New resource explains how presidential transition teams can work with state, local, tribal and territorial partners to achieve change

Collaboration between the federal government and state, local, tribal and territorial officials is vital to implement policy, respond to crises and serve communities across the country.  

The “States of Our Union,” a new resource created by the Center for Presidential Transition^® and Deloitte, identifies what presidential transition teams can do when planning for a new administration—or a second term—to engage different levels of government. Building support for the president’s agenda and understanding the needs of state, local, tribal and territorial partners will require early planning to get key personnel, relationships, and systems for coordination in place from day one. 

Key themes for intergovernmental collaboration 

The “States of Our Union” is informed by interviews with officials and other experts whose experiences span multiple levels of government, four presidential administrations, several presidential transitions, and associations representing state and local interests.  

These interviews yielded three major themes to drive intergovernmental collaboration. 

1. Initiate relationships early: Presidential transition teams should initiate relationships with state, local, tribal and territorial partners, and put in place systems for coordination. 

2. Prioritize diverse experiences: Personnel selected for White House and executive branch roles must bring the expertise, diversity of experience and energy to build strong intergovernmental relationships.   

3. Foster connections for impact: White House structures, staffing and communication channels should foster outreach to and coordination with different levels of government to achieve the president’s priorities and understand their local impact. 

Actionable steps  

This resource outlines actionable steps to help fulfill each major theme. A selection of key actions is included below.  

1) Initiate relationships early 

Pre-election planning for a first term 

• Select a White House intergovernmental affairs director to name after the election and prepare to triage a high volume of incoming information and outreach.   

• Structure the transition team in a way that integrates policy development and the intergovernmental relationships needed to support execution.  
• Understand how information such as contact lists and outreach tracking systems should be handled in order to have continued access to this information once in office.  

Post-election planning for a first term 

• Begin engaging with partners via the White House intergovernmental affairs director using existing forums and associations such as the “Big 7.” 

• Develop knowledge management tools to support and track engagement both during the transition and once in office.  

Second-term planning  

• Identify priorities for state, local, tribal and territorial relationships and align these to the administration’s agenda for a second term. 
• Select personnel for the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs who can best accomplish these priorities and build support for them. 

2) Prioritize diverse experiences 

Establish the right expertise and relationships  

• Identify candidates for the White House intergovernmental affairs office who have diverse experiences and can bring state, local, tribal and territorial knowledge to the team.  
• Identify candidates for vacant agency intergovernmental affairs roles quickly and assign an acting career official to manage communication if the appointee is not in place. 

• Host regular meetings (set up by the White House intergovernmental affairs team) to discuss shared priorities and upcoming activities, so agency intergovernmental affairs officials continue to advocate for the president’s priorities.  

3) Foster connections for impact 

White House outreach and coordination  

• Arrange to meet with state, local, tribal and territorial representatives to understand the local context for implementing federal programs and communicating about key initiatives.   

• Consider practical forums for meaningful engagement, such as White House meetings specifically designed for dialogue with local officials, invitations to well-recognized events and joint visits.  

To learn more, read our “States of Our Union” resource.

Sasha Blachman conducts quantitative and qualitative research to support the Center for Presidential Transition. She maintains the Partnership's political appointee tracker and analyzes data to inform the Center's recommendations for improving the transition process.