Learn about the City of Austin Equity Office's initiatives and projects. Have questions? Review our FAQ page, or email us at equity@austintexas.gov

 

Reports

The Equity Office has administered many reports on the City's programs and initiatives. This section attempts to collect them all, however, a more reliable way to stay in touch is through the Equity Action Team Dashboard.

Equity Action Team (EAT)

The EAT is a coalition of community members and City of Austin staff focused on advancing racial equity in our communities through partnerships with City departments, non-profits, philanthropic entities and community-based groups. The EAT meetings are dedicated to critical discussions and strategizing on how to best improve the quality of life for most directly impacted communities in Austin. 

The EAT is composed of the individuals who organized and pushed for the creation of the Equity Office back in 2015. Their first goal was helping the Office co-create the Equity Assessment Tool. Now, in monthly meetings the EAT functions as a compass for the Office, ensuring we remain accountable to the community.

Learn more about the Equity Action Team, including upcoming meetings. Or visit the Equity Action Team Dashboard to join the team!

Equity Assessment Process

The Equity Assessment Process is the core of our work. Community organized for the creation of an equity assessment tool, and City Council created the Equity Office to build and administer it. 

The equity assessment tool is a self-assessment completed by departments, and is in the process of being implemented with all 40+ City departments and offices. In January 2024, Cohort Four will begin engaging with the Equity Assessment Process, including moving through the equity assessment tool. The Tool has been used to establish a baseline for the City's impact on equity. It takes departments through a critical examination of their policies, procedures, planning, programs, personnel, and budgeting through a lens of equity. The four sections of the Tool are: Department Culture, Community Engagement, Budget, and Alignment with the Strategic Direction 2023. 

Visit the Equity Action Team Dashboard to learn more about the Tool and read departments' responses. You can also visit this story page to learn about the percentage of city departments implementing the equity assessment tool

The full process encompasses many steps, and involves a lot of individual support and development of department staff leading its completion. If you would like more information on how we lead this work, we encourage you to reach out and someone from the Office will meet with you and answer any of your questions. 

Annual Equity Forum

The Annual Equity Forum is a free event designed to bring Austin-area organizers, community members, and City employees together to share information and resources on racial equity. The heart of the event will include breakout sessions addressing how different organizations normalize, organize, and operationalize equity, and includes a lunch keynote speaker. The intent of the forum is to showcase how and where equity work is being done in and around Austin, and to have conversations about working together on equity related issues and initiatives. 

Learn about our 2024 Equity Forum: Another World is Possible, coming up on Saturday, January 27th, 2024! 

Joint Inclusion Commissions (JIC) Support & JIC Budget Town Halls

The City's Joint Inclusion Boards and Commissions are hosting town halls to discuss this year's budget! Join our town halls and share your community's needs and interests, influence advocacy priority for all commissions, and help shape fiscal year 2024-2205 budget recommendations. Check the town hall schedule.

Immigrant Affairs (Under Construction)

Find more information on immigrant affairs including Citizenship Clinics, information on our Certified Welcoming initiative, and SB4/Know Your Rights (KYR) by visiting our Immigrant Affairs page. The various Information sessions to learn how to apply for U.S. Citizenship are held throughout the year to help individuals understand the process and determine eligibility for applying for U.S. citizenship. 

Equity Grant Programs

The Equity Office offers several grant programs intended to help grassroots and local community organizations access funding. Learn about our current grant programs.

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