Want Your Volunteer Service Recognized?
The Global Volunteer Recognition Program helps volunteers document, celebrate, and share their service through membership, award opportunities, leadership resources, and community recognition.
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Volunteers are the heartbeat of communities around the world. Their dedication, time, and passion make lasting impacts, often behind the scenes. With the pause of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, the Global Volunteer Recognition Program is proud to launch a new way to honor volunteers everywhere: The Global Volunteer Awards™.
Global Volunteer Recognition Program LLC administers and issues the Global Volunteer Awards. These awards are available only to GVRP members and are earned through eligible volunteer service hours completed during the applicable calendar year, January 1 through December 31. Award levels depend on the member's age group and approved service hours.
GVRP also offers optional volunteer activities that anyone may join. These activities and GVRP's Volunteer Achievement Badges are separate from the Global Volunteer Awards. Participation in a GVRP activity is not required to earn a Global Volunteer Award. Eligible hours completed through a GVRP activity may count toward an award after review and verification.
To apply for an award, join or renew for the appropriate membership year and submit your service hours through the official award submission form. Optional physical certificates, medals, pins, and bundles may be purchased separately; purchasing an item does not establish award eligibility.
Membership is required to take part. If you need to join or renew your membership click here.
To request you order physical items such as medals or pins click here.
Are Global Volunteer Awards Purchased or Earned?
Global Volunteer Awards are earned through eligible, documented volunteer service. Membership provides access to the submission and review process for the corresponding recognition year. Membership or a purchase alone does not qualify someone for an award.
The GVRP board reviews submitted service hours and supporting information against the award requirements. GVRP contacts the volunteer's supervisor as needed. An award is issued only after the hours have been verified and the applicable requirements have been met.
Approved members receive a personalized digital award certificate included in their membership dues. Physical certificates, medals, pins, and bundles are optional purchases paid for by the member. Public honor roll listings require permission.
Annual membership gives volunteers access to the submission and review process for the corresponding recognition year. Membership does not automatically guarantee an award level.
The member must complete the required service and submit the requested documentation before recognition is approved.
Tiered Awards Program
Global Volunteer Awards are based on eligible volunteer service completed during a calendar year, January 1 through December 31. The membership year, service year, and requested award year must match. Submissions may be reviewed and qualifying awards issued throughout the year after the required service has been completed, documented, reviewed, and verified. The award year identifies the calendar year of recognized service and may differ from the date the award is issued.
Annual Award Tiers:
Hours Required to Earn Awards in Each Age Group
| Age Group |
Bronze |
Silver |
Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids (5–10 years old) | 25–49 hours | 50–74 hours | 75–99 hours | 100+ hours |
| Teens (11–15 years old) | 50–99 hours | 100–149 hours | 150–199 hours | 200+ hours |
| Young Adults (16–25 years old) | 100–199 hours | 200–299 hours | 300–399 hours | 400+ hours |
| Adults (26+) | 100–249 hours | 250–499 hours | 500–749 hours | 750+ hours |
After approval, qualifying members receive a personalized digital Global Volunteer Award certificate included in their membership dues. Recipients are included on the public Global Volunteer Awards Honor Roll only with permission. Some recipients, including minors, are omitted at the request of a parent or guardian.
View the Global Volunteer Awards Honor Roll
For those who want a physical keepsake, medals, pins, and certificates for each tier are available for purchase.
To submit your hours please click here. Please note that hours will not be accepted via email.
Volunteer Eligibility
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Be a GVRP member for the applicable recognition year.
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Be at least five years old.
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Complete the required eligible volunteer service hours during the applicable calendar year, January 1 through December 31.
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Submit service records for board review and verification.
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Meet the award requirements for the applicable age group and award level.
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Ensure the membership year, service year, and requested award year match.
Membership and submission alone do not guarantee an award.
How To Apply
- Please use this template or purchase access to our Volunteer Hour Tracking App to track your volunteer hours.
- Open the Google Sheets file that you want to copy
- Click "File" on the top toolbar menu
- Click "Make a copy"
- Choose a name for the copied document
- Click "OK".
- To create an editable copy of a Google Sheet
- Please fill out this form to complete the official Global Volunteer Awards service hour submission process after you have finished your eligible volunteer service for the recognition year. Make sure your membership year, service year, documentation, and submission information match.
Which volunteer hours qualify for Global Volunteer Awards?
Eligible hours are unpaid service that benefits others and can be documented and verified. Remote projects and community service through schools, nonprofits, or faith organizations may qualify when the actual activity meets the rules.
Excluded activities include paid work, money donated, political lobbying, religious instruction, conducting worship, proselytizing, court-ordered service, and service benefiting only family members. Nonpartisan voter registration may qualify. Stipended national service is excluded from annual awards; expense reimbursement and small forms of volunteer support do not automatically disqualify service.
GVRP uses the same eligible-service criteria and excluded activities as the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Global Volunteer Awards have their own membership requirements, recognition years, hour thresholds, and award levels.
Read the complete Global Volunteer Awards volunteer-hour requirements for examples, exclusions, documentation, and common questions.
Can Global Volunteer Recognition Program certify hours from any organization?
Eligible volunteer service completed through other organizations may be considered. The service must satisfy the Global Volunteer Awards requirements and be supported by sufficient information for review and verification. Service is not automatically approved because an organization appears on a volunteer log.
How are hours certified?
The GVRP board reviews submitted service hours and supporting information against the award requirements. GVRP contacts the volunteer's supervisor as needed. Awards are issued only after the qualifying hours have been verified and the applicable requirements have been met.
I had a birthday this year? How do I determine my award Age Group?It is the member’s responsibility to submit their volunteer hours for consideration. To ensure you don’t miss important updates, including submission reminders, please make sure you are signed up for our newsletters. We also post regular reminders and updates on our social media channels, so be sure to follow us there as well.
Approved digital Global Volunteer Award certificates are included in membership dues. Members may separately purchase optional physical certificates, medals, pins, or bundles. A purchase does not establish eligibility; every Global Volunteer Award must be earned through eligible service hours that have been reviewed and verified.
Join GVRP for the appropriate recognition year, document your service, and submit your hours for review.