Over 200 AmeriCorps jobs eliminated in West Virginia, including 69 at High Rocks

By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV

Following yesterday’s story that state nonprofit leaders were bracing for cuts to the AmeriCorps program, Volunteer WV notified agencies of more than 200 positions being cut.

The cuts match an anonymous list which began circulating on the internet late last week and include–High Rocks (69 positions), WV Youth Promise Alliance (41), Preservation Alliance of WV (25), Tygart Valley United Way (22), City of Weston (19), United Way of Central WV (15), Grow Ohio Valley (13), WomenCare FamilyCare (5), and more.

The cuts come after last Friday’s reporting by The Washington Post that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ordered more than $400 million in cuts to grants dispersed by AmeriCorps to local service and volunteer agencies around the country.  The grant cancellations total more than 40% of the AmeriCorps budget. 

Currently, more than 2,900 people are employed in AmeriCorps positions across West Virginia. The economic impact of their work on an annual basis is $21 million. They work in areas such as foster grandparent support, historic preservation, community planning, trail development, conservation, educational support services, and more. Jobs pay minimum-wage salaries but give young people a foot in the door to professional agencies and provide community support which leaders say would not exist otherwise.

High Rocks in Pocahontas County, WV, was particularly hard hit by this round of cuts, losing 69 jobs.

“There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to the cuts that we or anyone we have talked to can see,” Sarah Riley, Executive Director of High Rocks, says. “Today will be the last official day for members until we hear something from the courts or the grants review process for next year.”

High Rocks began as a summer girls camp and has grown into a force for education, empowerment, and leadership training across southeastern West Virginia. Riley says they put in more than 70,000 hours each year combined between all their Americorps members supporting young people in their communities.

RealWV reached out to Volunteer WV, who oversees AmeriCorps grants for the state as a liaison with the federal agency. They did not immediately respond.

We also reached out to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito for comment, and her office did not immediately respond either.

Stay tuned to RealWV for further updates.