California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that more than $184 million in AmeriCorps funding, including $11.5 million for California, will be released to service programs across the country. The decision follows a multistate legal challenge led by Bonta against the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which had previously withheld these funds.
“Once again, because of our lawsuit, the Trump Administration has backed down, reversed course and committed to release vital funding to our states,” said Attorney General Bonta. “AmeriCorps volunteers represent the best of who we are as a country. The Trump Administration’s senseless attack on AmeriCorps programs, which directly support communities across our state and nation, is just one part of its broader effort to dismantle our government and defund the programs and services it provides. But California will not stop holding this Administration accountable. We’re continuing to fight for — and win — full relief for Californians.”
AmeriCorps is an independent federal agency that supports national and state community service programs by placing volunteers in organizations addressing local needs. In 2024, over 6,150 AmeriCorps members served at more than 1,200 locations in California such as schools, food banks, health clinics, veterans’ facilities, and other nonprofits. That year alone, AmeriCorps invested over $133 million in federal funding into California.
Programs supported by AmeriCorps include Prevent Child Abuse California—which places members providing academic assistance and life skills training to foster youth across 15 counties—and Partnership for Veterans and People Experiencing Homelessness in Santa Barbara County. Another program is Reading Partners California; it involves 80 AmeriCorps members recruiting about 1,400 volunteers to tutor students at low-income elementary schools.
Earlier this year on April 29, Bonta and a coalition challenged administration plans to eliminate nearly 90% of AmeriCorps’ workforce and cancel contracts totaling $400 million worth of supported programs. A court order secured in June reinstated hundreds of unlawfully cancelled programs and barred further cuts without formal rulemaking.
Despite this court order, OMB continued withholding funds intended for service programs until the amended lawsuit added OMB as a defendant with a motion for preliminary injunction seeking immediate release of funds. On August 28—the deadline for response—the administration informed the court that all withheld funds would be released nationwide as soon as possible.
Bonta led attorneys general from Maryland, Delaware, Colorado and several other states—including Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nevada New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Washington Wisconsin District of Columbia Kentucky Pennsylvania—in filing the lawsuit.
