S T R A T E G I C I M P L E M E N TA T I O N 
P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G 
L O C A L PA R T N E R S T O P R E V E N T 
V I O L E N T E X T R E M I S M I N 
T H E U N I T E D S TA T E S

Strategic Implementation Plan for 
Empowering Local Partners to Prevent 
Violent Extremism in the United States
As a government, we are working to prevent all types of extremism that leads to violence,
regardless of who inspires it. At the same time, countering al-Qa’ida’s violent ideology is one
part of our comprehensive strategy to defeat al-Qa’ida. Over the past 2½ years, more key 
al-Qa’ida leaders—including Usama bin Laden—have been eliminated in rapid succession 
than at any time since the September 11 attacks. We have strengthened homeland security 
and improved information sharing. Thanks to coordinated intelligence and law enforcement,
numerous terrorist plots have been thwarted, saving many American lives.
—President Barack Obama, August 2011
Law enforcement and government officials for decades have understood the critical importance of 
building relationships, based on trust, with the communities they serve. Partnerships are vital to address 
a range of challenges and must have as their foundation a genuine commitment on the part of law 
enforcement and government to address community needs and concerns, including protecting rights 
and public safety. In our efforts to counter violent extremism, we will rely on existing partnerships that 
communities have forged with Federal, State, and local government agencies. This reliance, however, 
must not change the nature or purpose of existing relationships. In many instances, our partnerships 
and related activities were not created for national security purposes but nonetheless have an indirect 
impact on countering violent extremism (CVE).
At the same time, this Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) also includes activities, some of them relatively 
new, that are designed specifically to counter violent extremism. Where this is the case, we have made 
it clear. It is important that both types of activities be supported and coordinated appropriately at the 
local level. 
Background
The President in August 2011 signed the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners to Prevent 
Violent Extremism in the United States (National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners), which outlines 
our community-based approach and the Federal Government’s role in empowering local stakeholders 
to build resilience against violent extremism.
1
It recognizes that, as the National Security Strategy from 
May 2010 highlights, “our best defenses against this threat are well informed and equipped families, 
local communities, and institutions.” To support our overarching goal of preventing violent extremists 
and their supporters from inspiring, radicalizing, financing, or recruiting individuals or groups in the 
1. The National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners defines violent extremists as “individuals who support or 
commit ideologically motivated violence to further political goals.” S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
T O P R E V E N T V I O L E N T E X T R E M I S M I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S
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United States to commit acts of violence, the Federal Government is focused on three core areas of 
activity: (1) enhancing engagement with and support to local communities that may be targeted by 
violent extremists; (2) building government and law enforcement expertise for preventing violent 
extremism; and (3) countering violent extremist propaganda while promoting our ideals.
The SIP details how we are implementing the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners. It 
explains our core objectives and sub-objectives; describes how activities by departments and agencies 
are aligned with these; lists planned activities that address gaps and expand efforts; and assigns Federal 
Government leads and partners for various actions. The SIP provides a blueprint for how we will build 
community resilience against violent extremism.
2
It does not address our overseas CVE efforts, other 
than ensuring we coordinate domestic and international activities.
Although the SIP will be applied to prevent all forms of violent extremism, we will prioritize preventing 
violent extremism and terrorism that is inspired by al-Qa’ida and its affiliates and adherents, which the 
2010 National Security Strategy, the 2011 National Strategy for Counterterrorism, and the National 
Strategy for Empowering Local Partners identify as the preeminent security threats to our country. This 
is, however, a matter of emphasis and prioritization, and does not entail ignoring other forms of violent 
extremism. As the July 2011 terrorist attack in Norway underscored, free societies face threats from a 
range of violent extremists. 
As the activities described in the SIP are executed, there will be major and long-lasting impacts:
• There will be platforms throughout the country for including communities that may be targeted 
by violent extremists for recruitment and radicalization into ongoing Federal, State, and local 
engagement efforts;
• The Federal Government will support that engagement through a task force of senior officials 
from across the government;
• Community-led efforts to build resilience to violent extremism will be supported;
• Analysis will increase in depth and relevance, and will be shared with those assessed to need it, 
including Governor-appointed Homeland Security Advisors, Major Cities Chiefs, Mayors’ Offices, 
and local partners;
• Training for Federal, State, tribal, and local government and law enforcement officials on 
community resilience, CVE, and cultural competence will improve, and that training will meet 
rigorous professional standards; and
• Local partners, including government officials and community leaders, will better understand 
the threat of violent extremism and how they can work together to prevent it.
2. The concept of “resilience” has applied to a range of areas such as emergency preparedness and critical 
infrastructure protection (e.g., the ability of financial markets, power suppliers, and telecommunications companies 
to withstand an attack or disaster and resume operations rapidly.) The National Security Strategy emphasized the 
importance of including individuals and communities in our approach to enhancing resilience. Both the National 
Strategy for Empowering Local Partners and the 2011 National Strategy for Counterterrorism expanded this concept to 
CVE, the latter explicitly stating, “We are working to bring to bear many of these capabilities to build resilience within our 
communities here at home against al-Qa‘ida inspired radicalization, recruitment, and mobilization to violence

S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
T O P R E V E N T V I O L E N T E X T R E M I S M I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S
★ 3 ★
The SIP outlines ongoing, as well as planned, activities to counter violent extremism, which will be 
accomplished through existing funding and by prioritizing within the resources available to relevant 
departments and agencies. Some of these activities are specific to CVE, while others address broader 
non-security policy objectives but may have an indirect effect on countering radicalization to violence. 
Because our efforts are threaded across a range of different missions, such as training, outreach, and 
international exchanges, the execution of the SIP will be impacted by funding for both security and 
non-security related activities.
Process for Developing the SIP
The Obama Administration continues to prioritize and stress the critical importance of CVE in the 
Homeland. Given the complexities of addressing this threat and the uniqueness of the operating 
environment in the United States, the Administration recognizes the potential to do more harm than 
good if our Nation’s approach and actions are not dutifully considered and deliberated. Throughout this 
process, careful consideration was given to the rule of law and constitutional principles, particularly those 
that address civil rights and civil liberties. With those principles in mind, we noted that departments 
and agencies with domestically focused mandates have an array of tools and capabilities that can be 
leveraged to prevent violent extremism, though some have limited experience in the national security 
arena. This necessitated a deliberative and carefully calibrated approach with an extensive evaluative 
period to fully address their potential roles and participation, which for some entailed thinking outside 
their traditional mandates and areas of work. 
After assessing how individuals are radicalized and recruited to violence in the United States, the 
Administration established an accelerated process, led by the National Security Staff (NSS), to develop 
the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners and the SIP. An Interagency Policy Committee (IPC) 
on countering and preventing violent extremism in the United States was established—with Assistant 
and Deputy Assistant Secretary-level representatives from across government—to consider roles and 
responsibilities, potential activities, guiding principles, and how best to coordinate and synchronize our 
efforts. The IPC, with support from specialist sub-IPCs, drafted our first national strategy on preventing 
violent extremism in the United States, which was approved by Deputies from the various departments 
and agencies and signed by the President. 
• The following departments and agencies were involved in the deliberations and approval 
process: the Departments of State (State), the Treasury, Defense (DOD), Justice (DOJ), 
Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education (EDU), Veterans Affairs, and 
Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National 
Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).
To develop the SIP, the NSS tasked NCTC with coordinating the first comprehensive baseline of activities 
across the United States Government related to countering and preventing violent extremism in the 
United States, which constitutes the ongoing activities outlined in the SIP. This included CVE-specific 
initiatives, as well as activities that were not developed for CVE purposes, but nonetheless may indirectly 
contribute to the overall goals of the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners. These activities 
were aligned with objectives and sub-objectives—based on the strategy and approved by the IPC—to S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
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★ 4 ★
assess our overall effort and identify gaps. The IPC then considered ongoing and potential actions to 
address these gaps, which form the basis of planned activities outlined in the SIP. The SIP was approved 
by Deputies from the various departments and agencies in November 2011.
Compliance with the Rule of Law
A fundamental precept of the SIP is that the Federal Government’s actions must be consistent with 
the Constitution and in compliance with U.S. laws and regulations. Departments and agencies are 
responsible for identifying and complying with legal restrictions governing their activities and respective authorities. Compliance with the rule of law, particularly ensuring protection of First Amendment 
rights, is central to our National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners and the execution of the SIP.
Crosscutting and Supportive Activities
There are fundamental activities that are critical to our success and cut across the objectives of the SIP. 
These include: (1) whole-of-government coordination; (2) leveraging existing public safety, violence 
prevention, and community resilience programming; (3) coordination of domestic and international CVE 
efforts, consistent with legal limits; and (4) addressing technology and virtual space. In many instances, 
these crosscutting and supportive activities describe the ongoing activities of departments and agencies in fulfilling their broader missions. As they implement new initiatives and programs in support of 
the SIP, departments and agencies will ensure these enabling activities appropriately guide their efforts. 
1. Whole-of-Government Coordination 
Leveraging the wide range of tools, capabilities, and resources of the United States Government in a 
coordinated manner is essential for success. Traditional national security or law enforcement agencies 
such as DHS, DOJ, and the FBI will execute many of the programs and activities outlined in the SIP. 
However, as the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners states, we must also use a broader 
set of good governance programs, “including those that promote immigrant integration and civic 
engagement, protect civil rights, and provide social services, which may also help prevent radicalization 
that leads to violence.” To this end, agencies such as EDU and HHS, which have substantial expertise in 
engaging communities and delivering services, also play a role.
This does not mean the missions and priorities of these partners will change or that their efforts will 
become narrowly focused on national security. Their inclusion stems from our recognition that radicalization to violence depends on a variety of factors, which in some instances may be most effectively 
addressed by departments and agencies that historically have not been responsible for national security 
or law enforcement. These non-security partners, including specific components within DOJ and DHS, 
have an array of tools that can contribute to this effort by providing indirect but meaningful impact 
on CVE, including after school programs, networks of community-based organizations that provide 
assistance to new immigrants, and violence prevention programs. We will coordinate activities, where 
appropriate, to support the CVE effort while ensuring we do not change the core missions and functions 
of these departments and agencies. S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
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2. Leveraging Existing Public Safety, Violence Prevention, and Resilience 
Programming
While preventing violent extremism is an issue of national importance, it is one of many safety and 
security challenges facing our Nation. As we enter an era of increased fiscal constraints, we must ensure 
our approach is tailored to take advantage of current programs and leverages existing resources. Our 
efforts therefore will be supported, where appropriate, by emphasizing opportunities to address CVE 
within available resources related to public safety, violence prevention, and building resilience.
3. Coordination of Domestic and International Efforts
While always ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, we must ensure a high level of 
coordination between our domestic and international efforts to address violent extremism. Although 
both the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners and the SIP specifically address preventing 
violent extremism in the United States, the delineation between domestic and international is becoming increasingly less rigid. Violent extremists operating abroad have direct access to Americans via 
the Internet, and overseas events have fueled violent extremist radicalization and recruitment in the 
United States. The converse is also true: events occurring in the United States have empowered the 
propaganda of violent extremists operating overseas. While making certain that they stay within their 
respective authorities, departments and agencies must ensure coordination between our domestic and 
international CVE efforts. Given its mandate to support both domestic and international planning, NCTC 
will help facilitate this part of the CVE effort so that our Homeland and overseas activities are appropriately synchronized, consistent with all applicable laws and regulations. While individual departments 
and agencies will regularly engage foreign partners, all international engagement will continue to be 
coordinated through State. 
4. Addressing Technology and Virtual Space 
The Internet, social networking, and other technology tools and innovations present both challenges 
and opportunities. The Internet has facilitated violent extremist recruitment and radicalization and, in 
some instances, attack planning, requiring that we consider programs and initiatives that are mindful of 
the online nature of the threat. At the same time, the Federal Government can leverage and support the 
use of new technologies to engage communities, build and mobilize networks against violent extremism, and undercut terrorist narratives. All of our activities should consider how technology impacts 
radicalization to violence and the ways we can use it to expand and improve our whole-of-government 
effort. As noted in sub-objective 3.3, we will develop a separate strategy focused on CVE online.
Roles and Responsibilities
The SIP assigns Leads and Partners in each of the Future Activities and Efforts listed under respective 
sub-objectives. Leads and Partners have primary responsibility for coordinating, integrating, and 
synchronizing activities to achieve SIP sub-objectives and the overall goal of the National Strategy 
for Empowering Local Partners. S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
T O P R E V E N T V I O L E N T E X T R E M I S M I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S
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Expectation of Leads and Partners are as follows:
Lead: A department or agency responsible for convening pertinent partners to identify, address, 
and report on steps that are being taken, or should be taken, to ensure activities are effectively 
executed. The Lead is accountable for, among other things:
• Fostering communication among Partners to ensure all parties understand how to complete 
the activity;
• Identifying, in collaboration with assigned Partners, the actions and resources needed to effectively execute the activity;
• Identifying issues that impede progress; and 
• Informing all departments and agencies about the status of progress by the Lead and other 
sub-objective Partners, including impediments, modifications, or alterations to the plan for 
implementation.
Partner: A department or agency responsible for collaborating with a Lead and other Partners to 
accomplish an activity. Partner(s) are accountable for:
• Accomplishing actions under their department or agency’s purview in a manner that contributes 
to the effective execution of an activity;
• Providing status reports and assessments of progress on actions pertinent to the activity; and 
• Identifying resource needs that impede progress on their department or agency’s activities. 
Assessing Progress
It is important to recognize that the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners represents the 
first time the United States Government has outlined an approach to address ideologically inspired 
violent extremism in the Homeland. While the objectives and sub-objectives listed in the SIP represent 
the collective wisdom and insight of the United States Government about what areas of action have 
the greatest potential to prevent violent extremism, we will learn more about our effectiveness as we 
assess our efforts over time, and we will adjust our activities accordingly. 
Given the short history of our coordinated, whole-of-government approach to CVE, we will first develop 
key benchmarks to guide our initial assessment. Where possible, we will also work to develop indicators of impact to supplement these performance measures, which will tell us whether our activities 
are having the intended effects with respect to an objective or sub-objective. As we implement our 
activities, future evaluations will shift away from benchmark performance measures towards impact 
assessments. Departments and agencies will be responsible for assessing their specific activities in 
pursuit of SIP objectives, in coordination with an Assessment Working Group. We will develop a process 
for identifying gaps, areas of limited progress, resource needs, and any additional factors resulting from 
new information on the dynamics of radicalization to violence. Our progress will be evaluated and 
reported annually to the President. 

S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
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★ 7 ★
Objectives, Sub-Objectives, and Activities
The SIP’s objectives mirror the National Strategy for Empowering Local Partners’ areas of priority action: 
(1) enhancing Federal engagement with and support to local communities that may be targeted by 
violent extremists; (2) building government and law enforcement expertise for preventing violent 
extremism; and (3) countering violent extremist propaganda while promoting our ideals.  Each of these 
is supported by sub-objectives, which constitute measurable lines of effort with which our specific 
programs and initiatives are aligned. A key purpose of the SIP is to describe the range of actions we are 
taking to improve or expand these efforts. 
1. Enhancing Federal Engagement with and Support to Local Communities that 
May be Targeted by Violent Extremists
Communication and meaningful engagement with the American public is an essential part of the Federal 
Government’s work, and it is critical for developing local partnerships to counter violent extremism. Just 
as we engage and raise awareness to prevent gang violence, sexual offenses, school shootings, and other 
acts of violence, so too must we ensure that our communities are empowered to recognize threats of 
violent extremism and understand the range of government and nongovernment resources that can 
help keep their families, friends, and neighbors safe. As noted in the National Strategy for Empowering 
Local Partners:
Engagement is essential for supporting community-based efforts to prevent violent 
extremism because it allows government and communities to share information, 
concerns, and potential solutions. Our aims in engaging with communities to discuss 
violent extremism are to: (1) share sound, meaningful, and timely information about 
the threat of violent extremism with a wide range of community groups and organizations, particularly those involved in public safety issues; (2) respond to community 
concerns about government policies and actions; and (3) better understand how we 
can effectively support community-based solutions. 
At the same time, we must ensure that our efforts to prevent violent extremism do not narrow our 
relationships with communities to any single issue, including national security.  This necessitates continuing to engage on the full range of community interests and concerns, but it also requires, where 
feasible, that we incorporate communities that are being targeted by violent extremists into broader 
forums with other communities when addressing non-CVE issues.  While we will engage with some 
communities specifically on CVE issues because of particular needs, care should be taken to avoid giving the false impression that engagement on non-security issues is taking place exclusively because of 
CVE concerns.  To ensure transparency, our engagement with communities that are being targeted by 
violent extremists will follow two tracks:
• We will specifically engage these communities on the threat of violent extremism to raise awareness, build partnerships, and promote empowerment. This requires specific conversations and 
activities related to security issues.
• Where we engage on other topics, we will work to include them in broader forums with other 
communities when appropriate. S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
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1.1 Improve the depth, breadth, and frequency of Federal Government engagement with and 
among communities on the wide range of issues they care about, including concerns about civil 
rights, counterterrorism security measures, international events, and foreign policy issues.
Violent extremist narratives espouse a rigid division between “us” and “them” that argues for exclusion 
from the broader society and a hostile relationship with government and other communities. Activities 
that reinforce our shared sense of belonging and productive interactions between government and 
the people undercut this narrative and emphasize through our actions that we are all part of the social 
fabric of America. As President Obama emphasized, when discussing Muslim Americans in the context 
of al-Qa’ida’s attempts to divide us, “we don’t differentiate between them and us. It’s just us.” 
Current Activities and Efforts
Departments and agencies have been conducting engagement activities based on their unique mandates. To better synchronize this work, U.S. Attorneys, who historically have engaged with communities in 
their districts, have begun leading Federal engagement efforts. This includes our efforts to engage with 
communities to (1) discuss issues such as civil rights, counterterrorism security measures, international 
events, foreign policy, and other community concerns; (2) raise awareness about the threat of violent 
extremism; and (3) facilitate partnerships to prevent radicalization to violence. The types of communities 
involved in engagement differ depending on the locations. United States Attorneys, in consultation with 
local and Federal partners, are best positioned to make local determinations about which communities 
they should engage. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, U.S. Attorneys are the 
senior law enforcement and executive branch officials in their districts, and are therefore well-placed 
to help shape and drive community engagement in the field. 
In December 2010, 32 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices began expanding their engagement with communities to 
raise awareness about how the United States Government can protect all Americans from discrimination, hate crimes, and other threats; to listen to concerns; and to seek input about government policies 
and programs. In some instances, these efforts also included initiatives to educate the public about the 
threat of violent extremist recruitment, which is one of many components of a broader community 
outreach program. 
• During this initial pilot, these U.S. Attorneys significantly expanded outreach and engagement 
on a range of issues of interest to communities; built new relationships where needed; and 
communicated the United States Government’s approach to CVE.
• Departments and agencies, including State, the Treasury, EDU, HHS, and DHS provided information, speakers, and other resources for U.S. Attorneys’ community engagement activities, 
frequently partnering with DOJ on specific programs and events. 
A National Task Force, led by DOJ and DHS, was established in November 2010 to help coordinate 
community engagement at the national level. It includes all departments and agencies involved 
in relevant community engagement efforts and focuses on compiling local, national, and international best practices and disseminating these out to the field, especially to U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. 
The Task Force is also responsible for connecting field-based Federal components to the full range of 
United States Government officials involved in community engagement to maximize partnerships, S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
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coordination, and resource-sharing. The following are some examples of engagement efforts that are, 
or will be, coordinated with the Task Force:
• The DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) this year doubled its outreach to communities and expanded its quarterly engagement roundtables to 14 cities throughout the 
country. During Fiscal Year 2011, CRCL also conducted 72 community engagement events, 
some of which included CVE-related topics.
• State engaged on U.S. foreign policy with a range of interested domestic communities. The 
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs alone conducted 80 outreach events over the past year. 
• DOJ has produced a number of brochures and other materials on civil rights protections and 
steps individuals can take to prevent or respond to discrimination, and has disseminated these 
to various communities, including those being targeted by violent extremists. DOJ has translated 
these materials into a number of languages, including Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Farsi, and Hindi.  
• DOJ, in coordination with DHS, expanded the Building Communities of Trust (BCOT) Initiative, 
which focuses on developing relationships among local law enforcement departments, fusion 
centers, and the communities they serve to educate communities on: (1) the Nationwide 
Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative (NSI); (2) how civil rights and liberties are protected; 
and (3) how to report incidents in order to help keep our communities safe. DOJ continues to 
support the BCOT Initiative.
Future Activities and Efforts
The primary focus for the next year will be: (1) expanding the scope of engagement; (2) building new 
partnerships between communities and local law enforcement, local government officials, and civil 
society; (3) incorporating communities that are being targeted by violent extremist radicalization into 
broader forums with other communities to engage on a range of non-security issues; and (4) increasing 
our engagement specifically on CVE. Additional activities going forward include the following:
• DOJ will incorporate more U.S. Attorneys’ Offices as engagement leads in the field, building on 
the initial U.S. Attorney-led effort. (Lead: DOJ; Partners: All) 
• The National Task Force will: (1) disseminate regular reports on best practices in community 
engagement to local government officials, law enforcement, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and fusion 
centers; (2) work with departments and agencies to increase their support to U.S. Attorney-led 
engagement efforts in the field; and (3) closely coordinate Federal engagement efforts with 
communities targeted by violent extremist radicalization. (Leads: DOJ and DHS; Partners: All)
• In consultation with Federal and local partners, the National Task Force and the U.S. Attorneys’ 
Offices will facilitate, where appropriate, the inclusion of communities that may be targeted by 
violent extremist radicalization into broader engagement forums and programs that involve 
other communities. (Leads: DOJ and DHS; Partners: All) 
• U.S. Attorneys will coordinate closely with local government officials, law enforcement, communities, and civil society to enhance outreach events and initiatives. (Lead: DOJ; Partners: All)S T R AT E G I C I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N F O R E M P O W E R I N G L O C A L PA R T N E R S 
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• In Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, CRCL plans on expanding its quarterly community engagement roundtables to a total of 16. CRCL is also in the process of implementing a campus youth community 
engagement plan, through which it will engage with young adults on the topic of violent 
extremism. (Lead: DHS)
• Depending on local circumstances, and in consultation with the FBI and other agencies as 
appropriate, U.S. Attorneys will coordinate any expanded engagement specific to CVE with 
communities that may be targeted by violent extremist radicalization. (Lead: DOJ; Partners: 
DHS, NCTC, and FBI) 
• An FBI CVE Coordination Office will be established and, as part of its activities, will coordinate 
with the National Task Force on CVE-specific education and awareness modules. These modules 
will be developed and implemented, in part, by leveraging some of the FBI’s existing programs 
and initiatives. (Lead: FBI; Partners: DOJ and DHS)
• DHS will oversee an online portal to support engagement by government officials and law 
enforcement with communities targeted by violent extremist radicalization, which will be used 
to share relevant information and build a community of interest. The portal will be accessible 
to government officials and law enforcement involved in overseas and domestic CVE and 
community engagement efforts to share best practices. (Lead: DHS; Partners: State, and NCTC)
• DOJ will expand the efforts of the BCOT initiative to help facilitate trust between law 
enforcement and community leaders. This dialogue could include local issues, as well as CVE. 
(Lead: DOJ; Partner: DHS)
• The United States Government will build a digital engagement capacity in order to expand, 
deepen, and intensify our engagement efforts. Where possible, virtual engagement will build 
on real world engagement activities and programs. (Lead: DHS; Partners: All) 
1.2 Foster community-led partnerships and preventative programming to build resilience against 
violent extremist radicalization by expanding community-based solutions; leveraging existing 
models of community problem-solving and public safety; enhancing Federal Government 
collaboration with local governments and law enforcement to improve community 
engagement and build stronger partnerships; and providing communities with information and 
training, access to resources and grants, and connections with the philanthropic and private 
sectors.
The Federal Government can foster nuanced and locally rooted counter-radicalization programs and 
initiatives by serving as a facilitator, convener, and source of information to support local networks and 
partnerships at the grassroots level. Importantly, because the dynamics of radicalization to violence frequently vary from location to location, we recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach will be ineffective. 
Current Activities and Efforts
The Federal Government has held a series of consultative meetings with communities, local government and law enforcement, civil society organizations, foundations, and the private sector to better 
understand how it can facilitate partnerships and collaboration. This leverages a key strength identified

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/sip-final.pdf