Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund

The AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund is a discretionary federal grant program administered by AmeriCorps, a U.S. government agency dedicated to supporting community service and volunteer initiatives across the country. This fund, formally titled the "AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund," focuses on enhancing volunteer management infrastructure and strategies. Specifically, it invests in capacity-building measures for organizations that rely on volunteers to address urgent and persistent community needs. This grant opportunity is designed to strengthen the capabilities of volunteer connector organizations. AmeriCorps is seeking proposals that promote the recruitment and retention of skill-based volunteers—individuals who bring specialized knowledge and experience to bear in service of critical community challenges. The intent is to improve overall community outcomes by empowering grantees to more effectively deploy volunteers to fill gaps in services across areas such as education, health, housing, food and nutrition, disaster relief, and environmental stewardship. Eligibility for this grant is restricted to State Service Commissions. These entities are expected to use the funds to build or expand their networks of volunteer connector organizations and to support local programs with high-impact volunteer strategies. AmeriCorps emphasizes funding effective models and strategies that can be replicated and scaled. Programs supported under this initiative should demonstrate an understanding of local needs and present clear plans for evaluating impact. The grant supports a wide range of spending activities, including training for volunteer managers, development of volunteer recruitment campaigns, and adoption of volunteer management technologies. Cost sharing is required for this opportunity, although the precise matching formula is not specified in the opportunity synopsis. Applicants must be prepared to demonstrate their ability to meet this requirement as part of their submission. The application process is open as of April 1, 2026, and will close on April 30, 2026. There is no indication of a pre-application process or required letter of intent. Interested applicants must submit their proposals through Grants.gov by the closing date. Given the recurring nature of this fund and its prior iterations, applicants should expect similar opportunities to be available annually. The anticipated award amounts range from $100,000 to $500,000, although the total funding available and number of awards has not been disclosed. Questions or issues regarding the application or access to materials can be directed to [email protected]. No additional PDF documentation or URLs were provided in the available source material. The fund is listed under CFDA number 94.021, and there are no sub-state geographic restrictions indicated, implying a nationwide scope. This opportunity offers a strategic pathway for State Service Commissions to improve volunteer engagement systems across the United States, ensuring more efficient and impactful service delivery at the community level.