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Department of the Treasury 

Data Governance Board Charter

Purpose This charter defines the vision, functions, membership, authority, 

accountability and operations of the Data Governance Board (Board) for the 

Department of the Treasury (Treasury) as part of Treasury’s Data Framework.

Data Governance Data governance encompasses the overall management of the availability, usability, 

integrity, and privacy protection of data used in an enterprise. Data governance also 

involves the process for setting and enforcing priorities for managing data as a 

strategic asset in service of an agency’s mission. The Board acts as a vital link among 

Treasury-wide management functions to provide coordinated leadership, direction, 

and guidance on matters relating to the gathering, analysis, sharing, use, and 

dissemination of data and information (“Data Governance”).

Vision The primary goal of the Board is to promote better, more frequent, and more 

comprehensive use of quality data in decision-making and operations. The vision for 

Treasury’s data governance efforts includes promoting an environment in which data 

is (1) high-quality, timely, complete, and accurate, (2) trusted and authoritative, (3) 

appropriately protected, (4) appropriately permissioned and accessible from 

authorized devices, and (5) recognized and used as a critical asset by Treasury 

personnel at multiple levels.

Members  Chief Data Officer (Chair)

 Deputy Chief Financial Officer

 Chief Information Officer

 Deputy Assistant Secretary for Privacy, Transparency, and Records1

 Evaluation Officer / Deputy Performance Improvement Officer

 Statistical Official

 2 Rotating Representatives from the Data Advisory Council

Functions The members and governing body will:

 Hold regular meetings at least monthly with a quorum (two-thirds) of 

members to ensure requirements related to Title II of the Evidence Act 

are implemented

 Provide input/guidance on goals and objectives, strategic and operational 

outcomes, guiding principles, and framework of the Chief Data Officer’s 

program, as set forth by OMB guidelines and Treasury seniormanagement

 Execute and monitor priorities related to Treasury’s data programs

 Ensure compliance with OMB requirements for open data and data 

collection plans and assist in leading maturity assessments

 Address risks and obstacles at a strategic-level regarding Treasury’s data

 Identify and advocate for resources and funding to support projects andinitiatives 

1 At Treasury, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Privacy, Transparency, and Records serves as the senior agency official 

responsible for ensuring Departmental compliance with the Privacy Act, Federal Records Act, the Freedom of Information Act, 

and the Paperwork Reduction Act.
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undertaken by the Chief Data Officer

 Assist the Chief Data Officer with financial and human capital planning (e.g. 

approve investment requests)

 Contribute to Treasury’s internal communication strategies with respect to 

data use and data management

 Provide guidance to Treasury bureaus and offices, with their input, to create 

greater alignment in data strategies at component levels, and as appropriate, 

ensure inter-operability of datasets

 Periodically review and update the charter of this and other relevant bodies (e.g. 

the Data Advisory Council), particularly following major leadership or scope

changes

Decisions / Voting The Board is accountable to the Assistant Secretary for Management (ASM) and is 

empowered to make and implement decisions for the Treasury Department 

consistent with the direction and priorities of the ASM pertaining to data 

management and data governance issues. The Board will seek to reach an informed 

consensus on issues whenever possible. The Treasury CDO as Chair will convey

Board decisions to Treasury leadership, as determined by the ASM, for information 

purposes or consent purposes as circumstances warrant, reflecting either the 

consensus opinion of the Board or the range of views expressed by members. 

Decisions on matters where members are relatively evenly divided e.g., 3-2) shall be 

decided by the CDO, in consultation with the ASM.

Personal Whenever possible, members (or persons designated as acting when a member

Participation position is vacant or a member is on leave) should attend formal meetings of the 

Board in person, via telephone or other virtual means, and not delegate attendance to 

any other person.

Administration The data governance program will be administered by a formal Program Office that 

reports to the ASM and is led by the Chief DataOfficer.

Advisory Council The DGB will consult with the Data Advisory Council (DAC), consisting of 

appropriate representation from Treasury Departmental Offices and Bureaus, to 

enable program representation and input into problems and challenges to be 

addressed by the Board. Two representatives from the DAC will serve as voting 

members on the DGB. DGB members may participate in meetings of the Advisory 

Council.

Supporting The Legislation and Directives below represent the supporting authority for the data

Authority governance body:

• The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 requires 

agency data to be accessible and request agencies to plan to develop statistical 

evidence to support policymaking. The Act also requires the creation of an 

agency-level Chief Data Officer role.

• The Information Quality Act of 2001 ensures maximization of the quality, 

objectivity, utility, and integrity of information (including statistical 

information) disseminated by agencies.
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• OMB Memorandum M-19-23, Phase 1 Implementation forEvidence-Based 

Policymaking Act of 2018 published on July 10, 2019, provides guidelines on 

constituting a data governance body, among other requirements.

• OMB Memorandum M-13-13, Open Data Policy—Managing Information 

as an Asset published on May 9, 2013 directs agencies to achieve the below 

goals among other objectives.

o Build information systems to support interoperability and accessibility

o Use machine-readable and open formats

o Use data standards

o Use common core and extensible metadata

o Create and maintain enterprise data inventories

o Strengthen measures to ensure that privacy and confidentiality arefully 

protected and that data are properly secured

• OMB Circular A-130, Managing Information as a Strategic Resource, 

instructs agencies on IT investment management, information management 

and access, privacy, records management, among other key areas.

• OMB Circular A-11 Part 6, Overview of the Federal Performance 

Framework describes the Administration's approach to implementing 

performance management, program/project management, and evidencebuilding requirements under GPRA Modernization Act, the Program 

Management Improvement Accountability Act, and Title I of the Evidence 

Act.

• OMB Memorandum M-15-12, Increasing Transparency of Federal 

Spending by Making Federal Spending Data Accessible, Searchable, and 

Reliable published on May 8, 2015.

Additional authority on managing information resources exists via theClinger-Cohen 

Act of 1996 (formerly the IT Modernization Act), the Federal Information 

Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), and OMB Circular A-123.

Updated and approved by the Data Governance Board, January 13, 2021