Serve Washington receives $17.5 million in federal funding to support 1,040 AmeriCorps members statewide for new program year

OLYMPIA —Serve Washington, the state’s commission on national and community service, announced today that it has been awarded $17.5 million in federal AmeriCorps grant funding. The funding will help support 1,110 AmeriCorps members statewide for the program year beginning in September 2025.

The federal funding, awarded through AmeriCorps, underscores Serve Washington’s commitment to promoting volunteerism and addressing local challenges. However, reduced funding means that only 10 programs are funded this year, down from 22 in 2024-25.

Funding for the 2025-26 program year was included in the federal budget for fiscal year 2025. The 2024-25 program year was interrupted in April when the Trump administration terminated nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grant funding — including over $23. million for Washington programs — resulting in the suspension of many programs in Washington. A court order in June preliminarily stopped the Trump administration from terminating programs, and remaining funds were released on August 29 following a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Nick Brown and a multistate coalition. 

“AmeriCorps members are so valuable to communities across our state,” said Serve Washington Executive Director Trish Almond. “They’re teaching kids to read, preparing young people for college, preventing wildfires, staffing food banks and assisting seniors. This is an example of our federal tax dollars directly going to address pressing local needs, while developing civic and leadership skills in young people that will last a lifetime. Earlier this year we saw the disruption caused when these services were cut, and it was clear how much these programs meant to the communities and the young people serving in them.”

AmeriCorps is the national and community service program where members serve directly with non-profit and government organizations to tackle the nation’s most pressing challenges. It’s made possible through a federal-state partnership with a central role for governor-appointed state service commissions.

Over the course of their service, AmeriCorps members will serve at hundreds of service sites in program focus areas related to economic opportunity, healthy futures, environmental stewardship, disaster services, and education.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to move forward with Program Year 2025-2026,” said Serve Washington Director of Programs Dyann Trujillo. “While our portfolio of subgrantees may be significantly smaller this year due to disruptions that occurred in the spring, we look forward to continuing to promote professional growth for hundreds of AmeriCorps members across Washington. Those members will provide vital community-based services that are needed now more than ever. We were fortunate to be able to continue to fund programs through our state formula allocations, who otherwise wouldn’t have received an award this year due to a decrease in AmeriCorps competitive federal funding.”

Local sources will match the federal funding by around $26.7 million.

By the end of 2025-2026 service year, these AmeriCorps members will earn up to a combined $7.3 million in education awards. AmeriCorps members will receive approximately $7,395 each through an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award after they complete 1700 hours of service. The award can be used to pay educational expenses at eligible colleges, training and vocational programs, or to repay qualified student loans. Members also receive a modest living stipend while they are serving.

How to apply

Organizations are now recruiting AmeriCorps members to begin service this fall. Interested applicants should contact the relevant organization to apply.

Programs receiving formula grants

Formula grants are allocated to states in amounts based on a predetermined formula, typically tied to population. State service commissions, like Serve Washington, manage the application and selection process for subgrantees within their state, based on local needs and priorities. After ranking at the state level, program applications are forwarded to AmeriCorps to determine funding amounts.

Sea Mar Community Health Centers

• Award amount: $302,239
• 12 members
• Counties served: Clark, Grays Harbor, King, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Whatcom.

Sea Mar Community Health Centers has AmeriCorps members who will provide patient navigation, patient advocacy, maternity support, chronic disease management, education of community support services, and child development in 8 of Washington's counties. The AmeriCorps members will be responsible for increasing access to healthcare and other social services to Washington's underserved populations.

Washington State Dept. of Ecology - Washington Conservation Corps

• Federal award: $3,563,135
• 257 members
• Counties served: Asotin, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Grant, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Mason, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Yakima.

WCCC members will complete critical environmental stewardship activities, including in areas of high environmental health disparity, and support vulnerable communities impacted by national disasters nationwide. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps members will be responsible for supporting ecosystem resiliency and increasing biodiversity on 1,080 acres of public parks or tribal land; increasing safety, accessibility, and public access on 270 miles of public trails, and assisting 30 individuals of low-income status and in overburdened communities in rebuilding after natural disasters. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will leverage 3,000 volunteers who will be engaged in restoring at-risk ecosystems and disaster services.

Western Washington University - Campus Coalition for the Public Good

• Federal award: $886,266
• 115 members
• Counties served: Chelan, Clark, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom.

Western Washington University/Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good proposes to have 115 AmeriCorps members who will deliver mentoring interventions to low-income, at-risk K-12 and college/university students at 40 rural and urban public schools and 11 campuses throughout Washington. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps members will be responsible for improving the academic engagement and social-emotional skills of 1,200 K-12 students and helping enroll 3,200 college/university students in post-secondary education/training. In addition, the AmeriCorps members will leverage 350 volunteers who will be engaged in college access mentoring and National Days of Service activities with the AmeriCorps members.

Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council

• Federal award: $499,000
• 20 members
• Counties served: Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan.

CDCAC AmeriCorps members are involved in community outreach, food distribution, teaching English and financial literacy, tutoring and mentoring students throughout North Central Washington. In addition to service at their host sites, members participate as a team in several community projects, including environmental cleanup, donation drives and outreach to those in need. The program offers AmeriCorps members professional development training, hands-on experience and mentorship opportunities.

Programs receiving competitive grants

Competitive grants are awarded based on the merit of applications submitted directly to AmeriCorps, and organizations compete nationwide for funding.

City Year

Award amount: $1,750,000

70 members

Counties served: King

City Year Seattle will have full-time AmeriCorps members who will provide academic support and mentoring to students in public schools in Seattle. At the end of the first program year, the AmeriCorps members will be responsible for providing mentoring and academic support in literacy to students which will improve reading skills and in math. The AmeriCorps members will also leverage 950 volunteers, who will be engaged in member development activities and events and service projects that benefit school communities.

EarthCorps

Award amount: $860,000

40 members

Counties served: King, Pierce, Skagit.

EarthCorps will have AmeriCorps members who will implement environmental restoration and community engagement activities designed to increase green space in historically underserved communities in the Puget Sound region. AmeriCorps members will be responsible for improving 240 acres of public land.

Northeast Washington Educational Service District 101 – Spokane Service Team

Award amount: $366,955

50 members

County served: Spokane.

Northeast Washington Educational Service District 101 will have AmeriCorps members who will develop or rehabilitate housing units in Spokane County, by serving with the Spokane Service Team, Community Frameworks, and with non-profit housing agencies. At the end of the first program year the members will be responsible for making 12 units of housing available. In addition, the members will leverage 50 volunteers who will be engaged in rehabilitating units of housing.

Student Conservation Association

Federal award: $260,500

20 members

Counties served: Chelan, Jefferson, Pierce, Snohomish.

The SCA aims to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of our environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land. Corps members engage in conservation, ecological restoration, and recreation management projects with public lands partners, and learn skills that prepare them for future leadership careers in public land management and conservation.

Washington State Employment Security Dept. - Washington Reading Corps

Federal award: $1,742,680

76 members

Counties served: Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Lewis, Pierce, Thurston, Yakima.

WRC AmeriCorps members serve in high-needs schools, early learning centers and community-based organizations across the state. They serve early learners and K–12 students, supporting improved literacy and reading proficiency, using evidence-based tools. Members provide reading tutoring to K–4 students identified as below grade-level benchmark in reading proficiency and in need of intervention, while supporting broader literacy achievement in every grade level.

Washington State Employment Security Dept. - Washington Service Corps

Federal award: $7,269,300

450 members

Counties served: Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima.

WSC engages AmeriCorps members in service with local community-based nonprofit and government organizations to address unmet local needs of communities. The program includes projects with a primary focus in disaster preparedness, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and economic opportunity. WSC can also partner on special projects meeting the unique community needs that fit into any AmeriCorps focus area.