News
DOGE Update: A Statement from NPCA
What We Know: On Monday, April 28, 2025, National Peace Corps Association learned that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has instructed the Peace Corps to identify additional efficiencies in its staffing structure, and the agency is expecting the need for significant restructuring at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Peace Corps has informed NPCA that the agency “will continue to recruit, place, and train volunteers, and remain committed to supporting their health, safety and security, and effective service.” Federal employees at Peace Corps are again being offered a “deferred resignation program” option, for which they may apply by Tuesday, May...
Water, as far as the eye can see — an Earth Day reflection
Namibia taught me what climate justice truly looks like: not just recognizing the unequal burdens faced by the most vulnerable, but standing with them. By Nicholas Russon (RPCV Namibia 2015–2017) Coming from Michigan and the Great Lakes, it's easy to take water for granted—to lose sight of how our existence hinges on this essential resource. In 2015, I was sent to serve in Namibia, a dry land deep in the grip of a five-year drought. Cows, with no grass to graze, scavenged cardboard and plastic from the trash. As the animals perished, so did the livelihoods of the families who...
Stand Up for Service: Support AmeriCorps
The recent cuts to AmeriCorps have particularly impacted the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)—a vital branch of the program that focuses on disaster relief. Although AmeriCorps officials have yet to comment publicly on the full extent of the cuts, organizations across the country are already preparing for further disruptions. The reduction in AmeriCorps funding and the discharge of NCCC volunteers represent a significant setback for national service efforts. The National Peace Corps Association is Standing Up For Service by amplifying the powerful impact AmeriCorps makes nationwide. We recognize the value of national service and the meaningful difference it creates...
What We Heard at Our Town Hall
From the Heart of Our Community: Nearly 2,000 Voices on the Future of the Peace Corps Thank you to everyone who joined our recent town hall on April 9. We came together—Returned Volunteers, currently serving PCVs, family members, and allies—to reflect and mobilize in response to the DOGE visits to Peace Corps headquarters. While the DOGE visits raised eyebrows, NPCA President Dan Baker stated during our town hall that Peace Corps headquarters was aware of the visit and prepared for it. The visit does not necessarily signal a crisis or “the beginning of the end.” As of now, no Peace...
Arab American Heritage Month: Shifting the Narrative
To future Arab Americans considering service: Know this—your identity is not a burden to carry. By Deena Duwaik (RPCV Morocco 2016-18) My name is Deena Duwaik—a proud and unapologetic Palestinian American woman, systems thinker, and lifelong advocate for liberation and equity. I’ve spent my life bridging worlds, uplifting the voices of the marginalized, and reimagining what justice looks like in action. From 2016 to 2018, I served in Morocco as a Youth Development Volunteer with the Peace Corps, living in a small town tucked into the Middle Atlas Mountains. I arrived with a deep desire to build community and cross-cultural...
Peace Corps Needs Our Support
After weeks of disruption and dismantling for many federal agencies and programs (including many international assistance programs), members of the Peace Corps community are legitimately concerned about what could happen to the agency. We should know more about where the Peace Corps stands in the next several weeks, when it is expected that the Trump administration will deliver its Fiscal Year 2026 budget request to Congress. NPCA is monitoring the situation closely and will keep our community informed as we learn more. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive alerts on any further developments. You can also...
Congress Heading Home – A Time for Collective Action
Engage your members of Congress locally during this upcoming congressional recess in three effective ways. On April 11th, Congress will go on a two-week recess, with many members returning to their home state/district. Meanwhile, members are awaiting President Trump’s submission of his Fiscal Year 2026 budget request, which will reveal his funding request for the Peace Corps. This is a moment to engage. From our previous appeals to the recommendations of leaders like RPCV Congressman John Garamendi and former Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen, the action request is clear. What Can You Do? Actions in the Next Two Weeks? Help NPCA...
NEWS ALERT: DOGE visits Peace Corps Headquarters
What we know: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) visited the Peace Corps office in Washington, D.C. today, with one individual from the department reported on the premises and more on the way tomorrow. We are waiting to hear the results of the visit and will keep you all informed as we learn more. What we do know is that, in addition to building international peace and friendship around the globe, the 240,000 Americans who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961 have come home and started businesses, entered local and state government, become teachers and nonprofit leaders, and...
Advocacy Update: Victory in North Dakota
Victory for North Dakota RPCVS North Dakota has become the latest state – following recent, similar victories in Maryland and Colorado – to pass legislation allowing Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) to receive in-state tuition when attending state graduate schools. Governor Kelly Armstrong signed the legislation (HB 1529) into law on March 25, 2025, after it was passed unanimously in the North Dakota House (on February 11) and Senate (March 12). In-state tuition legislation passes in the North Dakota State Senate Public Testimony The legislation was introduced by State Representative Mary Schneider of Fargo. As she presented the legislation...
This Earth Month: Take Intergenerational Environmental Action
Because youth have the most to lose from climate change and the most to gain from climate action, they deserve to have a leadership role. By Brady Fergusson (RPCV Kiribati 2006–08) One shared value across the divides we see today is the desire to improve the world for future generations. However, climate change puts our ability to achieve this goal at severe risk. The impacts of climate change are an intergenerational injustice because if we do not solve this existential challenge, the youngest people who have contributed least to the problem will be the most negatively impacted. My experience serving...