Governor's Volunteer Awards

ALL nominations must be submitted through and approved by a state agency, the Iowa League of Cities, or the Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center at the University of Iowa. Examples: a school should submit nominations through the Iowa Department of Education, while a local Scout troop would submit their nominations through the Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center. A City Parks Department would submit their selection through the Iowa League of Cities. Each agency may set additional guidelines and restrictions, so please contact your organization's designated coordinator to request appropriate nomination materials.

Complete list of 2008 Recipients by county

2008 Program Booklet

Program Overview

There is no question that contributions from volunteers greatly enhance our cities, our towns, our schools, and our state. Iowa consistently ranks in the top five states in the country for its volunteerism rate. It is estimated that 38% of Iowa's population is actively involved in volunteering; the national average is 26.7%.

The Governor's Volunteer Awards (GVA) program has been designed to give organizations an easy, cost-effective way to honor their volunteers with a prestigious award. Volunteers may be selected for an award in one of three categories: Individual; Group; or Length of Service. Each year, regional award presentation ceremonies are held across Iowa to recognize and thank hundreds of volunteers for the commitment, service and time that they donate to Iowa's city and state government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Only people or groups who volunteer their time with a state or city government agency or an Iowa nonprofit organization are eligible to receive a Governor's Volunteer Award. Award recipient criteria include an individual or group who has:

demonstrated exceptional commitment to volunteerism by helping with a special project or ongoing activities
demonstrated exemplary leadership, creativity, cooperation and hard work in their service to others
made an outstanding contribution to state or community through volunteer service

State and city governments and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to take this opportunity to thank their devoted volunteers. Each agency pays a small fee per award to cover the cost of preparing ceremony invitations, award certificates, memento photos, lapel pins, and related costs.

To help you select your "Super Star" volunteer(s) for an award, think about their contribution to the agency/organization. What were the benefits of the nominee's efforts? What makes the accomplishments of this nominee more significant than all other volunteers? How many hours were contributed by the volunteer to the agency/organization?