There’s trouble in gun control land. Prominent civilian disarmament organization March For Our Lives is having to downsize its workforce and appoint a new leader amidst financial challenges.
The gun-control organization revealed on March 20, 2025, that it laid off 13 of its 16 full-time employees. Additionally, Jaclyn Corin, a 24-year-old Parkland survivor and co-founder of the group, has been appointed as the new executive director. Corin will lead the organization as it grapples with new challenges after the 2024 election.
“We are facing financial challenges as an organization, not unlike many nonprofit advocacy organizations in this time,” Corin said to The 19th. “I am sure things would look differently with a different outcome of the election, but these are the systems and circumstances in which we have to make adjustments based on the financial situation we find ourselves in. It is incredibly unfortunate that these cuts have to happen.”
The layoffs mark a major reversal for one of the nation’s premier gun control organizations, likely diminishing its influence ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
March For Our Lives was established on February 14, 2018, after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed and 18 others injured. The group initially gained momentum through a viral fundraiser and substantial support from donors with deep dockets. Parkland survivors were used as the public face of the organization to market it to the public.
Its inaugural march on March 24, 2018 in Washington, D.C., drew a massive crowd and solidified its place as a key player in gun control advocacy. The group’s activism contributed to Florida’s adoption of SB 7026, a bill that includes red flag provisions, increases the minimum age for purchasing firearms to 21, and establishes a three-day waiting period for all firearm purchases. They were able to achieve this even with Republican control of the Florida State Legislature.
Since then, March For Our Lives has been among the country’s most aggressive gun control advocacy organizations. In recent years, the organization expanded its focus to collaborate with other left-leaning groups and advocate for issues that went beyond gun control. During its 2018 inaugural march, March For Our Lives Human teamed up with Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force, amplifying calls for gun control alongside LGBT safety.
Gun control organizations like March For Our Lives were able to score another victory in 2022 after Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) in 2022, which expanded background check requirements for firearm sales and established a framework for eventual universal background checks — a measure some critics argue could lead to stricter firearm access policies. President Joe Biden hailed the BSCA as “the most significant gun control legislation to pass Congress in 30 years”, emphasizing its role in tightening federal regulatory measures.
That said, March For Our Lives has struggled to replicate the scale and enthusiasm of its 2018 march. Fundraising for its non-profit entities have experienced significant declines in that timeframe. Revenue for its foundation plummeted from $2.2 million in 2022 to $1.4 million in 2023, generating a deficit of over $300,000. Its political affiliate saw revenues fall from $7 million in 2022 to under $3.5 million in 2023, running deficits both years — well below the $18.6 million raised in 2018.
Since Donald Trump’s victory in 2024, Democratic donors have slashed funding for both Democratic candidates and progressive organizations. This slashing of financial support has had a direct impact on March for Our Lives’ ability to maintain its previous staffing levels.
The new executive director noted that the 2024 presidential election indeed had a negative impact on the gun control organization’s ability to raise funds: “I am sure things would look differently with a different outcome of the election, but these are the systems and circumstances in which we have to make adjustments based on the financial situation we find ourselves in. It is incredibly unfortunate that these cuts have to happen.”
Although financial data for 2024 is not yet available, comments from Corin suggest that March For Our Lives is not going away anytime soon. Corin acknowledged that the group misallocated its resources but emphasized that March For Our Lives is not shutting down its operations.
“While these efforts were important, we ultimately took on more than our resources could sustain over the long term — and we take responsibility for that,” she told The 19th.
She stated that the organization would stay committed to pushing for stricter gun laws while refocusing on mobilizing young people. “Now, we are making an intentional effort to double down where we are most effective: mobilizing young people to hold their leaders accountable for failing to address the number one killer of kids,” Corin added.
The newly appointed executive director expressed hope that the group could rekindle awareness about the severity of gun violence in the United States, equipping young voters with tools to bring about changes.
“We hope to remind people of the insanity of the existence of this issue in this country and then give them the tools for how to actually make a change in their communities,” she stated.
About José Niño
José Niño is a freelance writer based in Austin, Texas. You can contact him via Facebook and X/Twitter. Subscribe to his Substack newsletter by visiting “Jose Nino Unfiltered” on Substack.com.
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