships working collaboratively to implement change - making projects on the ground in communities. 10

Ongoing monthly National EJ Community Engagement calls. Ongoing public engagement calls open to all communities to provide educational outreach and assistance regarding federal assistance programs through the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. Ongoing in - person presentations to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee and the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. Upcoming assistance calls at the national level regarding the Environment and Climate Justice Community Change Grant competition. Ongoing outreach engagement by the TCTACs and other contractor - led technical assistance providers, and regional staff that will provide feedback to EPA on efforts to improve access for communities with environmental justice concerns. Continuous feedback of ongoing activities through increased staffing capacity across all ten EPA regions that expands outreach and engagement efforts of regional staff with communities in their regions.

Strengthen its external civil rights workforce through hiring, onboarding, and training of dedicated civil rights staff, both in headquarters and the regions, and retaining the services of contract staff to support the civil rights mission, and the various underlying initiatives outlined below. Initiate and complete proactive pre - award and post - award civil rights compliance activities, including affirmative compliance reviews. Operationalize clear and strong civil rights guidance and provide corresponding training and technical assistance to increase recipients ' compliance with civil rights laws. Conduct timely and effective civil rights complaint investigations and resolutions, even as we work to address a record number of new incoming complaints, and simultaneously meet deadlines. Strengthen federal interagency collaboration and coordination on complaints, compliance reviews, and policy guidance. Increase transparency, enhance engagement with environmentally overburdened communities, and engage all EPA program and regional offices in civil rights compliance activities.

Increase in the number of recipients and applicants of EPA financial assistance with procedural safeguards. Increased compliance with civil rights requirements by recipients of EPA funding as a result of a robust affirmative enforcement program, including compliance reviews, pre - award reviews, and post - award compliance activities.

Engagement with stakeholders including the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council and quarterly through National EJ Community Engagement calls. Quarterly meetings with environmental justice and civil rights advocates regarding efforts to strengthen civil rights compliance among recipients and applicants of EPA financial assistance. Participation as requested at national and regional convenings regarding environmental justice and civil rights.

Issued Cumulative Impacts: Recommendations for ORD Research, which provides recommendations for EPA's cumulative impacts research to improve scientific methods and tools. Issued Legal Tools to Advance Environmental Justice: Cumulative Impacts Addendum, an assessment of EPA's legal authorities to consider and address cumulative impacts. Released draft Guidelines for Cumulative Risk Assessment Planning and Problem Formulation. These Guidelines provide technical description of broad engagement in problem formulation and conditions for inclusion of multiple stressors in cumulative assessments. Awarded $ 21.4M in research grant funding to 16 institutions for community - based research on how climate change may compound adverse environmental conditions and health stressors in communities with environmental justice concerns. Developing Agency - wide Cumulative Impacts Framework to inform efforts to operationalize and integrate cumulative impacts analysis and action in EPA's programs. Launched Agency - wide workgroup to establish best practices to integrate susceptibility and vulnerability information into human health risk assessments and produce a state - of - the - science report. Launched cumulative impacts assessments to address long - standing environmental issues in rural and urban locations, which has resulted in eight place - based demonstration efforts across the country. Conducted workshops on cumulative impacts with Chicago Department of Public Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Incorporated community, Tribal, and academic input to cumulative impacts strategy through engagement with National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, Local Government Advisory Committee and Science Advisory Board on cumulative impacts. Initiated Agency - wide cumulative impacts webinar series and office hours, which involved nearly 20 sessions and has brought together approximately 3,000 total participants from all programs and regions. Issued STAR grant awards for Centers for Early Lifestage Vulnerabilities to Environmental Stressors - Cumulative Health Impacts to fund research investigating cumulative health impacts for children in rural agricultural communities with environmental justice concerns.

Work to provide financial and technical assistance to small and rural communities to establish and improve wastewater treatment services, lower risk of harm to public health, and protect the environment (e.g., Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap Community Initiative - EPA / USDA partnership to help historically underserved communities with environmental justice concerns identify and pursue federal funding opportunities to address their wastewater needs and eliminate harmful exposure to backyard sewage). 27 Support water infrastructure using technical, managerial, and financial assistance opportunities in rural communities. ² 8 Provide technical assistance to rural communities to increase access to water and wastewater infrastructure, and other projects that in turn can reduce public health concerns. Participate in the USDA - led Rural Partners Network, " " an alliance of federal agencies and commissions working directly with rural communities to expand rural prosperity through job creation, infrastructure development, and community improvement. " " 29 Implement the Agency's long - term commitment to modernize its financial assistance programs to encourage climate - smart investments in communities across the United States, including rural communities. EPA has established a Resilient Infrastructure Subgroup on Climate to (1) support the agency's offices with integrating climate adaptation into their financial assistance programs, and (2) make EPA's tools, training, data, and technical assistance programs discoverable and accessible to applicants and funding recipients. Expand grant programs to further address concerns related to farmworkers and their children with the goal of addressing human health impacts in these communities. Work to provide access to bilingual (particularly Spanish) labeling on pesticide products with the goal of increasing the availability of pesticide safety information and reducing adverse health impacts.

Number of grant application requirements identified for revision to better reflect rural communities. Increases in the number of grant applications received from rural areas. Changes in the number and type of grants awarded to rural communities.

Reduction of health disparities affecting rural community members, including, but not limited to, the health improvement of farmworkers and the children of farmworkers. Access to water and wastewater infrastructure, as well as other projects relevant to these communities. Changes in the number of rural community environmental health and environmental quality indicators included in EPA's information system (e.g., EJScreen). Increases in the number of grant applications that were received from rural areas after any necessary revisions are made to grant application requirements.

The EJ TCTACs also supports the federal Thriving Communities Network and provide an initial access point and proactive support for communities and their partners to identify and access additional more specialized forms of support across government and private philanthropic resources. Designed and competed the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCG). The EJ TCG program is establishing a national network of Grantmakers that will make subgrants to communities in their regional coverage areas in amounts between $ 100 - 350K. These subawards through the Grantmakers will achieve two equity goals - greatly reducing the burden capacity - constrained communities face when seeking such amounts of funding directly from the federal government through a full federal competition and assistance agreement, and also increasing the turn - around time in actually receiving an award from a Grantmaker as opposed to the federal government. EPA plans to award at least eleven (11) Grantmaker awards across the United States with $ 50M, each of which must in turn directly award at least $ 40M to capacity - constrained communities. EPA anticipates that over the next three years the Grantmakers will make approximately 2,000 subawards in the amounts cited. EPA has announced the eleven (11) recipients of the EJ TCGM awards totaling $ 600M. Announced $ 128M for Environmental Justice Projects across the Country through the Thriving Communities EJ Collaborative Problem Solving and Government to Government Grant programs launched in FY 2023 which support communities, and their governmental partners establish strong collaborative efforts to identify solutions to priority equity and justice challenges facing the community.

Develop a clear EPA Directive / Order on Section 504 Procedures for Ensuring Meaningful Access for Persons with Disabilities to EPA Programs Services and Activities, to put into place a clear, consistent, and well - coordinated process for ensuring meaningful access for persons with disabilities. Develop program and region - specific disability access plans pursuant to the long - term performance goal under the Strategic Plan to ensure open access (i.e., digital and physical) to all programs, activities, and services conducted by EPA. Seek meaningful input from internal and external stakeholders in the development of the directive, including for implementing a fair and prompt public complaint process. Identify all necessary resources, including contractual vehicles, EPA must put in place to ensure consistent EPA - wide provision needed services, or " " reasonable modifications and / or auxiliary aids and services, " " for persons with disabilities. Develop and deliver comprehensive training for all EPA staff to ensure meaningful access for persons in the public with disabilities. Include in performance evaluations accountability for promoting disability access to EPA's programs, activities, and services. Conduct a physical assessment of EPA facilities to identify disability access issues (including contractor - operated facilities). Initiate research on the intersectionality of people with disabilities and other vulnerabilities to equitable access to environmental benefits.

Access to scientific and technical assistance is often necessary for successful implementation of community science projects. Many communities with environmental justice concerns lack access to resources (such as funding, training and guidance, equipment loan programs, etc.) to develop and implement community - based participatory science programs. Examples listed below illustrate the benefits to communities of partnering with academic, NGO, or government scientists for technical support. Investment is needed in planning, data infrastructure, and technical support to strengthen data quality and data management to support the use of community - generated data. Anticipated receiving organizations in state, Tribal, and local governments need to be consulted and resourced to integrate and use community science in decision - making. Connecting hubs are needed between communities, technical support providers, and receptors in local, state, and federal government for the creation and use of community science. Resources (e.g., staff, financial, technical) are needed along the full data pathway from community, universities / technical support, to local, state, and federal entities to enable successful integration of participatory science into decision - making.

Pleasantville Community Air Monitoring (Houston, TX), Health Impacts of I - 10 (New Orleans, LA), and WE ACT Emissions Monitoring (New York (Harlem), NY). California Air Resources Board (CARB; AB 617) supports community steering committees in developing community air monitoring plans for the deployment of monitors. CARB technical support helps to ensure that community air monitoring campaigns produce meaningful results to address community air quality and related environmental public health concerns. The EPA Chesapeake Bay Program collaborated with the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative (CMC) to develop a strategy for providing technical support to volunteer and community scientists. The CMC is also focused on increasing representation and engagement with diverse stakeholders in alignment with the Bay Program's DEIJ priorities. Since 2017, CMC has worked with 117 communities, supporting the generation and integration of 850,000 + data points. EPA's Air Sensor Toolbox, established in 2014, provides the latest science on air sensor monitoring systems for technology developers, air quality managers, community scientists and the public. The air sensor Loan Program provides technical support and sensor loans for community scientists. Since January 2022, the website has been visited 81,000 + times. Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) grants have expanded the number of community - based volunteer watershed associations from 125 to over 560, including funding the Consortium for Scientific Assistance to Watersheds, a team of technical support providers who emphasize a community - based approach. Since 2001, CSAW has assisted 756 communities (57,258 Pennsylvanians) to develop and implement community - driven water quality assessments and supported these communities in putting data to use for local change.

Charter a Participatory Science Implementation Workgroup under EPA's Science and Technology Policy Council (STPC) to develop approaches, guidelines, tools, and training to implement the EPA Participatory Science Vision. Develop a participatory science implementation guide to serve as a facilitative resource to support the integration and use of data collected by community and volunteer scientists at EPA. Conduct outreach to technical support, and local, state, and federal government receiving agencies and community science groups to ascertain their needs with respect to data quality, data management, and resourcing of technical and staff needs. Conduct research in and with communities through the Community - Engaged Research Collaborative for Learning and Excellence (CERCLE) in Edison, NJ. Fund community science actions through Inflation Reduction Act and / or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant solicitations such as the opportunity for community - driven partnerships to fund monitoring, sampling, and other scientific projects related to reducing pollution and increasing climate resilience through the Environment and Climate Justice Community Change Grant program.

Launched new Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR). Significantly increased OEJECR staffing support with a majority of full - time employees deployed in EPA's 10 regions to advance environmental justice and integrate equity in the implementation of Agency programs and to collaborate with governmental partners on the ground in support of community environmental justice and civil rights priorities. Strengthened and increased contract support for language assistance services throughout EPA in addition to community engagement support for regional EJ staff. Developed Agency - wide implementation plans for achieving Goal 2 of Strategic Plan, Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights. Launched effort to develop a set of indicators to identify disparities in environmental and public health conditions. Engaged in training and capacity building activities across EPA programs and regions on the fundamentals of integrating equity and justice into the agency's mission delivery by expanding the knowledge base of EPA staff.

STPC Participatory Science Implementation Workgroup is chartered, and the Agency has finalized the Participatory Science Data Management and Assessment Plan by end of calendar year 2023. Review of research implementation by the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) Social and Community Science Subcommittee completed by end of FY 2024. CERCLE will be staffed and operational by end of FY 2024. Percentage and / or number of EPA community grant funds that support science to address environmental justice and equity concerns, including Tribal community science projects.

Limitations on the ability to develop statistical estimates of exposure to environmental hazards at the relevant geographic scale and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Lack of clarity or guidelines on how to assess progress over time in equity. Limitations to data on identifying the geographic scope of the ultimate beneficiaries of EPA actions and the actions of recipients and subrecipients of EPA grant funding. Insufficient real - time, continuous monitoring of actual ambient concentrations of pollutants in multiple communities as opposed to a few monitors for an entire metro area. Limitations in the statistical, evaluation, and data science capabilities needed to design and conduct equity assessments. Limitations on the ability to share data pertinent to equity assessment within and beyond the federal community.

Identify and aim to fill gaps in data collected by relevant partners and other agencies, that limit our ability to perform robust equity assessments (e.g., compare / combine media data with demographic data to determine a model to map). Partner with statistical agencies that have relevant survey or administrative data to develop robust statistical estimates of exposure to environmental hazards disaggregated across relevant dimensions and at an appropriate spatial scale. Partner with federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies, and other stakeholder groups to share data where appropriate to build larger more robust interoperable data for equity analyses. Strategically invest in human capital to advance equity assessments including, leveraging EPA data skills training program with additional resources specific to equity analysis. Leverage our community - based participatory science partners to enhance communities ' capacity to understand and use data and tools relevant to their specific concerns. Develop equity evaluation guidelines for conducting EPA program evaluations supported by equitable data approaches. Improve ways we share the data EPA manages and the tools that allow external parties to view, analyze or otherwise interact with our data, especially in an equity context (e.g., EJScreen). Develop and manage a new cooperative agreement program designed to assist EPA grant recipients representing small, underserved, and / or Tribal communities with data, reporting and evidence - building.

Identification of data gaps that limit our ability to perform equity assessments, and number of those data gaps addressed through data collection, data sharing, or statistical estimation. Use of data in program evaluations to assess the equity outcomes of EPA programs. Number of equity - aligned data and analytics training sessions given, or modules provided. Number of cooperative agreements supporting the data, reporting, and evidence - building of EPA grant recipients representing small, underserved, and / or Tribal communities. Number of EPA grant recipients provided assistance through EPA's cooperative agreement program designed to assist small underserved, and / or Tribal communities with data, reporting, and evidence - building.

Expanded EPA staff capacity to identify data gaps and engage in equity assessments. Expanded capacity of EPA grant recipients representing small, underserved, and / or Tribal communities in responding to EPA grant data and reporting requirements and engaged in evidence - building. Measurable reduction in disparities as reflected by identified indicators of health disparities.

Revised EPA's pre - award compliance review process for applicants and recipients requesting EPA financial assistance to ensure that all recipients of EPA funding are in compliance with procedural requirements and entered into approximately 90 agreements with recipients to come into compliance with obligations under EPA's nondiscrimination regulation. In August 2022, EPA issued " " Interim Environmental Justice and Civil Rights in Permitting FAQs, " " which gathered existing guidance, technical assistance, and other resources to assist permit writers and reviewers with integrating environmental justice and civil rights into decision - making. Completed jurisdictional review of 47 complaints, accepted 10 of those cases, and to date, have resolved 5, as compared to FY 2020 of only 15 cases accepted. Conducted multiple national public engagement technical assistance sessions, with a future public commitment to hold at least one per quarter to provide transparency of civil rights work and an opportunity for public input. Increased transparency by affirmatively providing information to the public including an interactive Online Docket of all external civil rights complaints filed with EPA since 2014, and corresponding documents. Provided civil rights compliance technical assistance and training to hundreds of EPA financial assistance recipients and other stakeholders both one - on - one and through workshops to encourage compliance.

Released Using Participatory Science at EPA: Vision and Principles, a strategic approach to using participatory science to strengthen environmental protection. Produced resource materials for quality assurance to support the use of participatory science as an asset. Produced Participatory Science Policy Guidelines and Checklist to build internal EPA capacity to design, fund, and manage participatory science projects. Established the Community - Engaged Research Collaborative for Learning and Excellence (CERCLE) as a center for place - based, co - produced research. Announced $ 53M in funding for 132 air monitoring projects in 37 states that will enhance air quality monitoring in communities across the U.S. EPA's Ports Initiative partnered with EPA's Environmental Justice Small Grant Program to award seven ~ $ 75K grants to help communities to engage in collaborative efforts to reduce diesel pollution at ports and railyards.

Priority Action # 6: Ensure EPA Procurement and Contracting is Equitable.

Through the historic investment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is delivering more than $ 50 billion to improve our nation's drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure to cities, towns, and territories across the country, many of which are in disadvantaged communities. For example, EPA awarded $ 4 billion to states, Tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia in capitalization grants under the 5 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. These programs provide low - cost financing for a wide range of water infrastructure projects from sewage systems to drinking water with nearly half of the funding flowing to disadvantaged communities. 7 Additionally, EPA created a $ 5 billion non - competitive grant program for small or disadvantaged communities to address emerging contaminants, including per - and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in drinking water systems. 8

Through the IRA, EPA is investing directly to reduce pollution in frontline communities. This includes, for example, Environmental and Climate Justice Grants to support community - led projects in communities with environmental justice concerns, funding for fenceline monitoring near industrial facilities, and spurring solar development in low - income communities through the Solar for All Grant program. Read highlights of the one - year anniversary of this ambitious legislation and EPA's implementation of programs providing support to communities that unjustly bear the burdens of environmental harm and pollution.

Communities with environmental justice concerns face capacity constraints in accessing federal assistance such as grants and technical assistance. These barriers impede efforts to identify the appropriate and most needed forms of assistance, write compelling grant applications, form multiparty collaborative partnerships, develop holistic plans with multiple project elements, and effectively implement and report on the results of grants received.

1Civil Rights in this context refers to EPA's responsibility to enforce several civil rights laws which, together, prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including on the basis of limited - English proficiency); sex; disability; age; and retaliation by applicants for and recipients of federal financial assistance from EPA. (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, respectively.) EPA is also responsible for enforcing Section 13 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination based on sex under programs or activities receiving financial assistance under the Clean Water Act.

No community should bear a disproportionate share of adverse environmental or public health consequences from the nation's economic and other activities. Pursuant to Executive Order 14096, historically marginalized communities overburdened by the cumulative impacts ¹ ¹ of environmental and social stressors should be afforded the full protection of government agencies and programs. This will be accomplished by leveraging coordination and collaboration in addressing cumulative impacts, with whole - of - government approaches involving multiple programs and agencies. Such efforts will be supported by " " fit - for - purpose " " analytic methods and data appropriate for the decision context involved (e.g., allocation of resources, permitting, enforcement, rulemaking, and standard - setting), consistent with statutory authorities. Government decision - making should address the historical drivers of the inequitable concentration of environmental burden, such as redlining and urban renewal, as well as the inequitable impacts of climate change. These driving principles are at the core of EPA's approach to addressing cumulative impacts in underserved, overburdened and historically marginalized communities with environmental justice concerns, and establishing a pathway to health, equity, sustainability, and resilience.

EPA continues to build upon ongoing efforts under the six priority actions outlined in our 2022 Equity Action Plan, which include addressing cumulative impacts, building the capacity of communities with environmental justice concerns to share their experience with EPA and implement community - led projects, developing EPA's internal capacity to engage communities with environmental justice concerns, strengthening EPA's external civil rights compliance program, integrating participatory science into EPA's research and program implementation, and making EPA's procurement and contracting more equitable.

Interviews and discussions with external parties designed to help us improve our support to grantees from small and / or underserved communities as they address data, reporting, and evidence - building.

In FY 2023 established an Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center (EJ TCTAC) program with thirteen regional technical assistance centers across the country in addition to three nation - wide centers providing capacity - constrained communities and other environmental justice stakeholders - free of charge and without the need for any application - technical assistance on basic capacity needs such as grant proposal writing, grant management, effective implementation of projects and grant resources, reporting, etc. While the EJ TCTAC network stands up in early FY 2024, it is anticipated that the services will reach tens of thousands of communities across the United States over the next five years. The EJ TCTACS are

In April 2023, the Office of Management and Budget, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and the U.S. Digital Service published Phase One of the Environmental Justice Scorecard (EJ Scorecard), the first government - wide assessment of federal agencies ' efforts to advance environmental justice. The EJ Scorecard for EPA is a snapshot that provides transparency and accountability as the Agency continues to advance equity and justice efforts, over time, as a central focus for EPA's mission. This Phase One Scorecard focused on the following three areas:

Deliver Equitable, Accessible and Inclusive Digital Government to the American Public. This strategy supports the whole - of - government equity objectives of Economic Justice and Civil Rights; and it aims to address potential barriers and biases present in public interactions with civic tech. Key actions include advancing human centered design and community - informed user research practices, scaling language access, and ensuring responsible adoption and procurement of Al - enabled technologies. Advance Equity, Economic Security, Sustainability and Environmental Justice through Large - Scale Construction Projects and the Federal Buildings Footprint. This strategy supports the whole - of - government equity objectives of Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, and Housing Justice and Community Investment; and it aims to address barriers to community benefits realized through equitable and sustainable Federal development. Key actions are designed to improve planning and access to local opportunities - like good jobs and cleaner, more climate change - resilient communities, made possible by landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act investments. Advance Equity and Effectiveness of Federal Programs Through Rigorous Review, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement. This strategy supports the whole - of - government equity objectives of Civil Rights, Health Equity, Economic Justice, Global Equality; and it aims to ensure Federal programs are working as intended, particularly programs that provide critical support to the public during emergencies and recovery after disasters. Key actions include scaling the Federal Government's use of evaluations to surface important findings and areas of improvement in the design and delivery of Federal programs. Advance Equitable Access to Opportunity and Federal Resources for Local Communities and Minority Serving Institutions. This strategy supports the whole - of - government equity objectives of Civil Rights and Economic Justice; and it aims to reduce barriers to access for institutions that, through Federal resources, help close critical gaps in capacity and infrastructure for the local communities they serve. Key actions include conducting proactive civil rights compliance reviews of the Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program and broadening partnerships - including contracting agreements - between Federal agencies and Minority Serving Institutions.

increased number and percentage of disadvantaged and socioeconomic small businesses active in core GSA marketplaces; increased total dollars and percentage obligated to SDBs and SESBs relative to GSA's overall eligible annual spending; downward trends in number and percentage of SDBs and SESBs with no or low sales; upward trends in SDBs and SESBs average dollar value of awards and percentage of market share; upward trends in SDBs and SESBs overall new entrants and increased participation in high - growth and emerging market segments; improved overall qualitative data results from customer and vendor surveys, focus

Implement the Good Jobs Initiative partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor to create and support clear pathways for workers to high - quality, good - paying jobs in construction, maintenance, manufacturing, and operations. The actions outlined in the signed Memorandum of Understanding1 aim to support equitable and effective workforce development, including those from nontraditional and underserved labor sources; and improve job quality, standards and metrics on GSA construction sites. Build and release new Geographic Information System (GIS) data - informed public forecasting resources for BIL and IRA related construction projects. GIS is a computer system that analyzes and displays geographically referenced information. It uses data that is attached to a unique location. By providing more visibility and transparency about where and when Federal projects are happening, GSA can help Federal contractors, trade labor, and community stakeholders effectively plan and better connect with opportunities. This effort will help more Americans, including those from underserved communities, with access to quality employment in their communities. Increase contracting opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged small businesses across growing markets in construction, clean energy, and sustainability. GSA will take actions aimed to maximize participation of SDB and build its small business contractor base by improving the forecasting process, strengthening relationships with existing contractors, executing its plans for industry engagement and utilizing the Governmentwide Procurement Equity Tool to identify eligible and new businesses ready to bid for work where GSA projects are located.

Continue Leveraging the Federal Thriving Communities Network12 to connect GSA stakeholder communities with additional climate and infrastructure resources. While GSA does not issue grants, it can proactively ensure that the communities we serve are better able to connect with place - based technical assistance and other IRA and BIL resources made available through Federal agency partners like U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Commerce. Complete a study on the impacts of Federal real property disposal. After it is determined that excess real property is no longer needed by the Federal Government, various statutes authorize conveyance 13 to State and local governments and in some cases, to nonprofits at up to 100 % discount for public benefit use. Some of the qualifying uses include public health, homeless assistance, education, park and recreation, correctional, law enforcement, and emergency management. This study will give GSA important new insights on how portfolio disposal decisions affect surrounding communities in the near and long - term.

increased diversity in the supplier base, including broadened participation from Tribal and disadvantaged businesses contracted to Federal construction projects and increased total dollars awarded to these businesses as a percentage of project value increased number of small and socioeconomic businesses, including new entrants, awarded contracts in the region where Federal projects are located increased number of Project Labor Agreements executed overall improved job and jobsite quality scores across GSA portfolio projects increased and more accessible pathways to training and employment opportunities in regions where GSA projects are located increased initiation and execution of community development goals established during Planning Outreach and Partnership engagements number of GSA community stakeholders who are awarded place - based assistance grants through Thriving Communities opportunities; indicators of reduced burden in disadvantaged Census tracts with GSA environmental justice ameliorations

In FY 2022, $ 2.8 billion of GSA contracting obligations went to small businesses, including 21.4 % to small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs); In FY 2023, GSA increased its small business contracting obligations to $ 3.3 billion, representing over 50 % of the agency's eligible spending. Launched a new Supplier Base Dashboard to provide more transparency and public reporting on Federal efforts to increase the number of new entrants to the Federal marketplace and reverse the general decline in the small business supplier base. Signed a new 8 (a) partnership agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration to increase 8 (a) contracting opportunities and make it easier for Federal agencies to buy from 8 (a) businesses for common goods and services needs. Established new contracting pools in the growing Federal marketplace of Information Technology services and solutions to bolster participation of Women - Owned Small Business, Service - Disabled Veteran - Owned Small Business, and small businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones. The 8 (a) STARS III contracts have been awarded to 1,111 SDB. 290 " " rising stars " " have received their first awards exceeding $ 925 million in obligations. Expanded tools to support Minority Serving Institutions with training and technical assistance to achieve success in the Federal contracting marketplace. Established a Post - Award Engagement strategy to support disadvantaged and socioeconomic small businesses, which oftentimes still face challenges in successfully earning sales after being awarded a GSA contract. Published the first - ever Supplier Diversity Plan to support Federal marketplace participation of SDB. Updated the Multiple Award Schedule Welcome Package and Roadmap to improve information access and assist new contractors with success in marketing and managing their contracts.

Increase the number of eligible HBCUs and MSIs on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule. The MAS is a long - term contract with commercial entities that provides Federal agencies with billions of dollars in annual access to common products and services needed by the government. GSA plans to conduct outreach to eligible institutions currently without MAS contracts, conduct training and provide technical assistance on how to get on the MAS, and host HBCU - focused industry days, matchmaking events and other strategic engagements to raise awareness and help better position HBCUs and MSIs to successfully do business with the Federal Government Launch and scale adoption of new GSA public digital resource for MSIs. GSA's new public website to support Minority Serving Institutions will aggregate information and resources that help both Federal agencies and MSIs develop and sustain partnerships or contracting agreements. Resources include market research, capabilities assessments, support for exploring joint venture and other contractor team agreements and data tools to help advance supplier diversity across Federal Government procurement

number of completed civil rights SASP compliance reviews increased number of people, communities, and MSIs reached by engagement and public outreach actions increased number of underserved communities, organizations, or geographic areas that that seek to participate in the Federal surplus goods program indicators of reduced burden and improved access where program compliance reviews and any required updates have been implemented Increased number of MSI and HBCUs participating in Federal contracts Increased number of overall Federal contracting dollars obligated to MSIs and HBCUs

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) was designed to address immediate needs related to the COVID - 19 pandemic, with a specific focus on addressing historically disparate outcomes across race, class, and geography that were further exacerbated by the pandemic. To support the Federal Government's exploration of questions about equitable recovery, GSA's Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES) established an ARP Evaluation Portfolio with two core elements: a national evaluation conducted by a third - party research contract, and a portfolio of evaluations conducted by OES, in partnership with agencies and the White House Office of Management and Budget, on ARP - funded programs with equity goals. This body of work explores effectiveness of critical relief programs like Emergency Rental Assistance and Homeowner Assistance Fund. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides $ 3.4 billion for GSA's Public Buildings Service, making a significant impact on 26 Land Ports of Entry modernizations along the Canadian and Mexican border. These projects will create new good - paying jobs, bolster safety and security, and make our economy more resilient to supply chain challenges - all while serving as models for sustainability and innovation and improving community livability. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides GSA with $ 2.15 billion for low - embodied carbon materials in construction and renovation projects, $ 975 million for GSA to support emerging and sustainable technologies, and $ 250 million to turn even more GSA facilities into High - Performance Green Buildings and accelerate efforts to achieve a net - zero Federal footprint. These investments will reduce long - term energy costs for American communities, strengthen America's domestic industrial base and catalyze innovation and job growth in homegrown industries that produce next - generation materials, products, and equipment. GSA estimates that these projects will create over 9,500 average annual economy - wide jobs across the length of the projects, support $ 2.8 billion in labor income, and generate nearly $ 1 billion in tax revenue for Federal, State and local governments.

U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency. 2 Includes SBA certified socioeconomic set - aside categories: 8 (a) Small Disadvantaged Businesses, Women - Owned Small Businesses, Service - Disabled Veteran - Owned Small Businesses, Tribes and Tribal - owned businesses, and small businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones

Expand Federal agency use of the Forecast of Contracting Opportunities Tool. The tool assists with acquisition planning by helping vendors learn about potential prime contracting opportunities early in the process. Improved search functionality will simplify the process for the Federal user to post and maintain opportunities. Maximizing Federal agency use of the tool and creating a single forecast for the public to access will greatly ease the burden on small businesses attempting to track opportunities across multiple sources of information. Launch and scale Federal agency adoption of new Government - wide Procurement Equity Tool. The tool uses Federal contracting data sources to support market research focused on small disadvantaged businesses. Federal agencies can use the tool to find SDBs by geographic location, business type and category. Agencies can also find new SDBs that have registered to do business but have yet to receive a federal award. Enhance eBuy, the Request for Quote (RFQ) platform for GSA Schedule. eBuy is a powerful and intuitive acquisition tool used by thousands of Federal agencies and military services worldwide to help save government time and money as acquisitions achieve required competition, best pricing and value. Planned and ongoing updates to eBuy include new features that benefit both buyers and sellers by creating more visibility and simplification in quoting, Request for Information (RFI), and RFQ interactions.

Create new sustainability - focused markets in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Defense. Climate risk adaptation efforts and Federal sustainability goals are positioned to deploy hundreds of millions of dollars in new acquisition opportunities, including those available to small businesses, over the near / medium term. GSA is driving new and emerging market successes in Low Embodied Carbon building materials, Zero - Emission Vehicles and supply equipment, scaling of eco - labels to reduce per - and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and expediting procurement availability of environmental technologies. Finalize solicitations and awards for new Polaris and OASIS + contracts. 3 These newly launched governmentwide IT and professional services contracts offer more opportunities for small businesses to compete for prime contracts, including small business and socioeconomic set - asides. Since 2015, GSA's current OASIS vehicle has helped Federal agencies obligate more than $ 67 billion. Improve accessibility and reduce administrative burden. GSA committed to reviewing 37 Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) forms and identifying six design changes to appearance and layout (e.g., limiting use of capitalization and italics, continuity of 12 - point font and bolded text for readability) that could make the standard forms easier to navigate for people with dyslexia, limited vision and intellectual disabilities. GSA will redesign FAR forms and launch a public awareness campaign about the updates. For FY 2024, GSA will also increase its pledge to the AbilityOne program, a critical source for buying goods and services from suppliers who support the employment of people with disabilities. Further implement and enhance the Post - Award Engagement (PAE) Strategy. Fiscal Year 2023 sales data for SDBs and SESBs will serve as the Year 1 baseline to evaluate the efficacy of PAE plan activities. Based on analysis, GSA will update actions for post - award interventions that address the phenomena of persistent low or no sales, including: targeted training, matchmaking industry days and technical assistance.

Measuring Our Progress: Federal Procurement Equity

Advance procurement opportunities and partnerships between Federal Agencies and Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions.

Advancing Equity and Supplier Diversity in Federal Procurement

Aid the economic success of construction industries, contractors, and labor forces. Governmentwide implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is estimated to create 800,000 good - paying jobs9, but the possibility of critical shortages in construction and craft labor could threaten the timely and successful completion of these projects. 10 GSA is committed to scaling the impact of our BIL and other building modernization investments through collaboration with other Federal agencies and our industry partners.

Our Federal Acquisition Service and Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization are committed to making it easier for businesses to succeed in the Federal marketplace. From forecasting tools and new identifiers for a diverse range of businesses to training and outreach programs, we're actively expanding our supplier diversity, reducing barriers, and improving outcomes. In fact, GSA awarded more than $ 3.3 billion to small businesses, which represents over 50 % of the agency's FY23 eligible spending, according to data current as of November 2, 2023.

HBCUs and MSIs provide vital support to communities through higher education, cutting edge research, public health ecosystems, pathways to quality employment, and well - being for economically and socially underserved Americans. The Federal Government can better benefit from the deep and rich expertise of these institutions and can improve pathways to more robust and meaningful partnership with them, including through Federal contracting.

Looking to the future, GSA's updated action plan aims to further advance equity through the agency's high - impact program areas like Federal procurement, Federal buildings, and Federal technology design and delivery. It also gives increased emphasis to GSA's role in helping to strengthen the government's ability to be more agile, responsive, and reflective of Americans ' needs through evaluation and data - driven insights.

The mission of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. As we work to meet our goals of delivery on behalf of the government, we are only meeting our mission as a federal agency if the American people can equitably benefit from our efforts. That means that as GSA leverages its over $ 85 billion buying power to provide Federal purchasers with cost - effective, high - quality products and services from commercial vendors, we are also advancing the diversity of the American supplier base and economic security for small businesses. When we provide critical technology services and modernizations, GSA has a mission to ensure that digital government is reflective of and designed to perform for all the diverse communities we serve. As GSA plans and completes large scale construction projects across our 375 million rentable square feet of Federal real estate, we do so in a manner that is informed by local communities to ensure that the sustainability, vitality and livability made possible through Federal investment is available to every American neighborhood. GSA's mission is government delivery - and that includes delivering on the American promise of equal opportunity, civil rights, and justice for all.

Advance Equity, Economic Justice, and the Diversity of the American Supplier Base through Federal Procurement. This strategy supports the whole - of - government equity objective of economic justice; and it aims to address barriers faced by small and disadvantaged businesses as they participate in the Federal marketplace. Key actions are designed to improve contracting efficiency and success through data insights, innovative procurement tools, and greater collaboration across Federal agencies.

In January 2022, GSA released its inaugural Equity Action Plan in accordance with Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. To develop this plan, GSA conducted equity assessments and identified a set of actions for three high - impact program areas: Federal procurement, Federal buildings footprint, and Federal technology design and delivery. The section below provides an overview of the key accomplishments achieved since publication of the original Equity Action Plan.

GSA has prioritized engaging in Tribal Consultations in a proactive and meaningful manner throughout Fiscal Year 23. In addition to robust Tribal engagement as part of BIL project planning, GSA hosted the agency's first formal in - person Tribal Consultation event at the Reservation Economic Summit (RES) in April 2023. Over 100 participants joined Administrator Carnahan and GSA leaders for discussions on major topics of interest to Indian Country, including GSA's support of tribes, small business contracting, partnering with GSA to procure electric vehicles, and a pilot program to support Federal buying of carbon pollution - free electricity from Tribal organizations. Also, GSA issued a Guide to Using GSA Solutions and debuted a new search feature that enables buyers to search for Native American business categories in the GSA Advantage! R, GSA eBuy and GSA eLibrary e - tools to find commercial products and services. This will foster greater Native American business participation in the Federal marketplace, help customers more easily meet Buy Indian Act needs, and strengthen the ability for tribes to pursue intertribal commerce efforts.

Strategy # 1: Advance Equity, Economic Justice, and the Diversity of the American Supplier Base through Federal Procurement

Through existing public research and GSA's own regular industry engagement efforts, the agency has identified core challenges 1 facing disadvantaged small business communities that impede their success and contribute to persistent systemic economic disparities. Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs) and Socioeconomic Small Businesses (SESBs) 2 are vulnerable to compounding obstacles in achieving competitive pricing, administrative burdens in

U.S. General Services Administration navigating government's diffuse information and processes, and disproportionately negative outcomes relative to other businesses while competing for Federal contracts and obligations - including the approximately $ 85 billion in annual contracts facilitated by GSA. GSA's plan to advance equity in Federal procurement coordinates and builds on key actions that take a holistic approach to reducing barriers and improving outcomes at critical stages of the Federal contracting lifecycle, with the goal to increase overall marketplace participation rates and the amount of Federal contracting dollars awarded to underserved and disinvested communities.

Enable greater Federal contracting marketplace transparency and efficiency through data - driven tools and insights. Federal agencies and the Federal acquisition workforce play a critical role in creating, sustaining, and growing opportunities where small businesses can fairly compete and succeed in being awarded government contracts. GSA is committed to helping buyers and sellers more effectively execute on all eligible small business opportunities, which includes our role in providing contracting data insights to the Federal Government and the public in support of these goals:

Facilitate greater supplier diversity and contracting success through GSA acquisition products and innovation. GSA acquisition vehicles are trusted and proven entry points for small businesses to begin and find early success in the Federal marketplace. The Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) are standout sources of eligible award dollars available to small disadvantaged businesses to compete for contracts in Federal common goods and services, and in high - growth categories like information technology and solutions. GSA supports overall governmentwide procurement equity efforts by ensuring the universe of our own contracting opportunities drive innovation and are responsive to the complex needs of our customers and vendors. These actions include:

Establish and implement a new 8 (a) partnership agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. This new 8 (a) partnership agreement makes it easier for Federal agencies to use GSA's Government - wide contracts, including the Federal Supply Schedules, to identify and make awards to 8 (a) firms. Creation of an 8 (a)

U.S. General Services Administration Schedule pool will allow for sole source opportunities to SDBs, which significantly reduces burden on small businesses to obtain orders and gain Federal work experience. GSA will update the solicitation to begin adding new 8 (a) contractors to the Schedule, will enhance eTools to identify eligible 8 (a) contractors on eBuy and GSA Advantage! and will update and roll - out training for its acquisition workforce and Federal agencies on the new process.

Although technology continues to rapidly evolve, persistent inequities in technology design and delivery - like higher false rejection rates, completion failure rates, and time burdens - disproportionately negatively impact those from historically and socially marginalized communities. Additionally, digital services very often fail to prioritize human - centered design and usability beyond compliance. This means that Americans who likely have a critical need to connect with government information and services through digital platforms also are likely to have the hardest time doing SO. Examples include both lack of access to the newest hardware or good internet, which often means newer digital platforms do not perform as well (because they are not built for older devices or don't work with low bandwidth connections), or software that is not designed to work across all populations, such as lack of plain language impacting populations with limited English proficiency or poorly trained Al models causing biometric systems to perform worse for people with different ages or skin tones. GSA - through its consulting and fellowships offerings such as the Centers of Excellence and the Presidential Innovation Fellows, shared services such as Login.gov and the US Web Design System, and Federal partners in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and United States Digital Service - plays a central role in the responsible development, deployment, and procurement of technologies used by the Federal Government to communicate or interact with the public. 4 GSA is committed to delivering high - impact digital services and products in a manner that improves customer experience, reduces burden, broadens access, and advances civic tech practices that are intrinsically equity - aware and community - informed.

17 HRSA. (2023). Health Workforce Shortage Areas.https: / / data.hrsa.gov / topics / health - workforce / shortage - areas 18 Kington R, Tisnado D, Carlisle DM. Increasing racial and ethnic diversity among physicians: an intervention to address health disparities? In Smedley BD, Stith AY, Colburn L, Evans CH, (eds.). The Right Thing to Do, The Smart Thing to Do: Enhancing Diversity in the Health Professions. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. 19 Alsan, Marcella, Owen Garrick, and Grant Graziani. 2019. " " Does Diversity Matter for Health? Experimental Evidence from Oakland. " " American Economic Review, 109 (12): 4071 - 4111. DOI: 10.1257 / aer. 20181446 20 Street R.L., O'Malley, K., Cooper, L., & Haidet, P. (2008). Understanding Concordance in Patient - Physician Relationships: Personal and Ethnic Dimensions of Shared Identity. The Annals of Family Medicine, 6 (3) 198 - 205; DOI: 10.1370 / afm. 821 21 Gonzalez H.M., Vega W.A., and Tarraf W. (2010). Health Care Quality Perceptions among Foreign - Born Latinos and the Importance of Speaking the Same Language. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, (6) 745 - 752, DOI: 10.3122 / jabfm. 2010.06.090264 22 Hoffman KM, Trawalter S, Axt JR, Oliver MN. (2016). Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites. Proc Natl Acad Sci, 113: 4296 - 4301. 23 Goodfellow, Amelia; Ulloa, Jesus G. MD, MBA; Dowling, Patrick T. MD, MPH; Talamantes, Efrain MD, MBA, MSHPM; Chheda, Somil; Bone, Curtis MD, MHS; Moreno, Gerardo MD, MSHS. (2016) Predictors of Primary Care Physician Practice Location in Underserved Urban or Rural Areas in the United States: A Systematic Literature Review. Academic Medicine 91 (9): p 1313 - 1321, DOI: 10.1097 / ACM. 0000000000001203 24 Burgess DJ, Fu SS, Van Ryn M. (2004). Why do providers contribute to disparities and what can be done about it? J Gen Intern Med., 19 (11): 1154 - 1159. 25 Hall WJ, Chapman MV, Lee KM, Merino YM, Thomas TW, Payne BK, Eng E, Day SH, Coyne - Beasley T. Implicit Racial / Ethnic Bias Among Health Care Professionals and Its Influence on Health Care Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Am J Public Health. 2015 ec; 105 (12): e60 - 76. doi: 10.2105 / AJPH. 2015.302903. Epub 2015 Oct 15. PMID: 26469668; PMCID: PMC4638275. 26 Ralph LJ, Brindis CD. Access to reproductive healthcare for adolescents: establishing healthy behaviors at a critical juncture in the lifecourse. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2010;22 (5): 369 - 374. doi:: 10.1097 / GCO. 0b013e32833d9661 27 Decker MJ, Atyam TV, Zárate CG, Bayer AM, Bautista C, Saphir M. Adolescents ' perceived barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services in California: a cross - sectional survey. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021;21 (1): 1263. loi: 10.1186 / s12913 - 021 - 07278 - 3 28 Grindlay K, Grossman D. Prescription birth control access among US women at risk of unintended pregnancy. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2016;25 (3): 249 - 254. i: 10.1089 / jwh. 2015.5312

29 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Understanding the Well - Being of LGBTQI + Populations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https: / / doi.org / 10.17226 / 25877. 30 Dawson, L., Kates, J., Musumeci, MB. (2023). Youth Access to Gender Affirming Care: The Federal and State Policy Landscape. Kaiser Family Foundation. https: / / www.kff.org / other / issue - brief / youth - access - to - gender - affirming - care - the - federal - and - state - policy - landscape / 31 Smith, M. (n.d.) Native Americans: A Crisis in Health Equity. https: / / www.americanbar.org / groups / crsi / publications / human rights magazine home / the - state - of - healthcare - in - the - united - states / native - american - crisis - in - health - equity / 32 Smedley BD, Stith AY, Colburn L, et al.; Institute of Medicine (US). The Right Thing to Do, The Smart Thing to Do: Enhancing Diversity in the Health Professions: Summary of the Symposium on Diversity in Health Professions in Honor of Herbert W.Nickens, M.D.. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. Increasing Racial and Ethnic Diversity Among Physicians: An Intervention to Address Health Disparities? Available from: https: / / www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov / books / NBK223632 / 33 Alsan, Marcella, Owen Garrick, and Grant Graziani. 2019. " " Does Diversity Matter for Health? Experimental Evidence from Oakland. " " American Economic Review, 109 (12): 4071 - 4111. DOI: 10.1257 / aer. 20181446 34 Street RL Jr, O'Malley KJ, Cooper LA, Haidet P. Understanding concordance in patient - physician relationships: personal and ethnic dimensions of shared identity. Ann Fam Med. 2008 May - Jun; 6 (3): 198 - 205. doi: 10.1370 / afm. 821. PMID: 18474881; PMCID: PMC2384992. 35 González HM, Vega WA, Tarraf W. Health care quality perceptions among foreign - born Latinos and the importance of speaking the same language. J Am Board Fam Med. 2010 Nov - Dec; 23 (6): 745 - 52. doi: 10.3122 / jabfm. 2010.06.090264. PMID: 21057070; PMCID: PMC2995948. 36 Hoffman KM, Trawalter S, Axt JR, Oliver MN. Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2016;113: 4296 - 4301

Increase access and use of health care services by continuing to promote state implementation of 12 - month postpartum coverage extension in Medicaid and CHIP to improve health insurance coverage for postpartum people, including the 40 percent of U.S. births covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Increase screening for maternal depression and substance use disorder (SUD) during the postpartum period to decrease maternal mortality. Address maternal / birthing care deserts and the maternity / birthing care safety net by strengthening birthing care infrastructure, including a focus on obstetrics (OB) readiness, especially in rural communities and Tribal communities. Build a competent and diverse workforce for maternal care pre - and post - birth, including midwives, doulas, promotoras and other non - OB (non - stigmatizing) community - based settings. Establish a task force focused on maternal mental health and perinatal mental health. Increase funding for economic development and social mobility for Tribal communities and families through grants and training and technical assistance.

Awarded Equity in Postpartum Care Challenge grants to identify successful and promising approaches to improving postpartum care and equity in maternal health outcomes. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved 42 states, DC and the Virgin Islands to provide 12 months of continuous postpartum coverage through Medicaid and CHIP (as of December 2023). An estimated 540,000 Americans annually are eligible for essential care for a full year after pregnancy. HHS secured this option for states permanently in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and CMS will continue to work with states on continuous coverage. CMS established a " " Birthing Friendly " " hospital designation - a publicly - reported, public - facing hospital designation on the quality and safety of maternity care (to be launched Fall 2023). CMS will award this designation to hospitals that report they participated in a national or statewide quality collaborative and implemented all recommended interventions. HHS established a National Maternal Mental Health Hotline on Mother's Day 2022, which provides 24 / 7, free, confidential emotional support, resources, and referrals before, during, and

Established guidance for HHS programs to use plain language in funding opportunities. The Office of Grants is formally tracking and reporting readability statistics for all Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) and related public documents. These documents must be easy to read and understand to reach as many potentially qualified applicants as possible. Published an NPRM clarifying nondiscrimination on the basis of sex in certain HHS grants. HHS OCR and Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources published an NPRM which states that, in statutes administered by HHS that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, the Department interprets those provisions to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This NPRM further builds on HHS ' efforts to ensure access to health and human services in furtherance of President Biden's Executive Orders on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation and Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.

Grants:

We have identified these action areas through visits to communities, listening sessions and roundtables with people impacted by these issues, grantee and research community discussions, Tribal

2022 Equity Action Plan Update and Accomplishments. Our initial 2022 equity action plan focused on five areas: civil rights protections and language access, acquisitions, grants, capacity building and maternal mortality. HHS remains committed to continuing progress in these areas. Select accomplishments include:

Successfully launched the small business customer experience procurement forecasting tool and increased small business procurement opportunities. HHS established the Small Business Customer Experience (SBCX) system as the department - wide procurement forecasting tool for small businesses. It is designed to reduce barriers to entry for small businesses and increase competition. Use of this tool has generated over 5000 procurement opportunities for FY23, which is double from the previous year.

Increase participation of Tribal entities in the housing counseling program in connection with the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) and the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) programs. Train 30 counselors by the HUD - HBCU and MSI partnerships during FY 2024 - 2025.

HUD will address the high rates of housing instability, homelessness and discrimination faced by LGBTQIA + youth seeking housing and shelter. To do this, HUD will conduct listening sessions with directly impacted youth and advocates, educate grantees about their legal responsibilities, document best practices to address barriers to shelter and housing for LGBTQIA + youth, and put forth guidance clarifying commonly asked questions related to addressing barriers experienced by LGBTQIA + youth. Because of HUD's existing portfolio of programs that focus on the needs of youth experiencing housing instability, including the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program and the Foster Youth to Independence pilot program, HUD is uniquely equipped to educate LGBTQIA + youth about their rights and providers about their responsibilities under the Equal Access Rule and Fair Housing Act, in addition to promoting best practices for improving accessibility to housing and shelter for LGBTQIA + youth. HUD will prioritize regional engagement, focusing on travel by senior leaders to areas that have demonstrated best practices and areas where LGBTQIA + youth are experiencing discrimination and additional clarification of federal laws and best practices are needed. HUD's program leadership will prioritize incorporating education and discussion of barriers experienced by LGBTQIA + people, including youth, into their already planned travel and will also identify specific sites to visit to listen to directly impacted youth experiencing housing instability and providers serving those communities. HUD will develop and promote a website focused on LGBTQIA + equity and housing.

regulations and guidance to identify ways to reduce barriers to HUD programs for people with criminal history records. This review identified opportunities for HUD to update its regulations and guidance to ensure that applicants with criminal history records are screened fairly, using holistic individualized assessments, and to avoid unnecessary denials. HUD published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in October 2023 that would eliminate restrictions on those with prior felony or certain other criminal convictions in FHIP - and FHAP - Funded Testing Programs. HUD will continue to utilize holistic approaches. Provide technical assistance to encourage grantees, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), and housing owners to use HUD programs to provide housing and services that support people's successful reentry from prisons and jails to the community, which enhances public safety.

Ensure full enforcement of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Access Rule to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Provide updated Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) complaint forms to grantees and conduct training and guidance on using the forms by January 2024. Provide training and technical assistance to grantees and victim service providers about the housing rights of survivors under VAWA and related laws, including information on HUD's resources on credit - building, asset - building, homeownership, and financial literacy. Encourage PHAs and HUD - assisted housing owners to adopt marketing and admissions policies, practices, and services connections or partnerships that proactively reach underserved populations and communities.

Expand CoC leadership teams to include people with lived experience of homelessness. As an example, increase number of people with lived experience hired into full time, part time and contractual positions to further the CoCs ' demonstration of applied equity learning. Benchmark the more expansive race / ethnicity options updates collected from HMIS data. Track the increase in people who are experiencing homelessness that receive housing vouchers.

Track CoC demonstration participants ' self - reported system performance measures to include exits to permanent housing, returns to homelessness and the number of first time homeless. The review will be conducted to establish technical assistance and training needs to help CoCs improve performance and to promote a community - wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness for all. Using the learnings from the Coordinated Entry demonstration, HUD's SNAPS office will publish guidance for use by all CoCs and communities on topics including but not limited to: Advancing Data Equity; Evaluating and Reimaging Coordinated Entry Assessment Process and Tools using a Racial Equity Lens; Coordinated Entry Process Management; and Knowledge Sharing Strategies on Cultural Humility and Moving Through Analysis Paralysis. Continue to track eviction prevention performance of the program as it continues to grow in impact as grantees expand their programs. The contracted evaluation currently underway will help HUD develop a baseline of effectiveness of current grantees and is

Implement the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), which provides for $ 800 million in grant and loan subsidy funding and $ 4 billion in loan commitment authority provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, to reduce assisted resident exposure to climate - related hazards. GRRP is the first HUD program to simultaneously invest in energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy generation, green and healthy housing, and climate resilience strategies, specifically in HUD - assisted multifamily housing. All the investments under the GRRP will be made in affordable housing communities and other historically disadvantaged communities serving low - income families in alignment with the Administration's Justice40 initiative. Launch the development of tools, guidance documents, or case studies on energy and resilience retrofits that have resulted from GRRP funding or other investments in HUD - assisted properties that can support all affordable housing operators in devising strategies to improve the health, safety, and comfort of low - income families before, during, and after extreme weather.

Determine what data are needed to identify and address potential access barriers that may cause disparate outcomes in the use of CDBG - DR funds. Formally institute data collection to identify and address potential access barriers that may cause disparate outcomes in the use of CDBG - DR funds. Produce training and guidance for CDBG - DR grantees on how to use new data collection requirements to identify and address potential access barriers that may cause disparate outcomes in the use of CDBG - DR funds. Host at least two stakeholder convenings to inform future HUD investments and assist communities in developing plans to mitigate climate and disaster risk, while supporting underserved communities.

Increase the amount of HUD funds serving historically disadvantaged communities as defined by the Climate and Environmental Justice Screening tool as reported on the annual Environmental Justice Scorecard. Analyze feedback from HUD's recent Requests for Information to further streamline CDBG - DR funded disaster recovery efforts, including how HUD should better integrate long - term resilience and hazard mitigation measures to protect members of protected classes, and underserved communities. HUD published two requests, one to solicit feedback on CDBG - DR's programmatic requirements and one to solicit feedback on the formula used by HUD to allocate appropriations of CDBG - DR funds.

streamlines financing. HUD also updated guidelines to allow public housing authorities (PHAs) to more easily use housing vouchers and mixed - finance transactions to create or preserve housing. The Office of Single Family Housing (SFH) has conducted an analysis on first - time homebuyers ' profiles and is determined to take a multi - policy approach to address factors that prevent first time homebuyers from achieving homeownership. In September 2022, FHA issued the Positive Rental History policy that addresses the limited credit history profile some first - time homebuyers have. FHA also issued policy that allowed the use of rental income from properties with an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) as qualifying income. This extra income is beneficial for first - time homebuyers that might otherwise not have the income means to acquire these properties. For the future, FHA issued a request for information (RFI) to obtain industry comments on the improvement of the 203 (K) Rehabilitation Mortgage Program. This program allows first - time homebuyers to acquire and rehabilitate their first home using an FHA - insured loan.

Grow the current cohort of TCTA communities from four to ten by engaging with DOT funded Areas of Persistent Poverty grantees, a program that awards grants to eligible applicants for planning, engineering, or development of technical or financing plans for projects that assist historically disadvantaged communities who may be interested in receiving TA through HUD's Thriving Communities TA program. Increase the number of jurisdictions added to the National Zoning Atlas, which aims to depict key aspects of zoning in an online, user - friendly map to enable comparisons and identify zoning trends, for the purpose of closing data gaps that limit our understanding of the relationship between zoning and segregation, affordability, and other outcomes of interest. HUD research funding will enable dozens more large cities to be added to the National Zoning Atlas. Make awards of up to $ 4 million from a research NOFO to study impacts of zoning and land use reforms, as well as the potential for off - site construction to address supply shortages.

Increase the dissemination of research products supporting housing production and expanded housing choice and opportunities, with the goal of building support for affordable housing development among investors and policymakers and providing tools to governments and organizations seeking to increase housing opportunities. Dissemination of HUD research products will be tracked by measuring downloads from HUDUser.gov and attendance at related HUD - sponsored events. Measure if each local government that receives Thriving Communities TA achieves at least two major objectives identified in their Technical Assistance plans, supporting the production and / or preservation of housing, by the conclusion of the TA, which will not exceed two years. Bolster capacity building of local governments, state agencies, developers, and property owners, particularly those serving underserved communities to produce and preserve housing through resources provided by PRO Housing grants and Thriving Communities TA, resulting in 20 percent of governments receiving these grants or TA revising their regulations to allow greater density and / or reduce development costs, resulting in the production of more affordable units within 5 - 10 years.

In August 2022, HUD released an economic justice agenda outlining actions the Agency will take to help low - income renters develop credit, save resources for homeownership, access housing counseling, and build wealth. Secretary Fudge has noted that this economic justice agenda is part of HUD's efforts to address systemic racism and to better include and serve those who are historically underserved by government. The agenda aims to help HUD - assisted renters take critical steps toward financial well - being and potential homeownership through saving, credit building, and banking. In July 2023, HUD released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $ 126 million for the Family Self - Sufficiency (FSS) program to help HUD - assisted families increase earned income and improve their financial stability. The FSS Program advances equity in the rental assistance portfolio by utilizing HUD - assisted housing as a platform to improve the lives of residents. Black and Brown peopleare overrepresented in HUD - assisted housing, and the majority of FSS participants are Black, Latino, and Asian. FSS provides a critical link between HUD - assisted residents and community partners who enhance the quality of life of residents with childcare, transportation, basic adult education, job training, employment counseling, substance / alcohol abuse treatment, financial empowerment, asset building skills, and homeownership counseling. This funding opportunity allows for the Agency to seek new FSS programs for residents in public, voucher, and multifamily housing, by adding additional grant opportunities a greater number of HUD - assisted residents will have an opportunity to build assets, which may lead to homeownership. New FSS awards will be announced in early 2024.

To facilitate FHA financing for borrowers in search of achieving homeownership for the first time, FHA has issued multiple policy changes. These policies include: Calculating Effective Income After a Reduction or Loss of Income for Borrowers Affected by Presidentially Declared COVID - 19 National Emergency ML 2022 - 09 Consideration of Positive Rental Payment History for First Time Homebuyers in Forward Mortgage Purchase Transactions ML 2022 - 17 Revisions to Rental Income Policies, Property Eligibility, and Appraisal Protocols for Accessory Dwelling Units ML 2023 - 17 HUD awarded $ 5.5 million in grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and $ 10.5 million in grant awards to four Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to establish research Centers of Excellence (COEs) to conduct housing and community development research. The awarded COEs will conduct innovative research addressing housing, economic development, and the built environment in underserved communities. HUD's Office of Housing Counseling has launched an initiative focused on building direct relationships with HBCUs and their surrounding communities to increase knowledge of housing counseling services and affordable housing programs. This effort is part of a larger ongoing initiative to grow partnerships with HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to train the next generation of housing counselors and to empower the next generation of homeowners. The type of activities that will take place through this initiative include: education workshops to inform students on the potential impact of student loans on future housing choices and opportunities; counseling and education, including ways to build credit, to increase homeownership rates of students, faculty, parents, and residents of the greater community; Counseling and education to students, instilling an understanding of the responsibilities of tenancy in off - campus rental housing and internships and training for students to become housing counselors. HUD continues to break barriers as part of HUD's leadership of PAVE to address housing - related barriers to wealth generation. Specifically, the interagency initiative continues to combat bias in home appraisals. FHA is now contributing its appraisal data to FHFA's Federal Shared Appraisal Database, the nation's first publicly available datasets of aggregate statistics on appraisal records. FHA is also working to ensure that any borrower who suspects they have been a potential victim of appraisal bias be informed of their options, including the right to request a Reconsideration of a Value (ROV) on the appraisal. Through HUD's new partnership with the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), the Agency will work to increase education and outreach, and take a bold step toward remedying appraisal discrimination, closing the wealth gap, and advancing racial equity. As a result of interactive consultation and multiple listening sessions which serve to strengthen the nation - to - nation relationship between HUD and Tribal communities, HUD's Office of Housing Counseling is working to expand access to homeownership by increasing the number of certified housing counselors serving Tribal communities. A Tribal member working with a HUD - certified Tribal housing counselors will benefit from working with an unbiased, trained professional that can provide counseling that into

Ensuring Equity in Procurement

Improve Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG - DR) Funding

HUD remains committed to ensuring the public safety of HUD - assisted housing, while recognizing that having a criminal history record alone does not indicate that a person should be denied admission to HUD - assisted housing. Rather, a holistic individualized assessment should be used to make applicant screening and housing decisions. In 2022, HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge charged the Department to conduct review of all its

Further equal access to eviction protection resources through Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP) funding. Through a new contracted evaluation of the EPGP program, HUD will expand the evidence base around eviction diversion programming as local, state, and federal policymakers consider new ways to support tenants and landlords and build new eviction systems and processes. As of June 30, 2023, EPGP grantees have provided legal assistance to over 19,000 households through the program. The majority of tenants served are Black and Brown people and nearly half are from Black households. All households served by the program are low - income, living below the poverty line, and approximately 2 in 3 tenants served have extremely low incomes.

Since the inception of the Agency's first Equity Action Plan, HUD has performed several key initiatives to move the mission of the Agency forward and to improve program delivery and accessibility for all people. Specifically, HUD has made great strides since FY 2021 in improving equitable access to wealth building opportunities by supporting new pathways to government contracting and homeownership for historically disadvantaged groups. Similarly, HUD has made improvements in equitable access to the Agency's protections of historically discriminated populations through our housing justice programs. HUD will also continue to work to make homelessness rare, brief, and non - recurring, while strengthening Federal, State, Tribal, and community implementation of evidence - based practices, such as Housing First, to address homelessness.

As a leading Agency in furthering the Biden - Harris Administration's goals in support of equity, and in response to President Biden's Executive Order 13985, HUD continues to perform this work through four overarching components - 1. Ensuring equity in procurement; 2. Addressing barriers to equity in homelessness response; 3. Supporting equity in housing / wealth building; and 4. Enforcing equity through housing justice. Each component is described in greater detail below:

Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG - DR) Requests for Information: In FY 2023, HUD published the two Requests for Information referenced above to gain public feedback about how HUD may streamline CDBG - DR funded disaster recovery efforts, including how HUD should better advance equity and prioritize historically disadvantaged communities. HUD is currently reviewing those public comments, including comments on how the agency may better define those terms.

National Association for State and Community Services Programs and National Community Action Partnerships responsible for overseeing and executing the Weatherization Assistance Program in local communities, respectively. HUD's partnership with these stakeholders supports the successful coordination and development of opportunities between local HUD communities and weatherization providers and contractors. HUD is also attending the Somos Inc. conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2023 to promote this program which will focus on climate resiliency, good jobs, and economic opportunity in the aftermath of devastating hurricanes and failing infrastructure.

HUD is strongly committed to utilizing small and disadvantaged businesses for its procurement needs. Through the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), HUD performs regular outreach, education, and advocacy efforts to utilize small businesses in HUD contracting. In FY 2022, the Agency awarded $ 456 million (39 % of all HUD contract awards) in prime contracts to small business concerns, ensuring that small businesses had a maximum practicable opportunity to participate in government contracting. As a result of these efforts, HUD received an " " A + " " for FY 2022 on its U.S. Small Business Administration Federal Procurement Scorecard.

recently revamping the annual Forecast of Contracting Opportunities to allow small and disadvantaged businesses the capability to easily identify contracting opportunities by program office, North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code, contract type, and dollar value.

FHA has taken additional steps through the Office of Single Family Housing (SFH) to support wealth generation activities for prospective and current homeowners. Specifically, SFH expanded access to credit by incorporating a borrower's positive rental payment history into the mortgage underwriting process. Using rental payment history promotes a more inclusive credit evaluation, which in turn can expand homeownership opportunities to first - time homebuyers. This guidance is expected to continue to expand homeownership opportunities for borrowers where a positive rental payment history can make a difference when combined with other assessment factors for determining eligibility for FHA - insured mortgage financing. HUD estimates this policy change will enable more than 5,500 borrowers in a typical year to qualify for an FHA - insured loan.

COVID - 19 had a negative impact on many businesses resulting in the laying off or reduced work hours for many FHA - insured borrowers. As the reduced income directly impacted a borrower's ability to make their mortgage payments, many fell behind in their payments and needed a loan modification or some other type of loss mitigation action. As the economic impacts of COVID - 19 affected Black and Brown people the most, per a Forbes article referencing a survey, about one third of Latino households are facing serious problems paying their mortgage or rent, and nearly 30 % of Black households and a quarter of Native American households reported the same difficulties. SFH lowered costs for borrowers by reducing its Annual Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP) Rates and established a 40 - Year Loan modification to better assist struggling homeowners from losing their assets to foreclosure, particularly Black and Brown households. This action supports the Biden - Harris Administration's goals of making homeownership more accessible and affordable for the nation's working families, particularly Black and Brown households for whom FHA - insured mortgages have been a cornerstone for access to homeownership. This action will help address historic disparities in homeownership, where Black and Brown homebuyers have been underrepresented. The nation's homebuyers will see immediate savings through FHA's mortgage insurance premium reductions, particularly Black and Brown borrowers who often rely on FHA - insured mortgages to attain homeownership.

A proposed rule was published in January 2023 which facilitates greater participation of Tribal entities in the housing counseling program in connection with the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) and the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) programs. Having counselors who understand the unique needs of those residing in Tribal communities will help increase access to homeownership for Tribes whose members have long been underserved by the mortgage market. This rule is the result of engagement between HUD's Office of Native American Programs with Tribal representatives during the consultation sessions. As a result,

In 2022, the Biden - Harris Administration's Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE), led by HUD and the White House, released the PAVE Action Plan, the most wide - ranging set of actions ever announced to advance equity in the home appraisal process. HUD is making progress on these actions. In March 2023, HUD awarded $ 54 million to 182 fair housing organizations across the country under its Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), an increase of $ 7 million from the prior year's funding cycle. The grants will provide $ 28,200,000 to support the efforts national, state, and local fair housing entities working to address violations of the Fair Housing Act and helping to end discrimination in housing. In addition, HUD provided $ 26,350,000 in funding to its second - and third - year Private Enforcement Initiative grantees to continue fair housing enforcement efforts nationwide. Eligible activities for the funding awarded include testing for appraisal bias and educating local communities on the issue. The grant funding will allow the grantees to provide fair housing enforcement by conducting investigations, testing to identify discrimination in the rental and sales markets, and filing fair housing complaints with HUD or substantially equivalent state and local agencies. Grantees will conduct education and outreach activities to inform the public, housing providers, and local governments about rights and responsibilities that exist under the Fair Housing Act.

Opportunity (NOFO) template for all programs. Where applicable, HUD will require NOFO applicants to demonstrate experience and capacity to promote racial equity. HUD's programs also address energy equity within public housing communities and provide incentives to invest in energy and water efficiency infrastructure and renewable energy programs, including the Energy Performance Contract, Rate Reduction Incentive, Small Rural Frozen Rolling Base, and Utility Partnership Program.

Through HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), HUD has delivered key initiatives in support of equitable access to housing resources and protections. Specifically, in FY 2022, FHEO issued a memorandum titled, " " Implementation of the Office of General Counsel's Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records by Providers of Housing and Real Estate - Related Transactions. " " This memorandum supports the Administration's commitment to protect tenant rights and reviewed fair housing principles related to the use of criminal records, highlighted the need for FHEO investigators, Fair Housing Initiatives Program grantees (FHIPs), and Fair Housing Assistance Program agencies (FHAPs) to be aware of the ways in which criminal background screening policies and practices can violate the Fair Housing Act, provided tips for conducting investigations relating to criminal background screening, and set out best practices related to the use of criminal background screening information on applicants or tenants. The issuance of this memo has been followed by the signing of Voluntary Compliance Agreements that serve as an example for requiring more inclusive tenant screening policies by housing providers. In October 2023, HUD published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would eliminate the agency's restrictions on the use of fair housing testers with prior felony convictions or certain other convictions by Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grantees and Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies. Fair housing testers provide invaluable support to HUD and HUD's fair housing partners by taking part in housing transactions to screen for discrimination.

Across the housing market, landlords increasingly rely on tenant screening reports as part of their selection criteria, but research shows that these reports often include inaccurate information, including inaccuracies in criminal and eviction records and credit history. If prospective renters are not given the opportunity to review and correct the information in these reports, then they may be repeatedly denied housing as a result of inaccurate information in their tenant screening reports. In addition, housing providers may miss opportunities to consider qualified applicants as tenants. Therefore, HUD's Office of Public Housing is ensuring that Public Housing Authorities meet legal requirements around disclosing denials of admission to applicants and to share best practices around the use of tenant screening reports and the disclosure of the contents of those reports to tenants.

In its most recent effort in FY 2023, HUD also developed an LGBTQIA + Fair Housing Toolkit to educate housing providers, tenants, applicants, and other housing consumers about LGBTQIA + fair housing protections, with the goal of advancing housing equity for the LGBTQIA + community. The toolkit, comprised of five online modules, provides an overview of key fair housing laws, regulations, and executive orders related to LGBTQIA + protections, describes specific protected housing rights of LGBTQIA + individuals. The toolkit has been shared through HUD's technical assistance outreach, resulting in stakeholder promotion of the resource. In addition, HUD FHEO has also shared the toolkit on social media, and at fair housing conferences, and at stakeholder meetings.

Award $ 85 million in grant funds in FY 2024 under the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO) Housing Notice of Funding Opportunity to support state, local government, and metropolitan planning organization efforts to address barriers to producing and preserving affordable housing. Elevate and institutionalize local and state analysis and implementation of effective, equitable, and resilience approaches for affordable housing production and preservation with PRO Housing awards to approximately 20 grant recipients in Spring 2024.

HUD will make it easier to build and rehabilitate apartments by simplifying underwriting and reduce development costs for large multifamily properties financed with FHA - insured mortgages without presenting undue risk to FHA through increasing the dollar amount threshold at which a multifamily loan is considered a large loan, significantly expanding commitments for affordable housing financing.

HUD continues to bring awareness and attention to its actions under the Biden - Harris Administration to reduce key barriers in access to homeownership. First - time homebuyers continue to benefit from HUD's actions to change the way student loan debt is calculated in qualifying for an FHA mortgage and to incorporate positive rental payment history into underwriting. By adding a positive rental history indicator to the

1. Procurement and Contracts: Increase Utilization and Integration of Contractors and Businesses from Underserved Communities to Expand Equity in NASA's Procurement Process. 2. Grants and Cooperative Agreements: Enhance Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Advance Opportunities, Access, and Representation for Underserved Communities. 3. Climate Data Accessibility and Environmental Justice: Increase Accessibility and Use of Earth Science Data in Underserved and Disadvantaged Communities to Inform Decision - Making. 4. Equity for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Populations: Improve Language Access Policies to Expand Access for Limited English Proficient Populations to NASA Programs and Activities. 5. Equity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM): Engage Students to Build a Diverse Future STEM Workforce.

Implement the following recommendations from NASA's SDB tiger team to meet and exceed SDB goals and promote equity in procurement awards: Set - aside or reserve all construction requirements from the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) ($ 250K) to $ 5M to the 8 (a) Business Development (BD) Programs. Continue to work throughout the Agency to improve processes to ensure NASA's forecasting tool is as accurate as possible to minimize " " missing " " upcoming acquisitions. Develop an SDB Campaign and Communication Plan. Develop a dashboard which would provide NASA's programs and projects with total amount of SB / SDB dollars their organization is obligating (currently this information is only available at the Center level). Pursue statutory / regulatory changes to permit AbilityOne contractors to be considered SDBs. Increase focused outreach, training, and community engagement in underserved communities (SDB, Women - Owned, Service - Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses; Historically Underutilized Business Zones; HBCU and MSIs) to meet federally mandated small business goals. Develop a Small Business Training Program to expand training for the acquisition workforce to increase knowledge of underserved communities and small business programs, and the specific procurement - related challenges they face. Set aside Product Service Line (PSL) requirements for small businesses, AbilityOne contractors, and the SBA 8 (a) Business Development Program. Develop a strategic plan to address process and / or policy barriers identified by the public in response to RFIs. Implement small business listening sessions. Promote NASA's Acquisition Forecast and Active Contracts Lists to help underserved communities find opportunities.

Meet small business, AbilityOne, and SDB goals based on the annual PSL acquisition forecasts by the fourth quarter of FY 2023. A $ 19M increase in contract awards to SDBs is anticipated as a result of a new initiative to set aside some construction PSL procurements. Increase underserved community participation in outreach events by five percent to ten percent in FY 2023. Gather attendance metrics and utilize various feedback methods to assess the effectiveness and strategically improve outreach and training to underserved communities. 100 percent completion of the Federal Acquisition Institute's Equity in Procurement Video Series by the acquisition workforce by the fourth quarter of FY 2024.

Achieve total obligations of at least $ 2B from FY 2022 - 2027 under the SDB and AbilityOne programs (establish and track annual targets to be achieved by the fourth quarter of each fiscal year). Increase the number of outreach engagements in underserved communities by 50 percent from FY 2021 to FY 2029; increase the number of businesses and institutions participating in outreach events each year by five to ten percent. Track overall trends and annual impact of small business and underserved community outreach efforts on prime and subcontract awards / obligations. Increase small business program content in functional training courses developed by Agency training providers by 2027; and evaluate the necessity for a higher - level course for Agency leadership.

NASA will execute a robust and enhanced outreach and community engagement strategy with intentional interactions between underserved communities and Agency acquisition personnel and decision makers to further develop and implement this strategy, and assess potential new actions. This will include but not be limited to: Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP): Quarterly OSBP Outreach events; Ongoing OSBP Center Outreach events; OSBP Learning Series Webinars; and Small Business Listening Sessions. Office of Procurement (OP) annual outreach engagements: OP Vendor Communication Plan; HQ OP and Procurement Centers outreach engagements to members of underserved communities. Digital media engagement and email marketing.

The Federal Demonstration Partnership, which is a cooperative initiative among ten Federal agencies and 217 institutional recipients of Federal funds. The Financial Assistance Committee for e - Government working group on diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in Federal financial assistance. The Grant Symposium hosted by the National Academy of Public Administration, a comprehensive event that convenes experts, policymakers, and practitioners in the field of public administration to discuss and share insights on grant management, allocation, and impact assessment.

Participating in various targeted community engagement and outreach events for underserved communities. NASA will continue its commitment to a minimum of four grant - related outreach events to underserved communities per calendar year. The outreach events will provide a platform to disseminate information to increase awareness of funding opportunities, ensuring potential applicants have access to NASA programs as well as an understanding of the application process. Addressing and dismantling identified barriers to underserved communities in the award application and administration process. The completion of the data collection process enables NASA to implement targeted policies and processes. NASA will continue to collect feedback through our two - way outreach and training sessions and evaluate post - event survey feedback offering participants additional opportunities to inform us of barriers faced as they engage with NASA grants.