DC Youth and Young Adult Update 5-2-2025

News at NYEC:  

• We are one week from 2025 Annual Forum- Empowering Youth, Transforming Communities, in Minneapolis, MN, from May 12-14, 2025! This event will gather practitioners, youth advocates, and community leaders to explore key topics like youth leadership, holistic supports, living wage employment, and policy & advocacy.

• Fill out a 6-month Federal Advocacy Calendar! Interested in being more engaged in federal advocacy? The hyperlinked title will direct you to a JotForm that lists concrete steps that you can take in the first 6 months of the year to build a relationship with your Members of Congress! NYEC will make it easy to complete each goal of every month by sharing support, reminders, and more!  

• White House Releases Skinny Budget Request, Threatening Public Workforce System: The White House released a “skinny” budget request, kickstarting the FY2026 appropriations process. Rather than provide program-by-program level funding recommendations, skinny budgets provide high-level recommendations to Congress. We expect the President’s full budget request to be released in the next week or so, where we will have more detailed information about his proposed funding levels. The budget request calls for drastic changes to education and workforce development programs that support opportunity youth – including eliminating and consolidating crucial programs. Below, we summarize the funding recommendations and explanations for changes provided by the President: 

• Department of Education:
  Adult Education: $0 

• Department of Labor:
  Job Corps: $0
  “Make America Skilled Again (MASA) Grant Consolidation”: -$1.64 billion
  “Consistent with the Administration’s efforts to promote the full range of post-secondary education and training options, the Budget proposes to give States and localities the flexibility to spend workforce dollars to best support their workers and economies, instead of funneling taxpayer dollars to progressive non-profits finding work for illegal immigrants or focusing on DEI… States would now have more control and flexibility to coordinate with employers and would have to spend at least 10 percent of their MASA grant on apprenticeship, a proven model that trains workers while they earn a paycheck and offers a valuable alternative to college.” 

• Department of Justice:
  “Reduce Duplicative and Unnecessary State and Local Grant Programs”:  -$1.019 billion
  “The Budget proposes to eliminate nearly 40 DOJ grant programs that “are duplicative, not aligned with the President’s priorities, fail to
  reduce violent crime, or are weaponized against the American people.” 

• AmeriCorps: $0 

 These cuts threaten the existence of our public workforce system and youth workforce programs. It is more important now than ever to contact your Members of Congress TODAY to advocate for programs that impact opportunity youth. Use this email template to contact your Member ASAP. 

Legislative Branch:  

• 119th Congressional Committee Updates: 

• Senate HELP Committee: Sanders, Murray, Baldwin, 39 Colleagues Send Letter on Head Start, Demand RFK Jr. Immediately Release Funding and Reverse Firings: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), alongside Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 39 of their Democratic colleagues, wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to share concerns about the Trump administration’s policy and funding changes to Head Start, remind him of his legal obligation to administer the program, and demand that he immediately release Head Start funding and reverse the mass firing of Head Start staff and the gutting of the offices that help ensure high-quality services are available for thousands of children and families across the country.  

• Sanders, Jayapal, Dingell, Hundreds of Health Care Workers Introduce Medicare for All: Sen. Bernie alongside Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), introduced the Medicare for All Act. Hundreds of nurses, health care providers and workers from around the nation joined the lawmakers for a press conference in front of the Capitol. 

• Senators Markey, Klobuchar Reintroduce Resolution to Give Individuals a Fair Chance After Incarceration: Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) reintroduced a resolution to recognize the month of April as “Fair Chance Jobs Month,” to ensure that formerly incarcerated individuals have a fair chance at securing good-paying, stable employment. The Fair Chance Jobs Month Resolution acknowledges the importance of removing barriers to employment for those affected by the criminal legal system. 

Executive Branch:  

• Update on Trump Executive Order Titled “Preparing Americans for High-paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future”: Last week, President Trump released an executive order (EO) to reshore manufacturing in the United States and called for the development of a “comprehensive workforce strategy.” The EO directs the DOL, Commerce, and Education Secretaries to review all workforce development programs, provide a report on how to increase innovation and reduce inefficiencies within the next 90 days, and submit a plan in 120 days to reach and surpass 1 million new active apprentices. This language signals a potential future restructuring of many existing federal workforce programs. 

• Update on Trump Executive Order Titled “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth”: Last week, President Trump released an EO seeks to integrate AI into K-12 education and workforce programs. The EO establishes an Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force that will establish the Presidential Artificial Intelligence Challenge, promote registered apprenticeships in AI, and directs the Secretary of Labor to: 

• Issue guidance to State and local workforce development boards encouraging the use of WIOA youth formula funds to help youth develop AI skills; 

• Clarify that States can use Governor set-asides to integrate AI learning opportunities into youth programs across the State; and 

• Establish AI skills training and work-based learning as a grant priority in all Employment and Training Administration youth-focused discretionary grant programs. 

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines: 

No new federal funding opportunities 

Previously Shared  

• ED Grant: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program: The purpose of the OSP is to provide low-income parents residing in the District of Columbia, particularly parents of students who attend an elementary school or secondary school identified as one of the lowest performing schools under the District of Columbia’s accountability system, with expanded opportunities for enrolling their children in private schools in the District of Columbia. Applications are due July 7, 2025. 

From The States 

• Maryland: About 250 Maryland AmeriCorps members were dismissed over the weekend through immediate grant terminations, announced Paul Monteiro, the state’s Secretary of Service and Civic Innovation. Notifications began Friday evening. Monteiro highlighted the severe impact, noting members face likely “subsistence-level challenges” as they relied on modest stipends and cannot receive unemployment benefits. Rachel Temby, Maryland Park Service Deputy Director, specified that 41 dismissed members were from the Maryland Conservation Corps, disrupting essential summer park services like trail maintenance and invasive species removal. Temby called it a “hasty decision” with statewide consequences. 

• West Virginia: Head Start offers crucial free early education, childcare, meals, and family support for thousands of low-income West Virginia families. However, its existence could be threatened by efforts to eliminate its funding—a goal pursued in the current budget proposal by President Trump. If Head Start funding were cut, programs nationally will close. In West Virginia, the consequences would be severe: nearly 8,000 children would lose access to services, and approximately 3,000 jobs would be eliminated. 

For The Youth: 

• Step Up (Mentoring For Girls/Those Who Identify With Girlhood): Dedicated to girls and those who identify with girlhood, Step Up is a mentorship nonprofit offering guidance and structure to help them determine their ideal destination and build the path to get there. 

• Looking For a Mentor: Use the Mentoring Connector—America’s only national database of mentoring programs—to find the perfect match. Easily search for opportunities near you or filter for specific programs, such as those serving youth of color, focusing on young men or women, supporting youth with disabilities, or offering virtual mentoring. They will help you find the program that precisely fits your needs. 

• New Voters Looking for Youth: Our partners at New Voters are offering summer leadership positions from June 3 to August 1 on their Outreach, Executive, and Communications teams. Students will gain hands-on experience in civic engagement, communications, and nonprofit leadership — all while making a real impact. Head to bit.ly/nvsummer to apply now! 

• Calling All Young People Who Want to Get Their Foot in the Door on Capitol Hill!: Ready to shape policy? The ReNew Democracy Foundation fellowship application is NOW LIVE! This opportunity is for diverse new voices nationwide seeking placement in pragmatic, solutions-oriented, center-left congressional offices. As an emerging leader in their program, you’ll receive a $5,500 monthly salary, plus robust professional development, mentorship, and networking support. Apply here! 

Resources 

• Why Youth Mentoring (From the Annie E. Casey Foundation): National Mentoring Month, observed each January, highlights the vital role mentors play for young people and tracks their access to this support. Worryingly, new data suggests decades of progress in expanding mentorship may be reversing across America. This decline is especially alarming as it coincides with soaring youth mental health needs. 
• Starting Your Own Mentor Program (How to Guide): Mentoring programs formally connect experienced individuals with learners to provide guidance, support, and share knowledge. To ensure effectiveness, these structured initiatives usually rely on clear goals, set timelines, thoughtful matching processes, and established success metrics. Explore the following examples and best practices for creating successful mentoring programs, along with insights into why some initiatives fall short.