Advocacy in Motion

I’ve written before about how AmeriCorps shaped my life.

It was the launchpad for my career in social impact; it literally changed my life (so cheesy and so true).

My experience with AmeriCorps — and all that has come after it — is why I continue to advocate for national service and the opportunities it creates for people and communities.

Yesterday, we saw a hopeful development: the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that maintains near-level funding for AmeriCorps in the 2026 federal budget. In this current environment, that’s a big win — and it happened thanks to bipartisan leadership and advocacy from people around the country.

But it ain’t over yet. The House still needs to weigh in, and nothing is final.

So, please, could you take two minutes and email your Representatives? Ask them to protect AmeriCorps. You can use this super easy tool from Voices for National Service.

Let’s make sure AmeriCorps sticks around, because it sure is a lifeline for both the people who serve and the communities and national parks and schools and nonprofits they strengthen.

With love and appreciation,

Sarah

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🎉 GLOBAL CITIZEN + PAYPAL + COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS = !

Global Citizen and PayPal have teamed up to announce the Small Business Impact Awards to celebrate small business owners and social entrepreneurs who are driving social or environmental impact in their local communities. The Awards will grant $25,000 cash prizes to five winners and an in-person masterclass on brand-building by marketing experts at Global Citizen.

Applications must highlight how the small business has made a positive social or environmental impact, including but not limited to engagement in community development, the implementation of sustainable business practices, or the creation of education training opportunities.

Applications close August 15, 2025. Go check it out and spread the word.

🗳️ PLEASE HELP INDEPENDENT SECTOR: TAKE THIS SURVEY

Are you a nonprofit leader, staffer, volunteer, or stakeholder? If so, I have a survey for you. ;)

Independent Sector is trying to better understand the challenges facing the nonprofit workforce (paid, volunteer, and stipend volunteer) — and collecting as much data as they can through this targeted survey.

Responses will inform a national strategy to support nonprofit staff and volunteers. Please take the survey and forward it along to friends, colleagues, and fellow volunteers.

📢 THE EM DASH SPEAKS OUT

As an English major in undergrad and a lifelong grammar and word nerd, I thoroughly enjoyed this imagined monologue from the Em Dash.

I won’t look at those em dashes from ChatGPT the same way now… 😉

💘 NONPROFIT LOVE

If you haven’t read “The Blue Sweater” by Jacqueline Novogratz, head to your local bookstore and pick it up. In addition to being an incredible read and a call to action, it’s also a story of Jacqueline’s journey to founding Acumen, a nonprofit that is solving the problems of poverty and building a world based on dignity.

Acumen invests in transformational companies, building sustainable markets and preparing leaders with the tools they need to create a more just and inclusive future. Since inception in 2001, Acumen has impacted 718M lives; invested in 241 portfolio companies improving lives; deployed $343M to scale solutions; and counts 1,796 Acumen Academy alumni driving real-world impact.

There is SO much cool stuff going on with and through this incredible organization. Read all about Acumen here.