PRESIDENTIAL VOLUNTEER
SERVICE AWARD
Tracking your CAP volunteer hours
What it is
• The President’s 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 resultsdriven 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 it’s 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 President’s 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
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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) –
CAP’s 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 President’s
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 President’s 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 maintained for years and
not likely to be lost.
Once hours are certified, 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 1015 business days. You will receive an email notifying your
organization of your status. Please be sure to add our email address
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:
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Adhere to the terms and conditions of the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the program
agreement.
Be legally established in the U.S., Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a U.S. territory.
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Certifying Organizations must either receive the benefit of the volunteer service or facilitate the
service activities.
What should be done by a certifying organization?
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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:
http://capnhq.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail
/a_id/2224/~/certifying-organization-for-thepresident%E2%80%99s-volunteer-serviceawards
Where to go online to sign up?
http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov
Q&A
• Questions, comments?