After sudden AmeriCorps cut, Travis County agrees to temporarily fund 4‑H/AmeriCorps program through Sept. 30

Travis County Commissioners Court voted May 6 to temporarily continue the county’s 4‑H/AmeriCorps after‑school program after staff learned on April 25 that AmeriCorps had terminated the grant immediately. The court approved short‑term funding that county staff say will allow existing AmeriCorps members and program staff to finish planned work and to preserve partnerships with Austin Independent School District.

Why it matters: the 4‑H capital program serves Title I schools, uses hands‑on programming (goats, chickens, gardening and farm‑to‑table lessons) to boost attendance and academic engagement, and supplies community food donations (about 6,000 eggs were noted as distributed through the program). The sudden loss of AmeriCorps funding risked interrupting spring programming and contracts with AISD.

What the court approved

- Temporary FTE and positions: the court approved adding 3.75 full‑time equivalent positions for the remainder of FY25 and creating 12 temporary positions to pay current AmeriCorps members as county temporary employees through the end of the program year. Staff told the court that 12 AmeriCorps slots were filled (capacity exists for about 20), and six program staff are on the roster; the county requested extension of the staff funding through Sept. 30.

- Funding source and short‑term mechanics: Pilar Sanchez, the County Executive for Health and Human Services (HHS), told commissioners the county received notice April 25 that the AmeriCorps grant was terminated “effective immediately.” PBO staff said the grantor subsequently released the county from the local match (estimated roughly $469,700), which frees up funds that HHS plans to use to cover the short‑term cost. HHS requested approximately $8,000 in additional operating dollars to close out the program year; staff said no new ongoing general fund appropriation was required for this temporary extension.

- Contract continuity: staff said the program has an outstanding contract with Austin ISD and that continuing the AmeriCorps members temporarily will allow the county to honor roughly $30,000 in scope revenue from that contract and complete planned spring activities.

Voices from the meeting

Pilar Sanchez, HHS county executive, told the court: “We recently found out, actually at 7 p.m. on a Friday, that the AmeriCorps grant was terminated effective immediately,” and described the county’s rapid internal response to preserve programming.

Ten‑year‑old Emil Ramirez Sosa, a Perez Elementary student who participates in the program, called the court during public comment and said, “Please help us in any way you can so that our program can continue,” and invited commissioners to visit his 4‑H club.

Next steps

HHS and Planning & Budget Office staff said they will return this summer with options for FY26 funding, including alternative grants and potential use of county funding sources for a longer‑term plan. Commissioners asked staff to investigate whether program elements could be funded or expanded through other county funding mechanisms during the FY26 budget process and to bring options back to the court sooner rather than later.

Ending

The motion to continue the program through the end of the fiscal year passed unanimously. Staff said they would use temporary vacancy savings until the freed grant match is formally available and then use that released match to fund the remainder of FY25 obligations; HHS will submit formal FY26 budget requests for the Commissioners Court to consider during the normal budget process.