PRESIDENTIAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD Tracking your CAP volunteer hours What it is The Presidents Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) is the premier volunteer awards program, encouraging citizens to live a life of service through national recognition. About the PVSA The PVSA is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and is administered by Points of Light. With a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, PVSA recognizes the impact we can all make in bettering our communities and our world. The Corporation for National & Community Service The Corporation for National & Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in results- driven service each year via 70,000 community and faith-based organizations. Through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, the Social Innovation Fund, United We Serve, the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance and other programs, CNCS taps the power of citizens to improve lives, solve problems, strengthen communities and build the capacity of the nonprofit sector. Points of Light Points of Light, the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service, mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages more than four million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year, putting people at the center of change. Focus Areas In volunteer service no act is too small. Whether its lending a hand to an elderly couple in your neighborhood or a 6-year-old collecting money at their local ice cream shop to help save animals, all acts of service create positive change in our communities. All volunteer service is eligible to receive The Presidents Volunteer Service Award, the Corporation for National and Community Service and Points of Light have outlined six key focus areas that specifically need us to be active citizens. Key Areas of Focus Education Economic opportunity Environmental Stewardship Veterans & Military Families Healthy futures Disaster Services Where CAP fits in All volunteer hours apply, including CAP activities Disaster relief (including search and rescue) CAPs military affiliation with the USAF Veterans and Military Families, many CAP members and people we serve in the community include this group. The Award part 1 Criteria Individuals, families and groups that meet the criteria are eligible for the PVSA. Recipient(s) must be a United States citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States. Awards are issued for service hours served within a 12-month time period or over the course of a lifetime. Awards are issued for volunteer service only; additional levels of participation with the organization (i.e., charitable support) are not a factor considered for the award. Court-ordered community service does not qualify for the award. Awards are issued by approved Certifying Organizations. Service must be with an approved Certifying Organization that is legally established in the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or one of the U.S. territories. The Award part 2 Eligibility Hours are measured over a 12-month period and awards are designated based on cumulative hours. The awards are offered in multiple levels and are designed to recognize each milestone of your service achievement. Levels include bronze, silver, gold and the highest honor, the Presidents Lifetime Achievement Award for those who contribute more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime. The Award - Part 3 Hours for each level of the award should be earned within a twelve month period, not necessary a calendar year. Award Packages Award recipients can choose among different options for award recognition: The official Presidents Volunteer Service Award pin, medallion or coin A personalized certificate of achievement A congratulatory letter from the President of the United States A combination of all the above Tracking Hours Enter volunteer hours online: Easy Simple Quick. Records are main- tained for years and not likely to be lost. Once hours are cert- ified, they apply towards achievement awards. Certifying Volunteer Hours Hours must be certified by a certifying organization. How to become a certifying organization There are three easy steps to apply for participation in the program: Take the short e-course on the program. Once completed, you will receive a code to include as part of your application submission. The e-course is an annual requirement. Complete and submit the certifying organization application online. Once submitted, all applications are reviewed thoroughly with follow up sometimes required. Processing takes approximately business days. You will receive annotifying your organization of your status. Please be sure to add ouraddress to your contact information to ensure you receive all correspondence from our customer service team. Criteria for Certifying Organizations Who can become a certifying organization? Certifying Organizations must fall into one of these categories: nonprofit; community or faith-based organization; business; school and college; national service program; civic, fraternal or service organization; membership or trade association; or federal, state or local government agency. Certifying Organizations must: Adhere to the terms and conditions of the Presidents Volunteer Service Award and the program agreement. Be legally established in the U.S., Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a U.S. territory. Certifying Organizations must either receive the benefit of the volunteer service or facilitate the service activities. What should be done by a certifying organization? Verify volunteer hours required to earn award. Verify volunteers are U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted permanent U.S. residents. Pay nominal cost of PVSA awards, including shipping. Receive and distribute the awards package to volunteers. Requirements to Maintain Certifying Organization Status Requirements to maintain status for a certifying organization Must be in compliance with all terms and conditions that govern the PVSA program. Recertify with the program annually including confirming agreement with the PVSA terms and conditions. Maintain current organizational information with the PVSA program. Maintain up-to-date database of all recipients that received the PVSA award along with date of award and level (bronze, silver, gold) of service. Must remain current with e-courses as required. Is this award endorsed by CAP? Yes, for more details go to:/a_id/2224/~/certifying-organization-for-the- president%E2%80%99s-volunteer-service- awards Where to go online to sign up? Q & A Questions, comments?