What is Equity?
Equity means the
consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals,
including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native
American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and
persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. (Executive Order 13985)
Working Toward an Equitable Future
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order (EO) 13985,
Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,
directing Federal agencies to advance equity for all Americans through
an unprecedented transformation of decision-making processes, policy change, and bold actions commensurate with the nation’s greatest challenges.
Throughout 2021, under the guidance of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Federal agencies assessed how their programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunity; participated in an ongoing
government-wide Equity Learning Community; exercised innovative approaches to stakeholder engagement; and developed evidence-based solutions to advance equity. These initial efforts culminated in a historic package of Equity Action Plans from over
The Equity Action Plans represent specific agency commitments to redress inequities and to promote equitable outcomes in communities.
Beyond the first year of launching this foundational government-wide assessment and planning effort, the Biden Administration is committed to holding Federal agencies accountable for results, and leveraging all existing regulatory, policy, and budget
mechanisms to drive implementation and sustainable change.
We look forward to engaging with communities and other stakeholders on how we may collectively work together to support implementation of these Equity Action Plans and forge a nation in which
all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.
Hearing from the Public
EO 13985 charged OMB to identify effective and available methods, approaches, and tools for assessing whether agency policies and actions (e.g., programs, services, processes, and operations) equitably serve all eligible individuals and communities,
particularly those that are currently and historically underserved. As a part of this effort, OMB issued a Request for Information (RFI) to seek input, information, and recommendations from a broad array of cross-sector stakeholders.
OMB received and analyzed nearly 500 responses addressing the following five areas:
Equity Assessments and Strategies, Barrier and Burden Reduction, Procurement and Contracting, Financial Assistance, and Stakeholder and Community Engagement.
Review OMB's Equity RFI Summary