White House Releases FY23 Budget

The Biden-Harris Administration sent their fiscal year 2023 budget to Congress and requested $1.34 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service/AmeriCorps agency, an increase of $189.3 million over the FY22 enacted level.

Leveraging annual appropriations, as well as remaining American Rescue Plans Act funds, the President’s budget proposes to make important, targeted investments in the AmeriCorps programs to support over 250,000 national service participants in fiscal year 2023.

The budget recommends modest increases across every account and program to engage over 83,000 AmeriCorps members and 174,000 AmeriCorps Seniors in meeting ongoing health, economic, and education needs related to the pandemic, as well expanding in the areas of disaster response, environmental stewardship and climate resiliency. This budget calls for investing in communities where the need is the greatest and enhancing efforts to recruit members who reflect the communities they serve.  This budget would fund increases in the AmeriCorps living allowance and education award, and it would increase the stipend for low-income seniors participating in the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs to $3.65 per hour.

The Administration is seeking legislative changes to allow individuals with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Status to earn AmeriCorps Education Awards and to allow AmeriCorps VISTA members who are 55 years of age or older to transfer their Education Award to a child, stepchild, grandchild or foster child.  Similar language to permit VISTAs to transfer their education award was included in the FY22 Omnibus Appropriations bill that President Biden signed into law earlier this month.

In their budget materials, the AmeriCorps Agency also rolled out a new five-year Strategic Plan with the following goals:

1. Partner with communities to alleviate poverty and advance racial equity
2. Enhance the experience for AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers
3. Unite Americans by bringing them together in service
4. Effectively steward federal resources
5. Make AmeriCorps one of the best and most equitable places to work in the Federal Government

While presidential budgets are non-binding and rarely passed in their exact form, this budget is a blueprint telegraphing the administration’s priorities. In the coming months, congressional leaders will meet to draft the annual spending bills and determine funding levels for all federal programs for FY23.

Corporation for National and Community Service Budget

Voices for National Service’s statement on the administration’s FY23 budget request (PDF)

AmeriCorps Agency’s budget page and FY23 Congressional Budget Justification (PDF)