ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13748Executive OrderObama · D

Executive Order 13748

Establishing a Community Solutions Council

This executive order establishes a new Community Solutions Council to coordinate federal community investment programs across agencies, replacing two prior Obama-era councils. The Council is led by two Co-Chairs (one from the White House/OMB, one rotating among eight major agencies every four years) and includes 34+ members spanning nearly the entire Cabinet and key White House offices. It builds on existing place-based initiatives like Promise Zones and StrikeForce, with a mandate to foster interagency collaboration, scale evidence-based practices, and center locally led visions in federal policymaking.

Federal Register Open PDF 81 FR 83619

Impact dates

  1. Agency Co-Chair rotation

  2. Council convenes regular meetings and directs work

Key directives

  • Establish Council for Community Solutions with dual Co-Chair structure
  • One Co-Chair: Assistant to the President or OMB Director (Presidential designation)
  • Second Co-Chair: rotates every 4 years among heads of DOJ, USDA, Commerce, DOL, HHS, HUD, DOT, Education, EPA
  • Executive Director appointed by designated Co-Chair; funding entity provides administrative support
  • Council membership: 34 specified officials plus additional designees by Co-Chairs
  • Coordinate investments across agencies; use evidence-based practices; invest in talent and technical assistance
  • Conduct outreach to broad stakeholder groups per Federal Advisory Committee Act
  • Supersede and revoke EO 13560 (2010) and EO 13602 (2012)
  • Build on existing initiatives: Community Solutions Task Force, Detroit/Baltimore/Pine Ridge working groups, Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice, Partnership for Sustainable Communities, Local Foods Local Places, Performance Partnership Pilots, Empowerment Zones, StrikeForce, POWER, Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, Climate Action Champions, Better Communities Alliance, Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership, Promise Zones, 2016 Memorandum of Agreement on Interagency Technical Assistance
  • Coordinate with Chief Officer Councils for human capital, performance improvement, and financial assistance

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Council established; prior EOs 13560 and 13602 revoked
  • Co-Chairs designated by President
  • Executive Director appointed by designated Co-Chair

Near term (90d)

  • Council convenes regular meetings; agenda and subgroups established
  • Agency designees assigned to Council functions
  • Staff detailing arrangements initiated under Economy Act

Long term

  • Agency Co-Chair rotates every 4 years
  • Ongoing coordination with existing federal working groups and place-based initiatives
  • Development of policy recommendations and scaling of evidence-based community solutions

Risks & tensions

  • Large membership (34+ agencies) may create coordination challenges rather than solutions; unclear decision-making authority beyond Co-Chairs
  • Subject to availability of appropriations and existing budgets—no new funding mandated
  • Explicitly non-enforceable (Sec. 6(c)); creates no substantive rights
  • Vague 'coordinate' and 'foster collaboration' language without binding agency obligations
  • Economy Act detailing relies on voluntary agency participation
  • Transition risk: EO signed 66 days before new administration; subsequent administration may not prioritize or may revoke
Executive Order 13748: Establishing a Community Solutions Council · Executive Orders