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RESEARCH BRIEF − ROI PROJECT

Washington Conservation Corps

AmeriCorps.gov

Program Description

Washington Conservation Corps is implemented by the Washington State 

Department of Ecology to protect and restore natural areas throughout the 

state of Washington. WCC operates under the AmeriCorps State and 

National program in the environmental stewardship focus area. WCC is an 

environmental service program providing opportunities for young adults 

aged 18 to 25 years old to protect and restore natural habitats for state- and 

federally listed species.

Return on Investment Analysis

To better understand the impact of WCC in relation to the program’s costs, 

AmeriCorps commissioned a return on investment (ROI) analysis by ICF, an 

independent research firm. ROI analyses of national service programs 

estimate the monetary value of benefits that a program generates for per 

dollar invested.

AmeriCorps, the federal agency 

for volunteerism and national 

service, provides opportunities for 

Americans to serve their country 

domestically, address the nation’s 

most pressing challenges, improve 

lives and communities, and 

strengthen civic engagement. 

Each year, the agency invests 

more than $800 million in grants 

for local nonprofit, community, 

tribal, and state organizations; 

places more than 250,000 

AmeriCorps members and 

AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in 

intensive service roles; and 

empowers millions more to serve 

as long-term, short-term, or onetime volunteers. Learn more at 

AmeriCorps.gov.
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The ROI analysis estimated Washington Conservation Corps’ ROI to be between $0.20 and $33.90 per 

funder dollar, depending on how long WCC AmeriCorps members experience increased earnings as a result 

of program participation, as well as the range of estimated benefits from improved ecosystems. The return 

on each dollar of federal support for the program is even higher, between $0.69 and $118.09. 

Overview of Benefits and Costs

To calculate the ROI, the program benefits were identified, quantified, and compared to the program’s costs. 

Benefits of WCC include:

• Increased ecosystem service value per acre of 

WCC restoration sites. Restoration sites increased 

native coverage by 9.2 percent and reduced 

noxious weed coverage by 14.2 percent one year 

after WCC’s planting intervention, which increased

its ecosystem service value per acre. 

• Additional earnings by AmeriCorps members. 

Serving in AmeriCorps leads to increased wages 

and reduced unemployment post-national service

through skill acquisition, as well as increased 

educational attainment post-service.

• Living allowances and education awards. AmeriCorps members receive living allowances during 

their national service and receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award after successful completion.

• Increased tax revenue for government. The government receives more income tax revenue from 

increased AmeriCorps member earnings post-service, as well as additional sales tax revenue related 

to those earnings. Government also realizes tax revenue from the taxable living allowances and 

education awards provided to AmeriCorps members.

• Reduced lifetime spending on corrections, public assistance, and social insurance. Because of 

the increase in secondary and post-secondary educational attainment for AmeriCorps members, 

government spends less on these items. 

Ecosystem service values. Ecosystems are 

dynamic environments housing plants, 

animals, microorganisms, and the nonliving 

interacting as a single unit. Services 

rendered naturally by an ecosystem can 

benefit humans who ultimately value these 

services. This ROI study used the extensive 

literature on ecosystem service values to 

measure benefits from ecosystem 

improvements by WCC.

Funding for the WCC program totaled $13,170,346 and came from the following sources:

• Federal Government (AmeriCorps) - $1,704,842

• Other Federal - $1,054,012

• State Funding - $3,950,499

• State Interagency Agreements - $2,642,618

• Private/Local/Tribal Governments - $3,818,375
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ROI Results

The table below shows the ROI results for WCC. Each row represents a different ROI calculation depending 

on which benefits are considered (total benefits or only benefits to the federal government) and which 

funding is considered (federal funding only, or all funding including contributions and non-federal grant, 

other contributions, and program fees). 

The ROIs are presented as dollars returned for every $1.00 of investment. The analysis used three different 

scenarios to estimate benefits under different assumptions. Specifically, the study assumed that increased 

earnings attributable to the programs last for one year (short-term scenario), 15 years (medium-term), or 30 

years (long-term).

For each of the two ROI calculations that include benefits based on ecosystem service values, the analysis 

used low, average, and high estimates of ecosystem service values.

ROI Calculation

ROI Scenario

Short-Term Medium-Term Long-Term

Total Benefits per Federal Dollar Low $0.69 $4.66 $6.88

Average $1.80 $18.21 $29.13

High $6.20 $72.39 $118.09

Total Benefits per Funder Dollar Low $0.20 $1.34 $1.98

Average $0.52 $5.23 $8.36 

High $1.78 $20.78 $33.90 

Federal Government Benefits per Federal Dollar -$0.04 $0.36 $0.53

The magnitude of the ROI estimates are driven by the following factors:

• The wide range of ecosystem service values by various land cover types. The analysis used low, 

average, and high estimates of ecosystem service values based on the literature. 

• The employment outcomes of HFH AmeriCorps members. Past studies establish that AmeriCorps 

members experience increased employment and increased earnings post-service.

For more information, please contact evaluation@cns.gov.