The House and Senate have passed a $1.7 trillion FY23 omnibus funding package that includes $1.313 billion for the AmeriCorps agency. The budget has now been sent to President Biden for his signature.
The omnibus, which funds the federal government through September 2023, includes $787 billion for non-defense discretionary programs, $858 billion in defense funding, $47 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies, and $38 billion to assist communities across the country recovering from drought, hurricanes, flooding, wildfire, natural disasters and other matters.
The bill also increases funding for the AmeriCorps programs by $162 million, 14% more than the year before. While this is $27 million below President Biden’s FY23 budget request, the omnibus funds the national service agency at a level that is $87.5 million more than the Senate originally proposed and $12.2 million more than the House recommended.
The omnibus includes funding increases to every AmeriCorps account, including $557 million for AmeriCorps State and National. This is the funding level that the agency requires to execute its planned increases in the AmeriCorps living allowance and cost/member and to maintain the current footprint of participants in 2023.
The omnibus also increases the maximum Pell Grant by $500 to $7,395. A full-time AmeriCorps Education Award is the equivalent to the maximum value of the Pell Grant and AmeriCorps positions approved between October 2023-September 2024 will be eligible for this higher award.
| AMERICORPS BUDGET | |||
| Program | FY22 Enacted | FY23 Omnibus | Change from FY22 |
| AmeriCorps State and National | $466.75M | $557.09M | +$90.345M |
| AmeriCorps VISTA | $100.29M | $103.285M | +$3M |
| AmeriCorps NCCC | $34.51M | $37.735M | +$3.230M |
| National Service Trust | $190.55M | $230M | +$39.45M |
| AmeriCorps Seniors | $230.8M | $236.917M | +$6.15M |
| – RSVP | $53.96M | $55.105M | +$1.149M |
| – Foster Grandparents | $122.36M | $125.363M | +$3M |
| – Senior Companions | $54.45M | $56.449M | +$2M |
| Volunteer Generation Fund | $6.56M | $8.558M | +$2M |
| State Commission Support Grants | $19.09M | $19.538M | +$444K |
| Days of Service | $3.33M | $6.148M | +$2.8M |
| Evaluation | $4.12M | $6.25M | +$2.13M |
| CNCS Salaries and Expenses | $88.08M | $99.686M | +$11.604M |
| Inspector General | $6.595M | $7.595M | +$1M |
| Total CNCS | $1.151B | $1.313B | +$162.17M |
Press release from the House Appropriations Committee on the passage of the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations bill.
Floor remarks from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy on final passage of FY23 Omnibus bill.
FY23 Omnibus Appropriations Bill text
Joint Explanatory Statement for the Labor-HHS portion of the bill