Last verified 2026-05-17
California Volunteers (officially GO-Serve, the Governor's Office of Service and Community Engagement) is the state agency that runs California's biggest service programs. If you're in school, between jobs, or want paid work that helps your community, one of their programs may pay you a stipend while you serve. [Source: californiavolunteers.ca.gov (accessed 2026-05-17)]
The agency is led by Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday. It runs over 80 AmeriCorps programs across California, serving more than 160,000 Californians a year. [Source: californiavolunteers.ca.gov (accessed 2026-05-17)]
Programs that pay you to serve
#CaliforniansForAll College Corps — for current college students
If you're an undergraduate in California with financial need, College Corps will pay you up to $10,000 for one school year of part-time service.
- What you get: A $7,000 living stipend (paid monthly) + a $3,000 education award after you finish 450 service hours. The $3,000 comes as a federal Segal Education Award plus a state CaliforniansForAll Education Award. AB 540 (Dream Act) fellows get a Dream Act Service Incentive Grant instead. [Source: californiavolunteers.ca.gov/college-corps (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- Time commitment: About 15 hours a week for 30 weeks (one academic year).
- Who qualifies:
- Full-time undergrad at a participating campus (UC, CSU, community college, or partner private college)
- U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or AB 540 / Dream Act eligible (with a CADAA submitted)
- Show financial need — Pell Grant, Cal Grant, Middle Class Scholarship, or working to pay for school
- 2026-27 cohort: Expanding to about 52 campuses and 4,000 fellows, up from 45 campuses and ~3,000 fellows. New sites include Cal State Northridge, Monterey Peninsula College, and UC Santa Barbara. The state put $83.6 million into 2026-27, and $84 million is now permanent yearly funding (no more pilot uncertainty). [Source: calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2026/03/college-corps-california-service-students-community-volunteer (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- How to apply: You apply through your campus, not the state. Search "[your college] College Corps" or start at californiavolunteers.ca.gov/college-corps. Each campus sets its own deadline, usually in spring/summer for the fall start.
California Climate Action Corps — for adults 18+
A full-time, 11-month paid fellowship working on wildfire resilience, urban greening, food recovery, and climate education.
- What you get: Up to $35,250 stipend (pre-tax), paid monthly over 11 months, plus up to $10,000 in education award money after completing 1,700 service hours. [Source: californiavolunteers.ca.gov (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- Time commitment: 1,700 hours over 11 months, roughly September through August. This is essentially full-time work.
- Who qualifies:
- At least 18 years old
- Live in California
- U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawful permanent resident
- High school diploma or GED
- Able to pass local and national background checks
- How to apply: The fellowship is run by Bay Area Community Resources on behalf of the state. Apply at caclimateactioncorps.org/apply.
AmeriCorps California — 80+ local programs
California Volunteers administers AmeriCorps in the state. Roles range from tutoring and disaster response to housing and health navigation. Stipends, length of service, and education awards vary by program.
- How to find one: Search the national AmeriCorps job board at americorps.gov/serve, filter by California. Most programs pay a modest living allowance plus a Segal Education Award (about $7,400 for full-time service in 2025-26) you can use for tuition or qualified student loans.
How to choose between them
- In college now, need help paying for school? College Corps. Smaller time commitment, fits around classes.
- Out of school, want a year of paid climate or environmental work? Climate Action Corps. Higher pay, full-time.
- Want a specific cause (tutoring, housing, food, disasters)? Browse AmeriCorps California programs.
Common pitfalls
- You apply through the campus or partner, not California Volunteers directly. The state site points you to the right place — don't wait for a state application portal.
- The "education award" is paid only after you finish the required hours. If you drop out partway, you usually get a pro-rated stipend but no education award.
- The Segal Education Award is taxable income in the year you use it. Plan for that at tax time.
- AB 540 students: You're eligible for College Corps, but make sure your CADAA (California Dream Act Application) is on file before you apply.
Where to get help
- Main site: californiavolunteers.ca.gov
- College Corps info + campus list: californiavolunteers.ca.gov/college-corps
- Climate Action Corps applications: caclimateactioncorps.org
- AmeriCorps openings statewide: americorps.gov/serve
- Press / general: info@californiavolunteers.ca.gov
Sources
- californiavolunteers.ca.gov — main site, leadership, program list (accessed 2026-05-17)
- californiavolunteers.ca.gov/college-corps — 2026-27 College Corps eligibility, awards (accessed 2026-05-17)
- calmatters.org — March 2026 article on College Corps expansion and permanent funding (accessed 2026-05-17)
- caclimateactioncorps.org — Climate Action Corps 2026-27 fellowship details (accessed 2026-05-17)
- grants.ca.gov — 2026 College Corps Funding Opportunity listing (accessed 2026-05-17)