In a press release, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport—a plaintiff in the lawsuit—said that the complaint was filed in 2025 over the Trump administration’s “repeated attempts to gut the nation’s volunteer services programs.”
A coalition of state attorneys general and governors has settled a lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of trying to dismantle the AmeriCorps program abruptly and in contravention of federal policy.
In a press release, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport—a plaintiff in the lawsuit—said that the complaint was filed in 2025 over the Trump administration’s “repeated attempts to gut the nation’s volunteer services programs.”
“Previously, as a result of the lawsuit, the Trump administration was forced to reinstate nearly $400 million in terminated AmeriCorps programs and agreed to release over $184 million in funds to service programs across the country,” Davenport’s office said. “The cuts prevented by the lawsuit had threatened the survival of those programs—including more than $6.6 million in funds for AmeriCorps programs in New Jersey. This settlement protects the funding and participants of those programs for fiscal year 2026 as well.”
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose office also participated in the lawsuit, noted at the time of filing that the Trump administration “and its DOGE demolition team made abrupt and drastic cuts to staff and volunteers and terminated grants.” The state’s lieutenant governor, Dianne Primavera, also pointed out that the decision to cut AmeriCorps would have had “a devastating effect[t] on communities across our state, impacting our ability to support students, provide families food and housing support, protect against fore fires, and lift up our neighbors.”
“Cutting AmeriCorps undermines our ability to meet local needs and erases a pipeline of passionate, skilled individuals ready to lead in every sector,” Primavera said in 2025. “We believe these actions are not only reckless but immeasurably harmful[.]”
Under the terms of the settlement, AmeriCorps says it no longer anticipates that, “during the fiscal year 2026, it will terminate grants on a large scale as it did in spring 2025, conduct reductions in force of union employees beyond certain previously planned cuts, or dismiss a large number of AmeriCorps service members.
“Should AmeriCorps take any of those actions, or make a material change to its delivery of volunteer services, it must provide the coalition states with written notice at least 30 days in advance and identify the legal authority under which it is taking the action,” Davenport’s office said.
Sources
AG Davenport Welcomes Resolution of AmeriCorps Lawsuit
Attorney General Platkin Joins Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Dismantling of AmeriCorps
Defending Colorado: Attorney General Phil Weiser’s Federal Lawsuit Tracker
Gutting of AmeriCorps is the latest AG lawsuit challenging the Trump administration
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