“Democratic AGs Win Lawsuit Restoring AmeriCorps Funding, Join MSNBC to Talk Future Litigation” -

June 9, 2025, Democratic Attorneys General Association (Instagram clip of AG Kathy Jennings)

Dear VMA families, friends, supporters, and guests,

As many of you know, despite a recent federal court awarding $400 million to 24 states to restore AmeriCorps grants, the administration has temporarily paused AmeriCorps’ administration of service programs including the PVSA —affecting youth-serving organizations nationwide. We are closely monitoring AmeriCorps updates and have been assured that “all Certifying Organizations will be notified once PVSA operations resume.” It is difficult to witness and experience the challenges facing us all in the nonprofit public service sector.

In light of the suspension, we are proud to formally introduce the VMA National Service Award—the official recognition program of our Leadership Initiative (High School; Elementary & Middle). This award maintains the same high standards of civic engagement, volunteerism, and age-based achievement as the PVSA. The opportunity to launch the VMA National Service Award comes at a watershed moment—a pivotal time to reaffirm our mission and deepen our commitment to youth leadership through music and service.

From the start, the Leadership Initiative was structured to mirror PVSA’s hour- and age-based tiers, with Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards and go a step further with providing virtual leadership workshops. As a long-standing AmeriCorps Certifying Organization, the VMA has proudly nominated students for national recognition over the years, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to uplift and empower the next generation of service-minded musicians.

Thank you for standing with us and supporting VMA’s mission to make music—and leadership—accessible to all.

Warmly,
Jonathan Yasuda
Director, Volunteer Musicians for the Arts

We proudly continue to serve young classical musicians with purpose and impact:

  • VMA Leadership Initiative guarantees Middle & High School students 100+ service hours

  • Volunteer hours are eligible for recognition by schools, documented through our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status: EIN#27-4548771

  • Custom VMA National Service Award certificate with official seal from a Certifiying Organization of AmeriCorps

  • Serve and receive recognition from anywhere in the U.S.

  • Standout achievement for college and scholarship applications

  • Be recognized in VMA press, programs, and digital publications