Nominations open for Canada’s Volunteer Awards

Categories

• National award
  • Each year they present 1 national award.
    • The Thérèse Casgrain Lifelong Achievement Award
      • This category is open to individuals who have volunteered for 20 years or more and who:
        • inspired other volunteers
        • made a difference through volunteering
• Regional awards
  • They present 20 regional awards in the following categories.
    • Community Leader
      • This category is open to individuals or groups of individuals who:
        • volunteer either on their own or as a group
        • give their time to an organization or a cause
        • take a lead role in solving social issues
    • Emerging Leader
      • This category is open to individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 who:
        • show leadership through volunteering
        • help strengthen their community through volunteering
    • Business Leader
      • This category is open to businesses or social enterprises that:
        • practice corporate social responsibility
        • promote and support volunteering at local, regional, and/or national levels
        • create positive social, cultural or environmental impacts in their communities
    • Social Innovator
      • This category is open to not-for-profit organizations, social enterprises or registered charities that:
        • address social challenges in their communities
        • use innovative ways to serve and strengthen communities

Funding Information

• Canada’s Volunteer Awards recognizes recipients at a national ceremony. Recipients also take part in a session to share best practices in volunteering.
• All award recipients receive:
  • a certificate signed by the Prime Minister
  • a lapel pin
• Recipients also choose a registered not-for-profit organization in Canada to receive a grant:
  • $5,000 for the regional awards
  • $10,000 for the national award

Regions

• One recipient is awarded in each of the 5 regions:
  • Atlantic (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick)
  • Quebec
  • Ontario
  • Prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta)
  • British Columbia and the North (Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon)

Eligibility Criteria

• Nominees can be:
  • individuals or groups
  • businesses
  • social enterprises
  • not-for-profit organizations
• Only 1 nomination will be accepted per nominee.
• Political and public advocacy work is not eligible.
• Individuals or groups
  • Must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents or protected persons within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
  • Nominees must be 18 years of age and over at the time of the submission of the nomination
  • Have contributed to addressing social challenges in their community
  • Emerging Leader category, nominee must be between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of the submission of the nomination
• Businesses or not-for-profit organizations
  • Must be Canadian registered as not-for-profit organizations or businesses in Canada. (Not-for-profit organizations are incorporated under either federal or provincial non-profit legislation. Registered charities that do not have transferable ownership interests and are organized and operated exclusively on a non-profit basis for a variety of charitable purposes)
  • Have contributed to addressing social challenges in their community in Canada.

For more information, visit Government of Canada.