Golden pledges free access to 1 million organizations as federal cuts disrupt critical community programs
LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Golden, the leading platform for volunteer management and community engagement, today announced a $500 million in-kind commitment to support nonprofits, government agencies, and other program operators affected by the sudden pause in AmeriCorps and USAID funding. The company will provide free access credits to its Community Plan software, valued at $50 per month, for up to 1 million organizations whose operations have been directly or indirectly impacted by federal changes to AmeriCorps, USAID, and higher education funding.
The move follows $370 million AmeriCorps grantmaking cuts, the stand-down of all AmeriCorps volunteers, and an 85% reduction in the program’s federal workforce. These changes have left many organizations without the operational backbone they relied on to meet urgent community needs such as disaster recovery, educational support, veteran services, senior care, and poverty alleviation. More than 200,000 AmeriCorps members have been sent home, most of whom were living on a maximum annual stipend of $24,962. Between January 20 and March 31, more than 10,000 nonprofit jobs have already been cut due to recent economic shifts, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Nonprofit Layoff Tracker. Charity Navigator has also published a list of highly rated organizations affected by the funding freeze.
With fewer resources and greater uncertainty, communities nationwide face significant gaps in essential services. Golden’s donation of software license grants sets an example for others in technology, corporate, education, healthcare, philanthropy, and state and local governments, demonstrating what resources can be deployed immediately to reduce operating costs. The goal is to free up capacity for affected programs so their leaders can reallocate the remaining funds toward the urgent needs of beneficiaries, staff, and supporters.
Golden’s platform helps mission-driven organizations easily recruit, screen, schedule, and report on volunteers and, optionally, use AI to convert volunteers into donors under compliance with all applicable regulations — functions that are vital yet costly for organizations already navigating uncertainty. This moment is coming at a time when donor retention has already been a central challenge, and the slow adoption of data automation technology has put some organizers behind the curve in experiencing the transformative benefits offered by today’s artificial intelligence tools.
“While we can’t replace AmeriCorps, we can help affected organizations stay focused on their missions by removing the operational costs of managing their volunteer and fundraising programs,” said Sam Fankuchen, founder and CEO of Golden. “A mission is more than what you do on a daily basis. Beyond software, we are honored to help our community members meet their needs wherever they are in their journeys.”
In addition to providing free Community Plan access, Golden is:
- Extending services at no cost beyond the contract period for current clients affected by the funding freeze
- Launching a public resource center to help connect displaced AmeriCorps volunteers with meaningful opportunities to serve
- Inviting local governments, companies, schools, and faith groups to collaborate on solutions and reach out if they would like support in expanding access to volunteer infrastructure beyond the functionality of Golden’s standard software-as-a-service plans
- Making the offer accessible through partners including Charity Navigator, GivingTuesday and TechSoup
“Communities everywhere have just lost significant capacity to deliver critical services,” Fankuchen, who had just returned home after evacuating from the California Wildfires, added. “Changing Federal policies are inevitable realities, and we hope others focused on meeting fundamental needs will, in their own ways, collaborate to make their communities resilient and deliver a higher quality of life.”
Any organization that partnered with or received support from AmeriCorps, USAID, or affected universities, including nonprofits, local governments, educational institutions, and philanthropic entities, is eligible to claim a free Golden Community Plan license.
For more information on Golden’s $500 million commitment and how to access free volunteer management tools for your organization, visit Golden for AmeriCorps Organizations.
About Golden
Golden’s volunteer management technology and fundraising AI support nonprofit, government, CSR, healthcare, disaster relief, and faith organizations. From grassroots movements to globally regulated institutions, mission-oriented operators personalize, automate, and scale their programs through Golden’s category-defining public service mobile apps, brandable software platform, and extensive portfolio of external systems integrations.
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