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Urban Gathering Helps Shape Federal Agencies’ Equity Plans
The Changemakers
Federal agencies
The Challenge
In response to President Biden’s executive orders charging every federal agency with advancing racial equity and creating annual action plans for doing so, executive branch and federal agency leaders sought insights on how to embed equity into the fabric of federal policymaking and service delivery.
The Work
Urban acted as a go-to resource for and thought partner to executive branch and agency leaders. In 2023, that included hosting a series of convenings and workshops where Urban experts advised federal agencies on the development of their action plans and how to analyze equity, measure the outcomes of their work, and include community members in their processes.
The Impact
To help federal agencies achieve their goals, Urban recommended that they shift from focusing on processes to considering equity in resource allocation and policy and systems design. Several agencies have cited Urban’s strategy in their internal documents, signaling the potential for institutionalizing equity in the federal government for years to come.
Given the scale of federal programs, progress in advancing equity across all government efforts—from transportation to health care to employment—could, over time, help improve services for millions of people across the country. It also has the potential to create a real pathway toward economic mobility for historically underserved communities.