About the Study

In 2023, the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) partnered with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to fund contractor Westat Insight to explore approaches to measure and increase equity in ETA’s discretionary grantmaking programs under the Administrative Data Research and Analysis portfolio of studies. This study supports the Department of Labor’s Equity Action Plan and is responsive to Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. It builds on ETA’s ongoing analyses of equity in grantmaking by providing a deeper understanding of how other organizations, such as other federal agencies, state and local government agencies, and philanthropic organizations, define, assess, and increase equity in their grantmaking process.

This Department of Labor-funded study was a result of the annual process to determine the Department’s research priorities for the upcoming year. It contributes to the labor evidence-base to inform data, methods, and tools, employment and training, and equity programs and policies as well as addresses Departmental strategic goals and priorities.

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.