{"id":4361,"date":"2025-05-09T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koto.org\/?post_type=news&p=4361"},"modified":"2025-05-08T16:01:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T22:01:14","slug":"colorado-americorps-funding-cuts-lawsuit","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/koto.org\/es\/news\/colorado-americorps-funding-cuts-lawsuit\/","title":{"rendered":"AmeriCorps Cuts Leave Hundreds in Colorado Without Service Roles, Prompting Legal Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

TELLURIDE, Colo.<\/strong> \u2014 Hundreds of Colorado-based AmeriCorps members had their service years abruptly cut short last week as the Trump administration announced sweeping reductions to the longstanding federal service program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera said the cuts are \u201cdevastating\u201d to Colorado, which hosts more than 6,500 AmeriCorps members across the state each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019ll have a devastating effect. Because sometimes in rural Colorado these are the only people serving,\u201d Primavera said. \u201cSo some not-for-profits may have to close their doors, kids would be not able to finish their year, and it would have a devastating effect on rural communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Colorado, AmeriCorps members provide critical services in schools, public lands, and nonprofit organizations. While a typical service term lasts about a year, the recent federal funding cuts have left many members in limbo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey serve because they have a heart for service and a passion for service,\u201d Primavera said. \u201cI\u2019ve been on AmeriCorps sites across the state and I\u2019ve talked to AmeriCorps members who say that their service was actually life-changing. I\u2019ve talked to people that the AmeriCorps members have served, and you know, some of the kids wouldn\u2019t have even gone back to school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Juan Fernandez, executive director of the Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC), an AmeriCorps-funded conservation program, said the cuts will directly affect public lands and forest health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs the funding goes away, the priorities come into focus as far as, well, we have to do fire mitigation, so what\u2019s going to suffer?\u201d Fernandez said. \u201cAnd that usually is the trail building, the trail restoration, and a lot of times, especially with our federal partners, that means trail closures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Telluride, SCC crews contributed to trail reroutes at Magic Meadows, the Valley Floor and Deep Creek, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colorado has more than 800 AmeriCorps service sites and receives approximately $54 million annually in federal funding for programming. Primavera said the benefits of AmeriCorps programs ripple through communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe heard a story about a youth mental health corps member who sat down with a mom and their daughter, and they were both survivors of gang violence and their daughter was struggling to just show up at school,\u201d Primavera said. \u201cBut thanks to the AmeriCorps member, they were enrolled in therapy, they were enrolled in tutoring and Saturday school, and now they\u2019re on a path to success. Not only is it life-changing to the member, it\u2019s life-changing to the person they serve and it\u2019s life-changing for the community, actually. So it’s a win-win-win for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to the cuts, Colorado joined 24 other states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that only Congress has the authority to reduce AmeriCorps funding. A hearing is scheduled for May 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re hoping that we get immediate relief with an immediate injunction, so that\u2019s really what we\u2019re focused on right now,\u201d Primavera said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She emphasized that now is not the time to reduce investment in national service programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s so much need with our conservation, our forest health, with our academic gaps, youth mental health issues,\u201d Primavera said. \u201cThis isn\u2019t the time to cut programs that really give back more than they get. It\u2019s really time to double down on the money we get.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a press release from the Governor\u2019s Office, every $1 spent on AmeriCorps efforts in Colorado returns up to $34 in value to local communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hundreds of AmeriCorps members in Colorado had their service terms abruptly ended after the Trump administration announced major funding cuts. Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera says the move threatens rural nonprofits, education programs, and public land conservation projects. Colorado has joined 24 other states in suing the federal government to block the cuts.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":4362,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-category":[514,542],"news-tag":[],"class_list":["post-4361","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-featured-stories","news-category-rural-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAmeriCorps Cuts Leave Hundreds in Colorado Without Service Roles, Prompting Legal Challenge - KOTO FM<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hundreds of AmeriCorps service roles in Colorado were cut short after the Trump administration slashed funding. 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