AmeriCorps Funds Restored Following Legal Action Led by AG Mayes

This week, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes revealed that more than $184 million in AmeriCorps money has been fully restored. This comes after she and a coalition of states filed a lawsuit against the federal government.

Funding Release

The funding release came after months of legal disputes over budget cuts that had put hundreds of AmeriCorps supported programs at risk. In a statement, Kris Mayes said the outcome was a significant victory for Arizona communities.

"We achieved a complete and total win against the Trump administration’s attempts to destroy and defund AmeriCorps," Mayes said. "Because of our lawsuit, programs serving teachers and senior citizens in Arizona will keep their funding."

AmeriCorps, a federal agency that supports national and community service initiatives, partners with local organizations to place volunteers in roles addressing education, public health, and disaster response.

Significant Reductions

Earlier this year, a press release from Kris Mayes' office announced recent actions by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that proposed significantly reducing AmeriCorps' workforce, canceling existing service contracts, and decreasing funding to ongoing programs. State officials then argued this would have severe consequences for public services nationwide.

Mayes joined a multi-state coalition on April 29 opposing the federal government's proposal to reduce AmeriCorps operations. In June, the court issued a preliminary injunction that blocked those cuts and restored hundreds of affected programs. However, even after that ruling, over $184 million in funding remained withheld.

To address the continued delay, Mayes and the coalition filed an amended lawsuit in July, adding OMB as a defendant. A follow-up motion in early August requested the immediate release of the funds. When the federal government's response was due in court on August 28, it instead announced it would release the funds in full.

Funds Immediate Release

With the money now set to be distributed, service organizations across the country can move forward without the fear of budget cuts. In Arizona, that includes AmeriCorps supported programs focused on classroom support, senior services, and other community-based initiatives.

Mayes emphasized the broader importance of national service and the value AmeriCorps brings to the state of Arizona.

"This is a complete and total win over the Trump administration’s chaos and destruction that left Arizona communities scrambling to pick up the pieces and preserve programs that help Arizonans in need." Mayes emphasized in the press release.

AmeriCorps will begin distributing the restored funds to states as quickly as possible. The organization will then places thousand of volunteers across the country, collaborating with government organizations, nonprofits, and educational institutions, to offer both short-term assistance and long-term impact in communities.