Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the President’s Volunteer Service Award?
- How do I earn a President’s Volunteer Service Award?
- What do I get in the Award package?
- How do I receive an information package?
- What are the nomination guidelines?
- Do I have to be a member of a particular group to qualify for the PVSA?
- What is a certifying organization?
- How can I find a Certifying Organization to present me with an award?
- Do we qualify to become a Certifying Organization?
- How do we become a certifying organization?
- Is there a cost associated with becoming a Certifying Organization?
- I would like to order awards, but don’t know where to start?
- What are the ways I can apply for the PVSA?
- We have several local offices/chapters/associations/groups all over the United States. Can each of these local groups recognize their volunteers with the acronym title="President’s Volunteer Service Award">PVSA?
- How can my progress be measured during the year?
- Is there a nomination deadline?
- What is the Cost of the Award?
- Do you accept Purchase Orders as payment?
- Does the President’s Volunteer Service Awards offer scholarships, grants or application waivers?
- What is the turnaround time for ordering awards?
- Can we order blank certificates in large quantities and print the recipients names ourselves?
- My Username and Password is not allowing me to log in, what should I do?
- There was an error with my shipment, how can I have this corrected?
- I have additional names to add to my order, what do I do?
- Do I qualify if -- I am not a U.S. resident/My group is not headquartered in the U.S./My volunteer service wasn’t done in the U.S.?
- We have ordered the acronym title="President’s Volunteer Service Award">PVSA for some volunteers but would like to recognize others who didn’t qualify for the PVSA. What are some other volunteer recognition programs?
1. What is the President’s Volunteer Service Award?
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President of the United States to recognize the best in American spirit, and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service, and civic participation. The Award is given to individuals, families, and groups that have demonstrated outstanding volunteer service and civic participation over the course of a 12-month period.
Any individual, family, or group can receive Presidential recognition for their annual commitment to volunteer service. In addition, individuals who complete 4,000 or more hours of volunteer service over the course of their lifetime will be recognized with the President’s Call to Service Award.
2. How do I earn a President’s Volunteer Service Award?
To earn an Award, individuals, families, and groups must keep a record of volunteer activities served. Activities may be kept by the Certifying Organization or can be tracked online with the USA Freedom Corps Record of Service. Below please find the criteria for receiving an award.
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| Bronze | Silver | Gold | Lifetime | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children (14 and younger) |
50 to 74 hours | 75 to 99 hours | 100 hours or more | 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service (over a lifetime) |
| Young Adults (Ages 15 to 25) | 100 to 174 hours | 175 to 249 hours | 250 hours or more | 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service (over a lifetime) |
| Adults (25 and older) | 100 to 249 hours | 250 to 499 hours | 500 hours or more | 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service (over a lifetime |
| Families and Groups (two or more people)* | 200 to 499 hours | 500 to 999 hours | 1000 hours or more | 4,000 hours or more of volunteer service (over a lifetime) |
* In families and groups, each member contributing to the total number of hours must have served 25 hours or more.
3. What do I get in the Award package?
Depending on which award package is ordered, award recipients can receive:
View Award Packages
- An official President’s Volunteer Service Award lapel pin
- A personalized certificate of achievement
- A congratulatory letter from the President of the United States
- A letter from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation
4. How do I receive an information package?
Please send your request via email to Inquiries@PresidentialServiceAwards.gov or call 1-866-5455307. Otherwise you can browse our website to learn more about our program.
5. What are the nomination guidelines?
Individuals must submit their records a “certifying organization” that will review and verify their records and order and distribute the award. Nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations, businesses, schools and colleges, membership and trade associations, and federal, state or local government agencies can all serve as certifying organizations.
Activities should be unpaid and may not include court-ordered community service.
6. Do I have to be a member of a particular group to qualify for the PVSA?
No. However, individuals must submit their records to “certifying organizations” that will review and verify their records and order and distribute the award.
7. What is a certifying organization?
A Certifying Organization is an organization that has been given the authority through an application process to administer the President’s Volunteer Service Awards to its volunteers.
8. How can I find a Certifying Organization to present me with an award?
At this time, we don't have a list of certifying organizations available to the public. We are currently reaching out to organizations to signup to become certifying organizations so we can put volunteers in touch with the appropriate organizations.
However, you can still receive the award. The easiest way to do this would be to talk with an organization you are involved with and ask them to become a certifying organization. The process is really easy and all instructions are online at www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov. All types of groups are signing up to become certifying organizations, from small local groups to national organizations. Ask your organization to join today!
9. Do we qualify to become a Certifying Organization?
Your organization can become a Certifying Organization if it is legally established in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or one of the U.S. territories. It also must fall into one of the following category types:
- Non-profit or community-based organization
- Civic, fraternal, or service group
- Faith-based institution
- Business
- School or institution of higher education
- National service program
- Membership organization
- Federal, state, and local government agency
10. How do we become a certifying organization?
To become a Certifying Organization please visit the website at www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov and click "Honor your Volunteers" and follow the instructions. The process is really easy, and only takes a few minutes. You must enter in an email address.
Once you have submitted the application, it takes 5-7 days to receive an approval.
11. Is there a cost associated with becoming a Certifying Organization?
There is no cost for becoming a Certifying Organization. The only costs are associated with ordering the award packages. (View Award Packages)
12. I would like to order awards, but don’t know where to start?
You must be with a Certifying Organization to order the President’s Volunteer Service Award. If you are already a Certifying Organization, follow these easy steps to order your awards.
- Login using your Certifying Organization's username and password at www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov/tgact/login/dspLoginAll.cfm.
- Go to the Order Awards tab and then click on "certify a volunteer". This provides the information we need to personalize the certificate and award the appropriate pin.
- After you have certified all your nominees, go to “place the order” and this takes you to the order cart.
13. What are the ways I can apply for the PVSA?
- Internet: Create your online account and submit your order at www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov.
- Fax: Send your order form with a list of each volunteer’s name, age, and total number of hours volunteered for a 12-month period, via 202-729-8033.
- Mail: Print your order form and send it with a list of each volunteer’s name, age and total number of hours volunteered for a 12-month period.
Address:
President’s Volunteer Service Awards
c/o Points of Light Foundation
1400 I Street, NW Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
14. We have several local offices/chapters/associations/groups all over the United States. Can each of these local groups recognize their volunteers with the PVSA?
Yes, you can sign up as a Leadership Organization and have your local groups register as Certifying Organizations recognizing their volunteers. Find out more about becoming a Leadership Organization by emailing us at Inquiries@PresidentialServiceAwards.gov.
15. How can my progress be measured during the year?
You can track your hours on our website or your Certifying Organization can keep track of your hours for you.
16. Is there a nomination deadline?
There is no deadline to order the awards. Once a volunteer has tracked their hours for a 12-month period then the Certifying Organization can total the hours for the year and order the awards. The 12-month period does not have to be on a calendar year.
17. What is the Cost of the Award?
INDIVIDUAL AWARD PACKAGES – There are three packages available to individuals who want to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Each package includes one of each item listed.
Complete Package - $3.00
- Personalized Certificate (with individual’s name)
- Lapel Pin (bronze, silver, gold or lifetime depending on total volunteer hours)
- Letter from the President of the United States
- Letter from the President's Council on Service & Civic Participation
Certificate Package - $2.00
- Personalized Certificate (with individual’s name)
- Letter from the President of the United States
- Letter from the President's Council on Service & Civic Participation
Lapel Pin Package - $2.00
- Lapel Pin (bronze, silver, gold or lifetime depending on total volunteer hours)
FAMILY/GROUP AWARD PACKAGES – There are three packages available to families and groups who want to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Each package includes one of each item listed.
Complete Package - $3.00
- Personalized Certificate (with the family or group’s name)
- Lapel Pin (bronze, silver, gold or lifetime depending on total volunteer hours)
- Letter from the President of the United States
- Letter from the President’s Council on Service & Civic Participation
* Certificate Package - $2.00 - for additional family/group members
- Personalized Certificate (with the family or group’s name)
- Letter from the President of the United States
- Letter from the President’s Council on Service & Civic Participation
* This family/group package is only available for purchase, if one FULL package is ordered.
* Lapel Pin Package - $2.00 - for additional family/group members
- Lapel Pin (bronze, silver, gold or lifetime depending on total volunteer hours)
* This family/group package is only available for purchase, if one FULL package is ordered.
Plus Shipping and Handling: Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for standard delivery.
Order Total S/H Fee $1.00 - $9.99 $6.00 $10.00- $24.99 $7.00 $25.00- $49.99 $8.00 $50.00- $99.99 $9.00 $100 or more 9% of total price Rush Fee: Additional $25.00
18. Do you accept Purchase Orders as payment?
Yes, we do accept purchase orders.
If you are ordering online:
Login using your username and password and go to “order awards”. Certify your volunteers and go to “place an order” Once you get to step 3 of the order cart, select “payment by check.” You will finalize your order and instructions will be provided for mailing the check to us. Please follow these instructions and substitute the PO for the check.If you are ordering by mail:
You will need to fill out the award certification form along with the award order form. Include the PO for payment.
19. Does the President’s Volunteer Service Awards offer scholarships, grants or application waivers?
There are no application waivers. However, if you are interested in scholarships or grants, please contact the President’s Freedom Scholarship at:
Website:www.CNS.gov/Scholarships
Email:info@studentservicescholarship.org
Phone: 1-866-291-7700Presidential Freedom Scholarships
1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
20. What is the turnaround time for ordering awards?
Standard delivery time takes 4-6 weeks from the time payment is received or you can rush your order, which takes 1-2 weeks from the time payment is received. The rush option costs an additional $25.00.
21. Can we order blank certificates in large quantities and print the recipients names ourselves?
No. The personalized certificates must be ordered through our vendor with names already printed.
22. My Username and Password is not allowing me to log in, what should I do?
1) Make sure that your cookies are enabled.
2) Make sure you are entering your password verbatim. (The password is case-sensitive)
3) Enter your complete username as was sent to you.If you are still unable to log on, contact us at 866-545-5307.
23. There was an error with my shipment, how can I have this corrected?
Contact us immediately at Inquiries@PresidentialServiceAwards.gov with your organization’s name, contact person, phone number, nature of the error, and mailing address for the updated shipment.
24. I have additional names to add to my order, what do I do?
To help us facilitate your request, please contact us no later than three (3) business days after placing your order.
25. Do I qualify if -- I am not a U.S. resident/My group is not headquartered in the U.S./My volunteer service wasn’t done in the U.S.?
Only United States citizens qualify for the award. If you are a U.S. citizen and are volunteering abroad, you may submit your hours to your Certifying Organization to earn the award.
26. We have ordered the PVSA for some volunteers but would like to recognize others who didn’t qualify for the PVSA. What are some other volunteer recognition programs?
The Points of Light Foundation offers several different types of recognition programs. For more information, visit www.PointsofLight.org/Awards or call 1-800-Volunteer.
I have questions that were not addressed here. How do I contact the office of the President’s Volunteer Service Award for more information?
If you have questions about the President’s Volunteer Service Awards program, here’s how you can contact us:
Address:
President’s Volunteer Service Awards
c/o Points of Light Foundation
1400 I Street, NW Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 866-545-5307
Fax: 202-729-8033
Email:Inquiries@presidentialserviceawards.gov
For hearing and speech-impaired individuals Dial 711 (the National Relay Service)