This was written by staff at the nonprofit newsroom EdSource. It was republished by The Mendocino Voice in partnership with EdSource to bring relevant education news to Mendocino County readers. Learn more about EdSource here.
SACRAMENTO, CA., 9/15/2026 — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of other state attorneys general and governors announced that they have secured a settlement to protect AmeriCorps, a federally funded volunteer program that the Trump administration tried to dismantle.
The settlement of the April 2025 lawsuit requires the administration to reinstate $400 million cut by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. This settlement requires the Trump administration to commit to disbursing all the congressionally allocated AmeriCorps funding for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The administration said it has no intention of engaging in mass layoffs or program terminations. It is required to notify the coalition with no later than 30 days’ notice.
Even though they were ultimately rolled back, the cuts and threats to AmeriCorps funding has been a hardship for programs that rely on the funding. Programs had to create contingency plans, turn to fundraising to make up for projected losses and some closed. Many California AmeriCorps-funded programs provide tutoring and mentoring in vulnerable communities.
“AmeriCorps volunteers represent the best of who we are as a country,” Bonta said in a statement. “Today’s settlement ensures AmeriCorps volunteers and the communities they serve have certainty that these vital volunteer programs will continue without disruption in the upcoming service year, extending the relief we previously secured in court.”
This article first appeared in EdSource here.