Dive Brief:

• The AmeriCorps program (and its Senior Corps counterpart) stands to lose federal funding that makes up just .03% of the federal budget and, among other things, puts corps members in 11,000 schools nationwide.
• Chalkbeat reports President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating all federal funding for AmeriCorps, which would mean fewer after-school programs for schools, less help for students who need remedial support, and fewer people to help build playgrounds — all key contributions of AmeriCorps members.
• The Corporation for National and Community Service, which runs AmeriCorps, allocates about half of its grant funding to education-related work, including City Year, College Possible, Playworks, Citizen Schools, the National College Advising Corps and a foster grandparent program run through schools by Senior Corps, according to Chalkbeat.

Dive Insight:

With Republicans in control of both houses of Congress as well as the presidency, conservative budget hawks are sure to get their way on a number of issues in the years to come. Should the AmeriCorps program lose federal funding, schools and districts should have contingency plans in place. Greater community outreach to prospective volunteers could help fill some of the gaps in the case of a loss.

In addition to contingency plans, however, district leaders can be active and vocal in talking about the benefit of federal programs like AmeriCorps that are in danger. Many administrators shy away from civic advocacy, but now is a time to rally school communities to make their voices heard in state houses and Washington, DC. There is a lot at stake.