The program – signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993 – places volunteers into a broad range of community service work, including teaching, providing disaster relief and clearing trails. It partners with organizations and government departments like the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
916 Ink is a Sacramento nonprofit that provides reading and writing tutors to local students. Executive Director Ian Hadley says AmeriCorps volunteers make up just over half of its workforce, but he received a notice Sunday night ending their positions.
“We had to basically demobilize all 23 individuals this morning,” he said on Monday.
The Washington Post reported late last week that Elon Musk’s DOGE Service ordered AmeriCorps to cut about 40% of its total grant funding – nearly $400 million. Nonprofits began getting notices on Friday like the one 916 Ink received.
Hadley was a volunteer and said it has helped him and many others launch careers.
“What we're wrestling with is the immediate human cost, right? There are 23 individuals that signed up for a year of service,” he said. “They're giving their time and effort to make the lives of these students better, and they are abruptly and with very little notice and no reason given just staying home today.”
California Volunteers is part of the Governor’s Office and administers the state’s AmeriCorps programs. Spokesperson Katie Vavao said via email that it received a notice on Friday from the federal government that its AmeriCorps grants for the current year would be cut.
“The notice directs all member activities immediately cease and program closeout procedures be completed within 120 days,” she said. “California Volunteers is working closely with the Governor's Office to fight these illegal actions and to preserve these programs, as they are the lifelines to communities across the state.”
Vavao added that the state will continue to recruit for the California Service Corps, which places volunteers in similar work, like disaster response, education and food insecurity.
America’s Service Commissions, which advocates for AmeriCorps volunteers, estimates that will prematurely end the service of about 32 thousand members.
AmeriCorps staff members, like Emma Sweeney in Sacramento, are also navigating cuts.
Sweeney volunteered planting trees and supporting a food bank with AmeriCorps, then worked with the organization. She took a federal buyout earlier this month, expecting to keep her job until September.
“I was put on admin leave roughly a week and a half ago and I think now I'm kind of just figuring out what to do,” she said.
The same happened to most of her 650 colleagues nationwide after Elon Musk’s DOGE service made cuts, according to the Washington Post.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced earlier this month that California will sue the Trump administration over cuts to the program.