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"A strong and prosperous nation must also be a compassionate nation."
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- President George W. Bush

USA Freedom Corps.  Make a Difference.  Volunteer.
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Honoring Students
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In order to encourage and recognize outstanding volunteer service and inspire others to volunteer, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation created the President’s Volunteer Service Award. These Awards will honor those Americans who have made serving a central part of their lives and show that when you help your neighbor, you are helping your nation.

Awards are given to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. Lifetime achievement is recognized with a special President's Call to Service Award, which honors those who have provided more than 4,000 hours of service over the course of their lifetime.

This new program is now incorporating the President's Student Service Award.

For more information about the President’s Volunteer Service Award, visit http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/.


The USA Freedom Corps also maintains the following list of additional scholarships, awards and fellowships you can receive for volunteering or public service. If you know of others, please contact us at info@usafreedomcorps.gov.


Scholarships

  • The Bonner Scholarship

    The Bonner Scholar Program seeks to transform the lives of students at twenty-five specific colleges and universities as well as their campuses, local communities, and nation through providing access to education and opportunities to serve. To achieve this mission, the Bonner Foundation provides four-year community service scholarships to approximately 1500 students (who are referred to as Bonner Scholars) annually. The scholarship serves those individuals who have high financial need and a commitment to service. It is designed to heighten the overall education a Scholar receives by asking students to engage in ongoing service work and helping them develop the tools and the knowledge necessary to make that work meaningful and lasting.

    For more information visit: http://www.bonner.org
     
  • Presidential Freedom Scholarships

    Formerly known as the President's Student Service Scholarships, close to 20,000 scholarships have been awarded to students who have strengthened communities by demonstrating outstanding leadership in service. Each high school in the country may select up to two students to receive a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of their outstanding leadership in service to the community. The student(s) selected may be either a high school junior(s) or senior(s). With funds appropriated by Congress, the Corporation for National and Community Service provides $500 for each scholarship, which must be matched with $500 secured by the school from the community.

    For more information visit or contact: http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/programs/initiatives_pfs.asp
    Presidential Freedom Scholarships
    1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1100
    Washington, DC 20036
    email: info@studentservicescholarship.org
    866-291-7700 (toll-free)
    202-742-5390 (local)

    IMPORTANT NOTE: The fiscal 2007 budget request for the Corporation for National and Community Service does not contain funding for continued operation of the Presidential Freedom Scholarship program beyond this year. For more information, click here.
     
  • Public Service Scholarship

    The Public Service scholarship program was started in 1986 in direct support to "encouraging an interest in public service careers." Qualified applicants must have a 3.5 grade point average in all college work completed to date. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible. We do, however, require students to have completed one year of college. In addition to submitting their transcripts, applicants must write a two-page essay. Applicants are expected to identify their specific career goal and discuss their vision for the future. Preference is given to students with prior public service or volunteer experience.

    For more information visit or contact: www.theroundtable.org/23/pssp.html
    email: info@theroundtable.org.

  • Truman Scholarship

    The mission of the Truman Scholarship Foundation is to find and recognize college juniors with exceptional leadership potential who are committed to careers in government, the nonprofit or advocacy sectors, education or elsewhere in the public service; and to provide them with financial support for graduate study, leadership training, and fellowship with other students who are committed to making a difference through public service. The Truman Scholarship is a $30,000 merit-based grant awarded to undergraduate students, who wish financial support to attend graduate or professional school in preparation for careers in government, the nonprofit sector or elsewhere in public service.

    For more information visit: www.truman.gov.

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Awards

  • Angels in Action

    Eligibility: Ages 5-15 who performs acts of kindness for their community Awards: 5 winners will receive $10,000 savings bond and a family trip to New York City, where they will receive their awards in Times Square with actress/model Tyra Banks as host. Another perk is a year's supply of AngelSoft Bath Tissue.

    For more information visit or contact: www.gp.com/consumerproducts/angelsinaction
    Angel in Action Contest
    PO Box 5325, Suite 1002
    Unionville, CT 06087-5325
     
  • Brick Awards

    Each year, Do Something honors 10 outstanding leaders under the age of 30 who use their talents to take action that measurably strengthens their local communities. The national grand prize winner receives a grant of $100,000 and the nine other winners each receive a grant of $10,000.

    For more information visit: http://www.dosomething.org/
     
  • Colgate Youth for America Award

    Colgate will provide monetary grants to those groups whose projects are the most innovative and successful. Past judges have included Alex Trebeck, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Dionne Warwick, Andrew Shue, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Phylicia Rashad, Kirk Cameron, Jack Wagner, Ethan Hawke, Yasmine Bleeth, Jonathan Silverman, Amy Yasbeck, Rebecca Gayheart and many other popular stars. The top 318 local unit winners can win up to $1000 in cash. A bonus prize of an additional $1,000 is awarded to the project voted "Best in the Nation." Since 1972, Colgate has awarded over $5.5 million to local clubs and troops for their outstanding community work.

    For more information visit or contact: www.colgate.com/cp/corp.class/colgate_cares/youthforamer.jsp
    Dave Forman
    Colgate's Youth for America Award
    PO Box 1058, FDR Station
    New York, NY 10150-1058
    email: fcwpr@aol.com
     
  • Comcast Foundation Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program

    $1,000 scholarships are awarded to 700 high school seniors in recognition of their community service. It will expand to award $1.1 million in scholarships in 2003. Introduced during the 2000-01 school year, the Leaders of Tomorrow program expanded in 2002 to include Comcast's Midwest Division states of Arkansas, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan and New Mexico. To date, the program has recognized more than 900 students for their service to their communities. To learn more about the scholarship program.

    For more information visit: www.comcast.com/inthecommunity/scholarships/default.html
     
  • Congressional Award

    The Congressional Award is a public partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative, and service in America's youth ages 14-23. The Congressional Award provides a unique opportunity for young people to set and achieve personally challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development, and citizenship.

    For more information or to register for the award visit: http://www.congressionalaward.org/congress/
     
  • Daily Points of Light Award

    The Daily Points of Light Awards are designed to honor those who have made a commitment to connect Americans through service to help meet critical needs in their communities, especially focused on the goals for children and youth set by the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future. The program is sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation, the Corporation for National Service and the Knights of Columbus, with full program funding provided by the Knights of Columbus. Eligibility: Open to any individual, group or organization actively engaged in volunteer service. Award Certificates and winners are featured on website and nominations are accepted year-round (awards are given daily).

    For more information visit or contact: www.pointsoflight.org/dpol/programinfo.htm
    Daily Points of Light Awards
    Points of Light Foundation
    1400 I Street, NW, Suite 800
    Washington, DC 20005
    202-729-8000
    email: awards@pointsoflight.org
     
  • The Elliot L. Richardson Prize for Excellence in Public Service

    The Elliot L. Richardson Prize shall be awarded to an individual(s) possessing the public service virtues exemplified by Elliot L. Richardson. Such individual(s) shall have demonstrated (i) achievement, by significantly advancing the public good, and (ii) long-term dedication to public service, by serving the public interest in a public service capacity. In addition, such individual(s) shall have demonstrated generosity of spirit, thoughtfulness in the pursuit of excellence in government, courage and integrity."

    For more information visit: www.excelgov.org/richardsonipr.htm
     
  • The Jefferson Awards

    Since its inception in 1972, the Jefferson Awards have honored outstanding Public Servants who are making a difference in this country. In 1977, the American Institute for Public Service began a breakthrough relationship with the media. The Institute reached out to newspapers and television stations in local communities and asked them to join a unique partnership to highlight "Unsung Heroes." These Jefferson Awards Media Sponsors solicit nominations of volunteers who work to better their communities. Each Media Sponsor honors five to six Jefferson Awards winners. One representative from each Media Sponsor is chosen by the American Institute Board of Selectors for national recognition.

    For more information visit or contact: www.aips.org/recognition
    Mike Hyland
    Executive Director
    Jefferson Awards
    621 Delaware Street
    New Castle, DE 19720
    302-323-9659
     
  • The National Caring Award

    The Caring Institute seeks to identify, honor, and reinforce the activities of particularly caring Americans - those whole ennoble the human race by transcending self in service to others. Each year the Caring Institute recognizes 10 adults and 5 young adults. Adult nomination are accepted year round, late spring entries held for the following year. Young adult nominations are accepted during the school year until March.

    To nominate someone you know visit: www.caring-institute.org/ar/nomination_form.html
    National Caring Awards
    Caring Institute
    513 C Street NE
    Washington, DC 20002-5809
    202-547-4510 (fax)
     
  • Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

    These awards are designed to recognize middle and high school students for demonstrated exemplary, self-initiated community service. Participating middle and high schools select one honoree for every 1,500 students. This honoree is then judged at the state level. One middle school and one high school student in each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico become state honorees and receive $1,000 awards, silver medallions, and all-expense paid trips (with one parent each) to Washington, DC. In Washington, ten state honorees are named national honorees. Each national honoree receives an additional $5,000, a gold medallion, and a crystal trophy for his/her school. October deadline.

    For more information visit or contact:
    National Association of Secondary School Principals
    www.nassp.org/awards/09.html
    703-860-0200 OR
    Prudential Spirit of the Community Initiative
    www.prudential.com/community
    212-682-4100
     
  • The Samuel Huntington Public Service Award

    This award provides an annual stipend of $10,000 for a graduating senior to pursue public service anywhere in the world. The award allows recipients to engage in meaningful public service activity for up to one year before proceeding on to graduate school or a career.

    For more information visit: www.compact.org/awards/huntington-award2001.html
     
  • Temple Awards For Creative Altruism

    An award fund of $25,000 is divided among several "outstanding altruists" whose lives exemplify unselfish love and service to others. The Temple Award recognizes those people who inspire altruism in others; demonstrate sustained commitment to altruistic ideas as well as personal; qualities that support this commitment. The deadline for nominations is September 1.

    For more information visit or contact: www.noetic.org/ions/about/temple.asp
    Institute of Notice Sciences
    P.O. Box 909
    Sausalito, CA 94966
     
  • The Youth Literacy Leaders Awards

    Twenty-five Youth Leaders for Literacy projects will be recognized with a grant of $200.00 each for the project. The top five projects will be recognized with $200.00 each and a collection of children's books. All applicants will receive a Certificate of Merit for their participation and effort. The NEA and Youth Service America developed the Youth Leaders for Literacy program to encourage and celebrate literacy service of our nation's young people and honor them for doing reading-related activities that benefit others. Making a difference in the lives of America's children is what the relationship between the NEA and YSA is all about.

    For more information visit: www.nea.org/readacross/volunteer/youthleaders.html
     
  • The Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community

    Provides a unique opportunity to recognize those high school seniors who are engaged in extraordinary community service activities. Given to approximately ten high school seniors, it is accompanied by a gift of $5000 over two years. This program is not based on academic achievement, and high school students may not nominate themselves. The awards are based on the significance of the service activities, the extent to which the service provides a solution to important problems faced by society, and demonstration of self-motivation, leadership, creativity, dedication, and commitment. Nominations are due in April.

    For more information visit or contact: www.hitachi.org/yoshiyama
    The Yoshiyama Award
    PO Box 19247
    Washington, DC 20036
    202-457-0588

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Fellowships

  • Ashoka

    Ashoka is a global nonprofit organization that searches the world for, identifies and invests in social entrepreneurs—extraordinary individuals with unprecedented ideas for change in their communities. It does so through stipends and professional services that allow "Ashoka Fellows" to focus fulltime on their ideas for leading social change in education and youth development, health care, environment, human rights, access to technology and economic development.

    For more information visit: http://www.ashoka.org/home/
     
  • The Coro Fellows Program

    The Fellows Program in Public Affairs is a nine-month, full-time, post-graduate experiential leadership-training program that introduces diverse, intelligent and driven young public servants to all aspects of the public affairs arena. Field assignments, site visits, interviews and special individual and group projects and consultancies prepare Coro Fellows to translate their ideals into action for improving their own communities. Sixty-four Fellows are chosen annually each year through a highly competitive selection process. They represent a broad range of cultural, racial and economic backgrounds, ages, interests, and academic and work experience, but all are committed to excellence in public affairs. The Fellows Program in Public Affairs is conducted in San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, New York and Pittsburgh.

    For more information visit: www.coro.org/programs/programs.html
  • Echoing Green

    Echoing Green is a nonprofit Foundation that offers full-time Fellowships to emerging social entrepreneurs. Our Foundation applies a venture capital approach to philanthropy by providing seed money and technical support to individuals creating innovative public service projects that seek to catalyze positive social change. Echoing Green invests in entrepreneurs' projects at an early stage, before most funders are willing to do so, and then provides them with support to help them grow beyond start-up. The Echoing Green network currently includes over 300 Fellows working domestically and internationally on a wide range of social issues.

    For more information visit: http://www.echoinggreen.org/
     
  • Hearst Minority Fellowship- Indiana University Center on Philanthropy

    The Hearst Minority Fellowship is designed to provide members of minority groups the opportunity to engage in the study and practical application of philanthropy, while in pursuit of the M.A. in Philanthropic Studies or M.P.A. in Nonprofit Management degree.

    For more information visit: www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/hearst.htm
     
  • Jane Addams - Andrew Carnegie Fellowship Program
    Indiana University Center on Philanthropy

    The Jane Addams-Andrew Carnegie Fellowship Program in Philanthropy consists of work and study from August 15-June 15. Fellows receive an introduction to the philanthropic tradition - its history and societal role, its ethics and values, its opportunities and limitations, and its responsibilities. Time is devoted to formal study and to the practice of philanthropy.

    For more information visit: www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/carnegie.htm
     
  • Nonprofit Leaders Program - The Washington Center

    This program provides a unique opportunity to "do good" and learn about exciting career opportunities in the nonprofit sector. The nonprofit sector includes charitable, educational, and scientific organizations; professional societies; and trade and business groups. Interning within the nonprofit sector provides a unique opportunity to explore your chosen career field while working with an organization that has a conscience. Students accepted into this program initiative receive a guaranteed award of $1,000.

    For more information visit: http://www.twc.edu/
     
  • White House Fellows

    Since 1964, White House Fellowships have offered outstanding young Americans the opportunity to participate in the day to day business of governing the nation. After a highly competitive selection process, 11 to 19 men and women are chosen to serve for a year as White House Fellows. The fellowship year runs from September 1 through the next August. Each fellow works full time as a special assistant to a Cabinet member or senior presidential advisor and also participates in an education program designed to nurture his or her development as a leader. Applications are due February 1.

    For more information visit: http://www.whitehousefellows.gov