NOAA Equity Assessment & Recommendations for Underserved Communities

NOAA Service Equity Assessment Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee Meeting May 13, 2022 Miki Schmidt Office for Coastal Management Office for Coastal Management

Outline Background Service Equity Assessment Process Findings and Recommendations Actions to Date Broader Implications and Considerations Office for Coastal Management

Background EO 13985 - Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government Led by NOAA Performance Risk and Social Science Office NOAA Selected Three Efforts to Assess NWS - Weather Ready Nation OAR - Sea Grant Awards NOS - Digital Coast Sea Level Rise Viewer Teams Given ~3 Months to Complete Phase 1 Office for Coastal Management

Process Completed OMB self-assessment questionnaire - Format: 5 main sections (service context, performance, design, systems, and internal equity) - Questions: 26, with 3-10 parts Iterative with staff, external experts, & NOAA leadership Identify findings Compile recommendations Office for Coastal Management

Assessment Findings Insufficient data regarding if and how underserved communities use Sea Level Rise Viewer and associated data, tools, and training. Gaps in characterizing the most vulnerable populations and identifying best practices for ensuring equitable service delivery. Minimal systematic or focused work with networks and partners to ensure underserved audiences are benefitting from the data and information resources. Office for Coastal Management

Recommendations Data Collection and Documentation Collect demographic data regarding partners and who they serve Develop standard PRA questions around equity Identify and fill gaps regarding physical and socioeconomic data Office for Coastal Management

Recommendations Build Relationships with Connectors Collaborate with organizations that have trusted relationships with underserved populations Create NOAA-wide mechanisms for establishing relationships with connector organizations Coordinate across NOAA and Federal Agencies Office for Coastal Management

Next Steps from Assessment Department of Commerce Action Plan GSA Office of Evaluation Sciences - Develop methods for understanding who is accessing the Viewer now - Develop metrics on future use As resources allow, acquire geospatial data to fill gaps in SLR Viewer coverage (e.g. Alaska) Office for Coastal Management

Additional Actions to Date Working with and through our partners Digital Coast products and services Grants language, requirements, and outreach Modified Fellowships approach Office for Coastal Management

Fellowship Results All 2022 fellowship projects include DEIJA principles Just placed the most diverse group of fellows date. Of the twelve selected fellows: five attended MSI s for graduate school one identifies as a first generation college student four identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color one self-identified as queer eleven of the fellows are female and one is male. Office for Coastal Management

Broader Considerations Federal coordination Stakeholder fatigue Public expectations Metrics, evaluation, and data collection Sustained investment in relationships is a must Not for me, without me Office for Coastal Management

Discussion Office for Coastal Management