YWCA of McLean County ends decades-old senior volunteer program

Federal grant changes force the organization to cut its Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:54pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The YWCA of McLean County is ending its 40-year-old Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) due to changes in the requirements for a $65,000 federal grant from AmeriCorps. The program, which connected hundreds of seniors to volunteer roles at up to 80 local nonprofits each year, no longer fits the grant's new priority areas focused on the unhoused population, behavioral health, and Narcan training.

Why it matters

The loss of the RSVP program means fewer volunteer opportunities for seniors in the McLean County area, potentially leaving some older adults without a way to stay engaged in their community. The YWCA says it's concerned about the impact on seniors who don't use technology and relied on the program to find volunteer placements.

The details

The RSVP program cost the YWCA around $100,000 per year, with the $65,000 federal grant covering a portion of the expenses. YWCA CEO Liz German said the grant priorities shifted away from the local community's needs, with only about 20% of their volunteers fitting the new focus areas. The YWCA was notified of the grant changes in January, giving them limited time to find alternative funding or restructure the program before its June 30 end date.

  • The RSVP program has been running for 40 years.
  • The YWCA was notified in January 2026 that it would not receive the federal grant.
  • The RSVP program will end on June 30, 2026.

The players

YWCA of McLean County

A local nonprofit organization that has offered the Retired Senior Volunteer Program for 40 years, connecting hundreds of seniors to volunteer roles in the community.

Liz German

The CEO of the YWCA of McLean County, who says the organization is concerned about the impact on seniors who relied on the RSVP program to find volunteer opportunities.

AmeriCorps

The federal agency that provided a $65,000 grant to the YWCA to fund the RSVP program, but has since changed its grant priorities away from the local community's needs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“A lot of its priority areas are much more geared toward direct service. They just really don't fit in with the local community needs that we have and with the partners we have. We don't really have placements for those priority focus areas.”

— Liz German, CEO, YWCA of McLean County

“I do have concerns that there are people who will miss volunteer opportunities because we are not that connector [anymore]. There are still people that we share the volunteer opportunities with over the phone or [by] snail mail, so there are people who are not using technology.”

— Liz German, CEO, YWCA of McLean County

What’s next

The YWCA says it plans to take about a year to assess community needs and explore alternative funding sources in order to potentially revive a modified version of the RSVP program.

The takeaway

The end of the YWCA's long-running senior volunteer program highlights the challenges nonprofits face when federal funding priorities shift, potentially leaving vulnerable populations like older adults without access to important community engagement opportunities.