The Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards (GVSA) is an annual event that honors the efforts of volunteers from across Tennessee. Each year one adult and one youth are selected to receive this prestigious award in recognition of their exemplary volunteer service in the county. The guidelines and application for this award is listed below.
Award Guidelines
Who is eligible?
• Any adult or youth (age 25 or younger) who lives in Rutherford County and whose volunteer activities in Rutherford County benefit the community in a substantial, important, or unique way. Activities can include, but are not limited to serving nonprofits, neighborhood groups, schools, and faith-based organization.
• Students receiving course credits are eligible, only if the volunteer service extends beyond course requirements. This must be clearly indicated in the nomination letter.
• National Service program participants (AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps*VISTA, RSVP, Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions, etc.) are encouraged to apply based on their volunteer involvement in their national service assignment
Who is not eligible?
• Individuals involved in “court mandated community service” or those serving as “loaned executives.”
• Persons who receive compensation for service rendered (except National Service participants noted above)
• Individuals, who have previously received a Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards
• More than one individual (Family members will need to be submitted as separate nominations. Corporate and civic volunteer groups, businesses and nonprofits may be interested in submitting a nomination for the GVSA Business and Nonprofit awards, go to www.volunteertennessee.net for more information.)
Nomination Form & Process
• Volunteers may be nominated by anyone or may nominate themselves. If an individual is nominated multiple times, the review panel will consider only the first nomination form submitted.
• The nomination narrative should specifically be formatted and address questions for the Governor’s Volunteer Star Awards. If it is written as a nomination for another award, it will not be given to the judges for consideration.
• A submission of a resume or list of nominee’s accomplishments/service does not meet narrative requirements.
• The narrative should also reflect the four categories of the judging criteria, which are:
o Need: Service addressed a specific need in the community (i.e. poverty).
o Action: The nominee was actively involved and took initiative.
o Innovation: The nominee used creative methods to solve community problems.
o Impact: The activity or service produced positive changes and provided an example to others.
• The Selection Committee uses a scoring rubric in order to ensure fairness and transparency.
Award Guidelines (continued)
In order to best prepare your nomination, below is some information that will be important to gather prior to starting the form submission.
In addition to contact information for the Nomination and the Nominator, you will need to supply a narrative and at least one photo, two photos are preferred.
The purpose of the narrative is to provide relevant information to the selection committee. The narrative must be no more than 400 words and must answer the following questions:
1. What organization(s) does the nominee serve with?
2. How long has the nominee completed volunteer activity with the organization(s)?
3. What type of service does the nominee perform?
4. What makes the nominee’s volunteer service unique and/or creative?
5. What is the extent to which the nominee’s service goes above the call of duty?
6. How does their service address or solve a local community need?
7. What is the degree to which their services/actions have made a lasting contribution or meaningful impact on their community?
8. What sets the nominee apart in terms of their character and/or commitment to the community?
Deadline & Submission Information
The deadline to submit this application is Thursday, November 7, 2024 by noon. The application form can be found here: bit.ly/gvsa24
By submitting a nomination, you are confirming that Volunteer Tennessee, sponsor of the Governor’s Volunteer Star Awards and the GVSA County Coordinator may use this information to highlight the service of your nominee in various forms of media.
For questions, please contact Dantriel McWilliams, Director of Engagement and Volunteerism, via email at [email protected].
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