Federal Agencies Increase Their Focus on Implementing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities

WIH

On his first day in office, President Biden signed Executive Order 13985 on “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.” In doing so, the President called for a total transformation of the government into an entity that centers the concerns of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and underserved communities.

The Department of Energy recently released their new Equity Action Plan to put a spotlight on equity and justice. The five strategic goals within the plan include:

Addressing gaps in data collection to facilitate data-informed decision-making
Increasing opportunities for new applicants to DOE funding opportunities
Increasing participation in DOE R&D and financial assistance programs
Expanding strategic Tribal and stakeholder engagement across DOE programs
Improving access and equity in DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

Last week 90 other federal agencies released their equity action plans, including the Department of Education. You can read more on the Biden Administration’s progress on equity within federal agencies here.