Fort Worth council delays vote on pausing DEI office as staff warns of potential federal grant losses

The Fort Worth City Council voted on Tuesday to continue consideration of a resolution that would suspend the city's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office and related programs, setting the matter for a vote on Aug. 5 or at a special meeting in July. The decision follows hours of public testimony and a staff briefing on legal and fiscal risks tied to new federal guidance and recent court decisions.

City staff told the council the issue began after federal agencies and a recent Supreme Court precedent changed how race-conscious programs are evaluated. Dana Bergdorf, assistant city manager, told the council: "The city currently has active federal grants totaling $277,000,000 across 10 different departments. Of that $40,000,000 is in annual grama awards that fund about 120 city employees, including our civil rights staff, emergency management staff, and our neighborhood services staff and programs." The staff presentation listed near-term deadlines — including an Aug. 15 HUD annual action plan for about $13 million in HUD funds — that factor into the timetable.

Why it matters: The resolution (agenda item 25-5257) would pause the city's DEI offices and suspend certain equity-oriented…