OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER AWARDS - CRITERIA

The Volunteer Center or Rhode Island (VCRI) is committed to recognizing and celebrating outstanding volunteer service.Our annual Outstanding Volunteer Awards pay tribute to those individuals and groups who go above and beyond and exemplify the true potential of volunteers to make a difference in their communities.

The awards will be presented to the winners during special ceremonies at the 2008 “VolunCheers” event to be held in recognition of National Volunteer Week in April recognizing those that Inspire By Example.

Nominations are currently being accepted. Nominees must exemplify the spirit of community service, demonstrate exceptional commitment, service or leadership, and serve as role models for others in their community and “Inspiring By Example.”

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Twelve award recipients will be selected among the nominees received. There are no age restrictions and nominees may include:

NOMINATION PROCESS AND SELECTION

Nominations may be submitted by the following & in the quantity stated:

• VCRI Member Agencies – May submit up to four (4) nominations.
  Member Agencies are those agencies that pay an annual membership fee to VCRI and post their volunteer needs through www.vcri.org.
• VCRI Affiliated Agencies – May submit up to two (2) nominations.
  Affiliated agencies are not members but are affiliated simply by virtue of posting their volunteer needs through www.vcri.org. There is no fee to become an Affiliated Agency. Any Agency, as defined below, may post volunteer needs on www.vcri.org and receive all associated benefits within 48 hours of posting.
• Non-VCRI Affiliated Agencies – May submit one (1) nomination. These agencies include any Agency as defined below.
• Individuals - May submit one (1) nomination (self nomination encouraged)

Definitions:

• An “Agency” is defined as any RI or South Eastern Massachusetts nonprofit, 501(c)(3), social service organization, proprietary health care facility, government agency or school based program that utilizes volunteers to fulfill their mission.
• An “Individual” nominator is defined as someone not representing an agency as defined above. Individuals may nominate themselves or someone they know. Individual nominators must provide all necessary contact information of the agency(s) that service was performed for, so that verification of service may be performed by review committee.

Nomination Submission Procedure

To nominate an individual or group, please complete an "Outstanding Volunteer Award Form" A separate form should be filled out for each volunteer (individual and group) that is being nominated. Please be sure to provide all information requested. Incomplete nomination submissions may result in disqualification. Download the form in a PDF or Word Document format.

Please submit completed forms to Janice Pothier Pac, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Rhode Island. Nominations of volunteers directly serving the Volunteer Center of Rhode Island are not eligable.

If submitting electronically, please email one (1) copy of all forms and supporting information to:

jpothierpac@vcri.org

If not submitting electronically, please make three (3) copies of all required information and supporting materials and mail to:

Janice Pothier Pac
The Volunteer Center of Rhode Island
105 Gano Street
Providence, RI 02906

DEADLINE for nominations has been extended to March 28, 2008.

The “VolunCheers” event will be held on Tuesday, April 29, 2008.

Other Important Information

You may use as many pages as required. If possible, please provide other supporting material such as photographs, recordings, etc. Please note that VCRI assumes that by virtue of the submission of any photographic images with this application, permission is granted to VCRI to use all materials provided with the nomination in any and all promotional and marketing materials including electronic media. If an organization is providing this material VCRI assumes that said agency has already secured all waivers and permissions relative to their use of this material, especially where it may depict minors. In the event that you are an individual and submit photographic material, should the nominee be selected to receive this award, VCRI will require that you, the individual or group, or the responsible individuals for said winner, sign a waiver and permission of use form allowing for the above mentioned use of the material and images VCRI.

Should you have any questions regarding the award criteria, nomination process or how to become an affiliated or member agency and start posting your volunteer needs on www.vcri.org please call the Volunteer Center of Rhode Island at (401) 421-6547.