Equitable Governance: 2022 NACo DEI County Convening, Strategies for Governing with Equity
The National Association of Counties hosted a full-day diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) county convening before NACo’s 2022 Annual Conference to discuss the importance of equity in governance and how to strategically align efforts at the county level. The convening brought together over 50 participants from over 20 counties who sent a team comprised of a DEI practitioner, county administrator and elected official. Throughout the convening, attendees discussed the unique challenges and opportunities they see in their distinct roles and explored how to advance the principles of DEI by considering community data differently. Equitable Governance: 2022 NACo DEI County Convening, Key County Roles, Opportunities and Strategies for Governing with Equity lays out key takeaways from the convening.
County News
County News Spotlight: DEI Strategies
U.S. Department of Agriculture launches modernization efforts for loan and grant systems
On June 4, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a major effort to modernize more than 130 loan and grant systems that support farmers, ranchers and rural communities.
CMS Issues Interim Final Rule on Medicaid Community Engagement Requirements
On June 1, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (IFR) establishing binding standards for how states must implement Medicaid community engagement ("work") requirements enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21), also referred to as H.R. 1.
The EPA announces $2.9 billion for states to support lead pipe replacement
On May 20, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA) announced $2.9 billion in funding to help states support lead service line replacement. The funding will be distributed through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and can be used by communities to identify lead pipes, plan removal projects, and replace lead service lines that deliver drinking water to homes.
White House Signs Executive Order on Increased Cybersecurity Defense for AI
The White House EO directs multiple federal agencies to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities and improve the secure deployment of advanced AI technologies.
