NJ Secures Release of $184 Million in Withheld AmeriCorps Funding

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced on August 29 that more than $184 million in AmeriCorps funding will be released after federal officials reversed an earlier decision to withhold the funds. The outcome marks a second legal victory for Platkin and a coalition of state attorneys general, who previously succeeded in securing $400 million in AmeriCorps support earlier this year.

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had been withholding the funds from AmeriCorps, the federal agency responsible for national service and volunteerism, despite a court order in June that prohibited such actions without formal rulemaking. That order came in response to an April 29 lawsuit filed by Platkin and attorneys general from 22 other states and jurisdictions, challenging the administration’s proposed elimination of 90 percent of AmeriCorps’ workforce and the cancellation of hundreds of service contracts.

On July 23, the coalition filed an amended complaint over OMB’s continued withholding of the $184 million, and on August 8, requested a preliminary injunction to compel the release of the funds. Rather than respond to the legal motion by the August 28 deadline, the administration notified the court that it would comply and allow AmeriCorps to distribute the funds without further delay.

“When the Trump Administration targeted AmeriCorps and hurt communities across our state, we vowed to fight back, and today we have won,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The funding we have secured for AmeriCorps will help New Jersey residents and ensure that AmeriCorps’ volunteers – who help our state at no cost – are still able to perform their critical responsibilities. We will never stop fighting for New Jersey when this Administration or anyone attempts to hurt our state – and we will continue to deliver results for our residents.”

The funding is designated for AmeriCorps programs nationwide, including the AmeriCorps Seniors initiative and a variety of grant-funded local projects. These programs place volunteers in roles that address urgent community needs such as education, addiction recovery, environmental conservation, and disaster response.

In New Jersey, AmeriCorps members support initiatives including:

• Recovery programs for individuals overcoming addiction

• Educational services for adults learning English

• Academic mentoring for students with special needs

• Urban environmental conservation projects

• Disaster relief and recovery operations

Attorney General Platkin emphasized the importance of preserving these programs, noting that many depend on stable federal funding to continue serving vulnerable populations.

“Today’s victory means that service programs across the country will be protected from the administration’s devastating attempted cuts. AmeriCorps supports national and state community service programs by funding and placing volunteers in local and national organizations that address critical community needs. Organizations rely on support from AmeriCorps to recruit, place, and supervise AmeriCorps members nationwide," a press release from the Attorney General's office stated.

Platkin was joined in the legal action by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, along with the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

AmeriCorps continues to serve as a foundational federal program supporting civic engagement and local capacity-building, particularly in underserved communities.

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