Urge Congress to Invest in AmeriCorps

Urge Congress to Invest in AmeriCorps

This is urgent. AmeriCorps is celebrating its 30th anniversary, but the House of Representatives has put the program on the chopping block.

Community-based organizations that leverage AmeriCorps members to help address local needs must take action to ensure that Congress provides $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025 for the AmeriCorps programs and the National Service Trust. This funding is needed to protect more than 75,000 AmeriCorps and 143,000 AmeriCorps Seniors positions.

We need your help to ensure Congress invests in AmeriCorps, so communities can continue to count on AmeriCorps for help where it is needed most.  

What’s at Stake?

For three decades, over 1.25 million AmeriCorps members and hundreds of thousands of additional AmeriCorps Seniors have been embedded in our local communities, responding to our most immediate needs: from disaster response to combatting the opioid crisis, and from providing services for veterans to helping students. Now, some in Congress want to eliminate funding for AmeriCorps State and National, the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), the State Service Commissions, and the National Service Trust. If enacted, this would eliminate more than 71,000 AmeriCorps positions.

While the House spending bill would be catastrophic for AmeriCorps and the nonprofit sector, we know anything less than increased funding will also lead to a substantial reduction in AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors positions and the services these members provide to local communities. We must use every tool possible to fight back and urge Congress to reject these devastating cuts and invest in AmeriCorps.

How Can I Help?

Your members of Congress are in the midst of a challenging debate regarding the federal budget and what the country should invest in.   If you believe AmeriCorps is a valuable investment, we encourage you to contact your lawmakers and make sure they understand how AmeriCorps members and funding are being leveraged in their district/state to solve locally-determined challenges and priorities.

Join us in calling on Congress to invest in AmeriCorps and service members. This webpage is our “Advocate’s Guide to AmeriCorps and Appropriations,” and it will be updated with new and refreshed resources on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions about the tactics listed below or would like to schedule a call to discuss key messages or engagement opportunities, please email Shanelle Oliver, Director of Advocacy & Outreach, at soliver2@cityyear.org.

The Most Effective Strategies for Engaging with Congress

It is up to us to convince our lawmakers that funding for AmeriCorps is more than nice, it’s essential. We encourage you to look for every opportunity to communicate the impact of your service program through direct engagement with your legislators, which could include in-district meetings, site visits, special events, editorials, social media, blog posts and more.

Suggested Talking Points and Materials:

It is critical that you proactively emphasize the importance of funding AmeriCorps in all messages.

  • Talking Points and Background: This guide breaks down the current FY25 funding situation and provides talking points that you can customize. 
  • Tips for Handling Tough Questions: Prior to connecting with your lawmaker, review our tips for how to respond to any tough questions about AmeriCorps funding. 
  • AmeriCorps Funding Handout: Download this double-sided document and share a printed or electronic copy with your legislators during meetings or site visits. 

Meet with your member(s) of Congress.

When lawmakers have to make difficult budget decisions, it is critical that they know which federal programs are making a difference in the lives of their constituents. A meeting with your member of Congress or their senior staff is one of the most valuable ways that you can explain the impact your program is having in the communities they represent and the important role AmeriCorps funding plays in those results. Scheduling a meeting with the district/state office is easy and allows you to establish a relationship that can be deepened over time. 

Host a site visit for your member(s) of Congress.

Even more than a meeting in the congressperson’s office, a site visit to a service location is the best way to demonstrate the critical services your organization provides and the real-life benefits of fully funding AmeriCorps. While hosting a site visit for your legislator or their staff requires more planning, it is an excellent way to cultivate a relationship that will benefit your program and AmeriCorps in the long term. 

Write to your Senators and Representatives.

A well-crafted letter from your executive leadership or local champions is another tool to communicate AmeriCorps’ unique value to your community and the importance of federal funding. Activating your board members, service partners, community leaders, and philanthropic investors and having them sign onto a letter in support of AmeriCorps funding will elevate the impact of your message. 

  • Grasstops Customized Letter Template (updated July 18, 2024)
    • FYI – If the link doesn’t open up automatically, copy & paste the hyperlink into a new tab, and it will auto-download the editable template.

Write an op-ed or letter to the editor.

Members of Congress closely monitor constituent interests and concerns via local news outlets. An opinion piece or letter to the editor that speaks to a broader audience, and underscores AmeriCorps’ vital importance to the local community, is a great way to get their attention and garner public support. 

Share these messages on your communications channels.

You can raise awareness of the value of AmeriCorps – and the importance of fully funding AmeriCorps – through tools like social media, blog posts, email newsletters, and more. Be sure to tag @Voices4Service and use #Stand4Service so we can amplify any posts on social media! 

Additional Resources:

Advocacy Starts at Home – In 2019, Voices for National Service interviewed Brian McNabb, Senator Bill Cassidy’s State Director, to discuss the role of the district office, how to cultivate a relationship with district staff, and tips for leveraging an in-district meeting. There are many benefits to beginning your AmeriCorps advocacy in the Congressperson’s district, away from the chaos and distractions of Washington, D.C. Check out this short video series to make the most of engaging with your member of Congress at home, and building a connection based in your local community that will transfer to the halls of the Capitol! 

Fast Action Tools:

Email

Send a customizable email to your members of Congress.

Email Your Lawmakers

Tweet

Share your support for AmeriCorps by sending a tweet.

Tweet Your Support

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