Award by LAFS from the Noun Project
- Chapter Project in a Pandemic
- Chapter Connection and Communication
- Basic Training Adaptation
- New VMN Volunteer
- Volunteer of the Year
- Chapter Advisor of the Year.
These awards will be judged by the VMN statewide office team and one or more VMN sponsoring agency representatives. We will announce and distribute the awards at an online event in December (date to be determined.) To submit a nomination, please send the information requested for that particular award to Michelle Prysby. Nominations are due by November 30 at 5:00 pm.
You can find this year’s award nomination information below. You also can read about our 2019 winners on the web!
Chapter Project in a Pandemic
This award is intended to recognize a project that has made significant and noteworthy positive impacts for natural resource education, citizen science, and/or stewardship this year, particularly in light of the pandemic. Our focus is on projects for which the VMN chapter played a significant, unique role in creation, implementation, and leadership (rather than projects that were created and run by another organization.) These awards go to the chapter, not to an individual, so the expectation is that multiple members of the chapter be involved in the project. The project need not have started this year, but it should have had significant impacts this year.
In your nominations, please include the following:
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation for the primary VMN volunteer contact for the project
- Description of why the project should receive the award, limited to 400 words. Please include a description of the project goals, activities completed, and impacts and outcomes for natural resources in your community and/or for your chapter. Include the roles and contributions of VMN volunteers to the project. Identify any significant partners for the project.
Chapter Connection & Communication
This award is intended to recognize a chapter that worked hard to successfully keep chapter members connected this year. Those efforts could include online meetings, communications like newsletters, physically distanced events, or other ways of keeping the chapter members connected. In your nominations, please include the following:
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
- Description of why the chapter should receive the award, limited to 400 words. Please include a description of how the chapter maintained connection and/or communicated effectively and any evidence of outcomes in terms of volunteer engagement.
Basic Training Adaptation
This award is intended to recognize a chapter that worked hard to successfully adapt their 2020 basic training course to the changing COVID circumstances while still meeting VMN training guidelines. In your nominations, please include the following:
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the volunteer(s) serving as the primary leaders for the basic training course
- Description of why the chapter should receive the award, limited to 400 words. Please include a description of how the training course was adapted, how trainees were kept engaged, and any evidence of outcomes and impacts.
New VMN Volunteer
This award is intended to recognize a new volunteer who completed basic training in 2020 and has been highly engaged, despite the difficult circumstances this year. The volunteer may have completed many volunteer hours, started a new project, helped on a chapter committee, or been engaged in other ways. In your nominations, please include the following:
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
- Name, email address, VMN chapter affiliation, and basic training graduation date of the new volunteer
- Description of why the volunteer should receive the award, limited to 400 words. Please include a description the volunteer’s activities and contributions this year and why they stood out to you.
Volunteer of the Year
This award is intended to recognize a volunteer who has made outstanding contributions to natural resource education, citizen science, stewardship, and/or chapter administration. Criteria we consider include the impacts the volunteer has made on natural resource conservation and education, demonstrated leadership by the volunteer, and impacts the volunteer has made on the local chapter and its volunteers. There is no minimum requirement for amount of hours or length of service for a volunteer to receive this award. Our focus is on the last one to two years of service.
In your nominations, please include the following:
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of nominator
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominee
- Description of why the nominee should receive the award, limited to 400 words. You may choose to include a description of the individual’s service, specific examples of positive impacts made, aspects that make the individual stand out from other volunteers, and quotes from other volunteers or local partners. Please place your primary focus on the last 1-2 years of the volunteer’s service. Consider including creative ways the nominee has been volunteering during the pandemic, if applicable.
Chapter Advisor of the Year
This award is intended to recognize a chapter advisor who has made significant and noteworthy contributions to a VMN chapter within the last 1-2 years. In your nominations, please include the following:
- Name, email address, and VMN chapter affiliation of the nominator
- Name, email address, and VMN cha
pter affiliation of the chapter advisor - Description of why the chapter advisor should receive the award, limited to 400 words. Please include specific examples of how the chapter advisor has helped the chapter run effectively, make positive impacts in the community, or otherwise achieve its goals. If applicable, highlight unique ways the advisor has supported the chapter this year during the pandemic.
Please help us recognize the outstanding people and work of your chapters!