What you do
This page covers two AmeriCorps Seniors programs that can pay a stipend. A stipend is a payment to a volunteer. AmeriCorps calls it modest.
As a Senior Companion, you help an older adult with special needs stay in their
own home. AmeriCorps lists company, help getting around and light
chores. It also names daily tasks like shopping or paying bills.
As a Foster Grandparent, you work one to one with a child who has special or
exceptional needs. AmeriCorps says that can mean helping students or
caring for premature babies.
Both are one to one. You are matched with a person, not handed a shift on an
app.
What it pays
Do AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers get paid? Some do. If your income is low
enough, some programs pay a small stipend. Not every volunteer gets
one. A sponsor is the group that runs the project. AmeriCorps awards grants to
sponsors. You are a volunteer, not an
employee of the sponsor.
For 2026, AmeriCorps builds its grant budgets for both programs using $4.00 an
hour. AmeriCorps sets the stipend amount.
That $4.00 is a budget figure, not a promise to you. A local sponsor may
add its own money on top. We found no national list of who does on the
pages we read. Ask your local sponsor what it actually pays.
In both programs you serve at least 5 hours a week and at most 40.
What the rule says about the stipend
The regulation says the stipend cannot be garnished. Garnished
means taken from your pay to cover a debt. The regulation also says it does not
reduce other government help you get.
We are not going to tell you what it does to your own benefits. That depends on
your situation, and it is a question for the agency that pays them, not for us.
Who this fits
This fits you if you are 55 or older and your income is low.
You do not need experience. The rule says a lack of schooling or experience
cannot keep you out.
We did not find out if you need a car, a phone or a computer. Ask your local
sponsor.
It fits if you want the work to mean something. This is time with one person who
needs it, not a task queue.
It fits if you want to give part of your week, not hold a job. You can serve as little
as 5 hours a week.
Who should skip this
Skip the stipend part if your income is above the limit. It is 200% of the
poverty line, counted after certain allowances. The poverty line is
an income level the government sets each year. For one person in the 48 states
in 2026, the limit is $31,920. For one person, it is $39,900 in Alaska and
$36,720 in Hawaii.
Above that limit, a sponsor may still take you as a volunteer with no
stipend. It does not have to.
Skip this if you want an hourly rate that competes with a job. Budgeted at
$4.00 an hour, it does not.
Skip it if you cannot give at least 5 hours a week.
Skip the stipend if you will not agree to a criminal history check. It checks
state and FBI records. Stipend volunteers must have one. Saying no to the check rules you
out. So does a murder conviction, or being on a sex offender list.
How to start, step by step
- Check your age. You must be 55 or older.
- Work out your income against 200% of the poverty line. For one
person in the 48 states that line is $31,920.
- Ask about the medical deduction. The rule lets some medical costs you pay
come off your income first. Those costs can be no more than
half of the income limit.
- Find a local project. AmeriCorps has a search tool called
Pathfinder.
You pick your state and area.
- Ask the sponsor three questions: are you enrolling, what do you actually pay
an hour, and how long is the wait?
- Ask whether the sponsor adds its own money to the national rate.
- Expect a criminal history check if you get a stipend. It is
done before you start to serve. It includes fingerprints.
The sponsor should not make you pay for it.
- Expect 20 hours of orientation before you start. The rule says the sponsor
must give it.
Before you pay anyone: This is a federal program run through local sponsors. We found no fee to join on the pages we read. A sponsor should not make you pay for your background check.
Your first week
Day 1. Meet the person who runs your local project, not just the paperwork. Ask
who to call when something goes wrong at a visit.
Day 2. Meet the person you are matched with, if the schedule allows. Keep it
short the first time.
Day 3. Ask exactly how your hours are recorded. The stipend is paid for the
time you spend with the person you help. It is also paid for leave
and project events.
Day 4. Ask what the boundaries are. What you should do, and what you should
never do, in someone’s home or a classroom.
Day 5. Ask your sponsor what the local stipend rate is, in dollars. Ask
whether it is the national budget figure or higher.
Write the answer down. It is the only pay number that describes you.
We found nothing you must buy on the pages we read. We found no fee to join on
those pages either. The sponsor should not charge you for the background check. If a
sponsor asks you for money, ask what it is for before you pay.
The downsides
The stipend is small, budgeted at $4.00 an hour.
You may not get one at all. It depends on the income rule and on your
program.
AmeriCorps sets the stipend amount. A sponsor may add its own money
to it.
Hours are capped at 40 a week and floored at 5.
For Senior Companions, the trip from home to your first visit is not stipend
time.
Enrollment depends on your local sponsor. On the pages we read, nothing says
how long the wait is. Nothing there says how often the stipend is paid.
It is not a job. You are a volunteer, not an employee of the sponsor. The rule does give some help. You get help with travel costs. Insurance is part of the rule too. Help with meals is only
a maybe.
Questions people ask
Do AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers get paid? Some do. If your income is under
the limit, some programs pay a stipend. It is budgeted at $4.00 an
hour. You are a volunteer, not an employee of the sponsor.
Is the stipend taxable? The federal rule answers this for benefit programs
and minimum wage law only. For those, the rule says the stipend is not counted as wages. The list
includes unemployment, retirement and public help. It does not name income tax.
Ask a tax professional about your own return. We do not give tax advice.
Will this affect my Social Security or SNAP? The regulation says the stipend
does not reduce other government help. Even so, call the agency that pays
your benefit and ask about your own case before you rely on that.
Can I volunteer if I earn too much? Maybe. A sponsor may take you with no
stipend. It is not required to. Ask your local sponsor.
Do I need experience with children or older adults? No. The rule says a
lack of experience cannot keep you out. A sponsor may set its own
rules on who is a good fit. Sponsors must give 20 hours of orientation
before you start. They must also give at least 24 hours of
training each year.
Is there a background check? Yes, if you get a stipend. It is done before you start to serve. You should not have to pay
for it.
Sources and dates
- AmeriCorps, Senior Companion Program page, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, FY 2026 Senior Companion continuation invitation, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.12, Senior Companion definitions, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.41(a)(1), who may be a Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.43(a), income guidelines for a stipended Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- AmeriCorps Seniors, 2026 schedule of income eligibility levels, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.51, terms of service of a Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.47, how the stipend is treated, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.11, what the Senior Companion Program is, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.11, what the Foster Grandparent Program is, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.47, how the stipend is treated for benefit programs, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2540.201(a)(2)-(3), who needs a National Service Criminal History Check, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2540.201(a)(3), who needs a National Service Criminal History Check, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2540.204(a), parts of the National Service Criminal History Check, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2540.205(a), when the check must be done, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2540.202, who is ineligible after a criminal history check, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2540.203, local suitability rules, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, National Service Criminal History Checks page, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.41(a)(1), who may be a Foster Grandparent, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.41(a)(2), who may be a Foster Grandparent, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.41(a)(2), who may be a Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.43(a), income guidelines for a stipended Foster Grandparent, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.43(d), income guidelines for a stipended Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.43(c), allowable medical expenses for a Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.43(c), allowable medical expenses for a Foster Grandparent, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, 2026 schedule of income eligibility levels, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.12, Foster Grandparent definitions, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.51, terms of service of a Foster Grandparent, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.47, how Senior Companion benefits are treated, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.47, how Foster Grandparent benefits are treated, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.47, how Foster Grandparent benefits are treated for benefit programs, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.45, Senior Companion status, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.45, Foster Grandparent status, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.46(a), Senior Companion cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.46(a), Foster Grandparent cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.52(a)-(b), what counts as service time for a Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.46(c), Senior Companion cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.46(c), Foster Grandparent cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.46(d), Senior Companion cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.46(d), Foster Grandparent cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.46(b), Senior Companion insurance, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.46(b), Foster Grandparent insurance, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, Senior Companion Program page, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.46(f), Senior Companion cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.46(f), Foster Grandparent cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.46(g), Senior Companion cost reimbursements, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.23(f), sponsor project responsibilities (Senior Companion), checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.23(f), sponsor project responsibilities (Foster Grandparent), checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.41(b), who may be a Senior Companion, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.41(b), who may be a Foster Grandparent, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.101, non-stipended Senior Companions, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.103, non-stipended Senior Companions, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.101, non-stipended Foster Grandparents, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.103, non-stipended Foster Grandparents, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, FY 2026 Senior Companion continuation invitation, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors Pathfinder page, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, Foster Grandparent Program page, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, FY 2026 Foster Grandparent continuation invitation, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- AmeriCorps, FY 2026 Foster Grandparent continuation invitation, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2551.21, Senior Companion sponsor eligibility, checked Oct 29, 2026.
- 45 CFR 2552.21, Foster Grandparent sponsor eligibility, checked Oct 29, 2026.
What we could not confirm
- The $4 an hour is a budget number. Local groups may pay more. We found no list of local rates on the pages we read.
- The pages we read give no time frame from applying to your first stipend payment.
- The pages we read do not say how often the stipend is paid.
- We found no joining fee on the pages we read. Ask each local group to be sure.
- We did not find out if you need a car, a phone, or a computer. Ask the local group.
- AmeriCorps has a search tool for current openings. We looked at only a few of its listings. We do not know if all of them show open spots or waits.
- Foster Grandparents can serve five to forty hours a week by rule. We did not confirm how many hours your local group offers.
- Some medical costs you pay can lower the income that counts. We did not work out your own number.
- We do not know how a stipend affects your Social Security, SNAP, housing, or Medicaid. Ask the agency that pays you.
Other gigs to compare
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- Car needed
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You set your rate
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You set the price
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- On your feet
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- Under $50 to start
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First money: No waiting period once you have a leash, bags, and a booked walk. Some walkers get paid the same day.
How to pick a side gig that fits you