In a stunning move, the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has ordered AmeriCorps to cut nearly $400 million in grants — a sweeping decision that affects thousands of nonprofit organizations and volunteers across the nation. According to The Washington Post, the funding cuts amount to roughly 41% of AmeriCorps’ total grant funding, sending shockwaves through communities that rely on the agency’s national service initiatives.

AmeriCorps, created in 1993 under President Bill Clinton, enrolls more than 200,000 individuals each year to serve in organizations tackling issues from education and poverty to disaster relief. Its roots run deeper, absorbing initiatives like Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), an anti-poverty program first launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965.

Termination notices began rolling out on Friday, with recipients informed that their grants “no longer effectuate agency priorities,” according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post. The move will reportedly impact over 1,031 organizations and approximately 32,465 AmeriCorps members and senior volunteers, with the total agency budget for 2025 standing at about $1 billion.

The backlash was swift. California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the cuts, announcing that California would challenge the decision in court while accelerating recruitment efforts for the California Service Corps — already the largest service corps in the United States, even surpassing the size of the Peace Corps.

In a statement, Newsom emphasized the vital role AmeriCorps members have played, including their frontline support during this year's devastating Los Angeles wildfires. “As the Trump Administration dismantles the AmeriCorps service program, California will fight back,” Newsom stated. “When fires ravaged Los Angeles earlier this year, AmeriCorps members were distributing supplies and supporting families. These cuts hamstring our ability to respond to disasters and strengthen communities."

Opposition to the cuts isn't limited to Democrats. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) also expressed concern, highlighting the bipartisan value AmeriCorps offers. Cassidy took to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, noting that while he supports efforts to improve government efficiency and eliminate waste, he draws a line at defunding programs that support veterans, disaster recovery, and vulnerable communities.

“Getting various reports that DOGE RIFs at @AmeriCorps are being extended to the cancellation of Congressionally appropriated grants,” Cassidy wrote. “I support improving efficiency and eliminating waste, but I would have to object to cutting AmeriCorps grants like those that support Louisiana’s veterans and organizations that provide crucial support after hurricanes and natural disasters.”

This latest upheaval is part of a broader pattern since Musk assumed leadership at DOGE earlier this year. The department, rebranded under Musk’s vision for radical streamlining of federal operations, has aggressively pursued funding cuts and efficiency mandates across a range of agencies. In just the first 100 days, deep reductions ordered by DOGE have sparked operational chaos and delays throughout government services.

While Musk’s supporters tout these moves as necessary to "reinvent" Washington's bureaucracy, critics warn that essential services and longstanding community programs are being gutted without sufficient regard for their real-world impacts.

Polls show a divided public: while Americans broadly agree that the government is inefficient, they remain skeptical that Musk’s DOGE initiative is the right solution. As critics note, cutting frontline service programs like AmeriCorps raises questions about whether efficiency is being prioritized at the expense of public welfare.

For now, organizations that have historically relied on AmeriCorps volunteers must scramble to find alternative sources of support. Nonprofits serving low-income families, disaster relief operations, and education programs are among the most immediately affected.

Legal challenges, like the one Governor Newsom has announced, could delay or even reverse some of the cuts — but the future of AmeriCorps remains uncertain under the current administration.

As the fallout continues, one thing is clear: the federal commitment to national service — a hallmark of American volunteerism for decades — has entered uncharted territory.