Wyoming Organizations Brace for Impact Following Cuts to AmeriCorps Funding

A recent decision by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cancel nearly $400 million in AmeriCorps grants has left more than a dozen service organizations across Wyoming facing significant uncertainty, WyoFile reports.

The cuts, announced Friday, could result in reduced services or closures for programs ranging from education and conservation to health care and volunteer coordination.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency that supports community service and volunteerism, provides essential funding to programs administered by ServeWyoming. The canceled funding will eliminate approximately $2.4 million in annual grants and scholarships to Wyoming, not including matching state grants and private donations, according to ServeWyoming Vice Chair Andrea Harrington.

“This decision is a devastating blow to the state of Wyoming,” Harrington wrote in a letter to Governor Mark Gordon and Wyoming’s congressional delegation.

In 2023, AmeriCorps members in Wyoming delivered 75,000 hours of service, mentored more than 2,700 children, and supported 200 military families, while helping to secure over $1.9 million in outside funding.

The order is part of a broader federal effort, led by DOGE under the Trump administration and associated with Elon Musk’s influence on government restructuring, to reduce the size of federal operations. While some lawmakers have supported the cuts as a measure of fiscal responsibility, critics argue they could dismantle services that offer strong returns on investment and address core community needs.

Programs expected to be affected include the Wyoming Conservation Corps, Teton Science Schools, The Science Zone, Brain Injury Advocates, and the Lander Free Medical Clinic, among others. Some organizations have already paused hiring and programming while assessing the fallout. At the Wyoming Conservation Corps, for instance, leadership has been told not to proceed with hiring for AmeriCorps positions — affecting dozens of roles.

“These members aren’t just filling temporary jobs. They often stay, build careers, and become part of the communities they serve,” said John Koprowski, dean of the University of Wyoming’s Haub School, which oversees the Conservation Corps.

Teton Science Schools in Jackson, another organization heavily dependent on AmeriCorps, was similarly instructed to pause its programming.

“Since 2009, over 500 AmeriCorps volunteers have come through our organization,” Executive Director Wayne Turner said. “This is the beginning of their careers.”

AmeriCorps VISTA members, who serve for a year supporting nonprofit infrastructure through tasks like grant writing and volunteer recruitment, were also informed their service has been terminated immediately.

“It’s a slap in the face to people who decided to dedicate a year of life to bettering their communities,” Harrington said.

Governor Gordon has withheld comment as his administration assesses the implications, and no statements have yet been made by Wyoming’s congressional delegation. Harrington expressed hope that leaders such as Sen. John Barrasso, who has previously supported national service initiatives, may advocate for reconsideration.

“There’s still a seven-day objection period under the Administrative Procedure Act,” she noted, adding that legal or procedural challenges may still arise.

In the meantime, organizations across Wyoming are left in limbo, facing potential closures and staff reductions, while communities brace for the loss of vital services once powered by national service volunteers.