Federal Web Managers Council

Who We Are

The Federal Web Managers Council (Web Council) is an interagency group of senior federal government web managers who collaborate to share common challenges, ideas, and best practices, and improve the online delivery of U.S. Government information and services. Membership is limited to Web and New Media Directors from federal Cabinet agencies, as well as designated Congressional support agencies and major independent and sub-agencies that deliver top citizen tasks.

Originally called the Web Content Management Working Group, the Web Council was established at the request of OMB by the Interagency Committee on Government Information (ICGI) in January 2004. The original mission was to recommend policies and guidelines for all federal public websites, to comply with Sections 207(f)(1) and (2) of the E-Government Act of 2002 and with other requirements. Our group issued its recommendations to the ICGI in June 2004. These recommendations and best practices became the foundation for this website.

Today, the Web Council has grown into a dynamic and influential community of practice, and guides the work of several Sub-Councils, as well as the larger U.S. government web community known as the Web Content Managers Forum.

Our Goals

Our long-term goals are:

1) Help the public quickly and easily accomplish their most critical tasks online;

2) Improve U.S. Government online content so it's on par with the best content in the world; and

3) Support and expand our dynamic community of government Web Managers from across the country.

Read more about our goals in our White Paper, which was written for the Presidential Transition team in late 2008:

Putting Citizens First: Transforming Online Government (PDF, 47 KB, 4 pages, November 2008)
2010 Progress Report—Putting Citizens First: Transforming Online Government (PDF, 45 KB, 5 pages, April 2010)

Read other documents by the Council

What We Do

To accomplish these goals, we:

manage this website (HowTo.gov)
organize training and conferences for government web managers via DigitalGov University
serve as the steering committee for the much larger Web Content Managers Forum, a group of nearly 3,000 government web managers from across the country
manage the Web and New Media Community collaboration and wiki space on MAX.gov
sponsor several sub-councils, and partner with other networks and groups that include government web managers
collaborate within and across government to modernize policies and improve the government's ability to deliver online information and services

How We're Organized

The Web Council is managed by two co-chairs, and is sponsored by GSA's Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, because of its role in managing USA.gov, the official portal for all federal, state, and local government information on the Web. Because our members are located in various offices across the country, we do most of our work "virtually" via conference calls and online collaboration.

Federal Web Managers Council Charter
View PDF of Federal Web Managers Council Charter (PDF, 138 KB, 6 pages, June 2012)

Co-Chairs

Rachel Flagg
Deputy Director, Center for Excellence in Digital Government
Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies
U.S. General Services Administration

Jeffrey Levy
Director of Web Communications
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Executive Sponsor

Sheila Campbell
Director, Center for Excellence in Digital Government
Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies
U.S. General Services Administration

Council Members

See the full list of members of the Federal Web Managers Council.

How to Get Involved

Join the Web Content Managers Forum. Forum members are also encouraged to join one of our Sub-Councils, especially if you have expertise in a particular area to share with the community.