This funding supports service and volunteer organizations, providing literacy and math classes to students in grades K-12, maintaining trails and parks, helping seniors requiring long-term care, assisting veterans and military families, repairing homes destroyed in natural disasters, and improving water quality across the Commonwealth.
Governor Shapiro has been working aggressively to protect Pennsylvania taxpayers and ensure the federal government honors its obligations.
In February, the Governor filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional freeze of federal funding, and earlier this month Governor Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit to protect public health in Pennsylvania after the Trump Administration abruptly and arbitrarily canceled more than half a billion dollars in public health grants.
The courts sided with Pennsylvania, temporarily blocking the Trump Administration’s unlawful decision.
As a result of the Governor taking legal action both times, $2.7 billion in federal funding owed to Pennsylvanians has been restored.
Governor Shapiro also challenged the Trump Administration’s decision to abruptly revoke $185 million in funding owed to Pennsylvania schools, much of which the United States Department of Education had already approved for distribution to support mental health resources for students, access to reliable high-speed internet, and HVAC installation to improve student health and safety.
Today, Governor Shapiro is once again taking action to ensure the federal government upholds its commitments to Pennsylvania, as the law requires.
“AmeriCorps members are serving their fellow Pennsylvanians everyday – rebuilding our communities after disasters, educating our children, helping our veterans and seniors, and keeping our trails and water clean,” said Governor Shapiro. “The federal government entered into a contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and with the dismantling of AmeriCorps, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract. It’s my job as Governor to protect the interest of Pennsylvania taxpayers – and that’s why I’m taking action to ensure no Pennsylvania senior, veteran, or student is harmed by the federal government’s decision to go back on its word."
Operating under the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, PennSERVE is the grantmaking partner of AmeriCorps in the Commonwealth and operates as Pennsylvania’s state service commission.
PennSERVE distributes around $16 million annually in federal money from AmeriCorps to 28 vital programs and, at the time of the federal government’s notice of termination, had 655 active AmeriCorps members serving at 248 host sites in 41 counties throughout Pennsylvania.
On April 26, 2025, PennSERVE staff received notice from AmeriCorps – with no advance notice or warning – stating that effective immediately, AmeriCorps award funding was being terminated because it has been determined that “the award no longer effectuates agency priorities.”
PennSERVE was told to immediately cease all award activities and that no appeal option would be available to them.
In a document provided to PennSERVE, AmeriCorps listed 26 impacted programs across the Commonwealth, including the Boys and Girls Club, City Year, and Teach for America, among others.
The terminated grants will have immediate and far-reaching negative impacts in communities across Pennsylvania, including--
-- In Butler County, where the Family Service Corps of Butler Memorial Hospital supports 90 veterans who are currently receiving peer support and assistance with mental illness and addiction problems;
-- In Lancaster and York counties, where AmeriCorps members provide approximately 1,000 residents with financial education, tax preparation, and workforce readiness training;
-- In Beaver, Clarion, Erie, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, and Venango counties, where Keystone SMILES Community Learning Center provides nearly 2,500 students with tutoring and mental health support before, during and after school;
-- In Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton counties, where the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley improves their community by increasing access to food, housing, income, and health resources;
-- In the Greater Philadelphia area, where over 7,700 K-12 students have a devoted Teach for America teacher in their classrooms;
-- In Pittsburgh, where 1,066 elementary school students receive support so they are more engaged in learning and perform better on tests; and
Across 15 counties, where the Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps tutors 1,000 students and builds water infrastructure in rural communities
These unlawful cuts will put the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians – including children, seniors, and veterans – at risk, threatening housing, local parks, and educational support programs across the Commonwealth.
Governor Shapiro is taking action to reverse this abrupt and unlawful action and ensure Pennsylvania is legally protected so that Commonwealth agencies can continue their work to improve Pennsylvanians’ lives.
The lawsuit is co-led by Maryland, Delaware, California, and Colorado, and joined by Arizona, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Hawai‘i, Illinois, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
(Photo: South Mountain Partnership announced termination of its AmeriCorps members.)
[Posted: April 30, 2025] PA Environment Digest
