As federal funding for international aid and cultural exchange programs continues to shrink, policymakers are increasingly asking whether these initiatives deliver tangible benefits to Americans. In 2021, National Peace Corps Association commissioned a major study to mark the Peace Corps’ 60th anniversary. The result—The Domestic Dividend of Peace Corps—was published in 2023 and stands as the most comprehensive analysis to date that demonstrates how Peace Corps service benefits communities back home.
Spring/Summer 2025 Issue
This special issue of WorldView makes the definitive case for how Peace Corps makes America stronger, safer, and more prosperous.
SPRING/SUMMER 2025
The Domestic Dividend: Part I
How do you measure the value of transformation? Ask almost any RPCV if their service was worth it and you get a resounding “Yes.” But ask the average American taxpayer and you may get a different answer.
The Domestic Dividend: Part II
It wasn’t until the late 1980s that Harvard political scientist Joseph Nye coined the term “soft power,” but Peace Corps fit Nye’s description: a foreign policy tool that achieves desired outcomes through attraction rather than coercion.
Domestic Dividend: Part III
As Dean Rusk, former U.S. Secretary of State, once said, “The Peace Corps will make its greatest contribution to foreign policy by not being a part of foreign policy.” It’s a concept the agency has had to navigate since.
“Bigger Than Peace Corps”
California Service Corps is the largest state-based service program in the U.S. , with more than 10,000 volunteers across the state in 2025. California’s Governor Gavin Newsom proudly calls the program “bigger than the Peace Corps.”
Show Up, Stand Up
For now, at least, Peace Corps remains one of the last vestiges of America’s position at the vanguard of soft power, leadership, and international cooperation. NPCA President Dan Baker on why now is the time to stand up for service.
When Small Things Make Great Things Possible
In 2023, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer John Chromy (India 1963-65) selected 10 illustrative stories that demonstrate the profound impact Peace Corps has had worldwide. The result is the collection When Small Things Make Great Things Possible.
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