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Home > Volunteer Virginia > Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Governor's Awards Nomination FAQ

• How do I submit a nomination?
• How long is the nomination period?
• Is it necessary to complete the nomination profile form for the nominee and the nominator in addition to the nomination narrative?
• How long must the nomination narrative be?
• Does the nomination narrative need to follow any specific format?
• May I nominate someone for a category that isn’t listed on the nomination form?
• May I submit multiple nominations for different individuals or organizations?
• What are the general requirements for the letters of support?
• Can the author of the letter of support remain anonymous?
• Can the author of the nomination narrative also write a letter of support?
• May I submit additional information such as additional support letters, photographs and/or news clippings to further support my nomination?
• Who reviews the nominations?
• When will I be notified about my nomination's status and when is the 2008 Governor's Volunteerism & Community Service Awards ceremony?
• If awarded, how many guests may I invite to the awards ceremony?
• If I have further questions, where may I call or e-mail for assistance?

Question: How do I submit a nomination?
Answer: Your nomination may be submitted in either of the following ways:

• complete the online nomination form on our Web site and submit it electronically. Save your narrative in a word processing application such as Microsoft Word, then cut and paste the narrative into the online form. Letters of support can be uploaded online, or downloaded and submitted by mail, fax, or e-mail.

• download and complete the nomination document from our Web site and mail or fax it to our office.

Mailing Address:
Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Awards
Office on Volunteerism and Community Service
7 North Eighth Street, 5th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
Fax: (804) 726-7024
E-mail:
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Question: How long is the nomination period?
Answer: The nomination process lasts nearly seven weeks, beginning December 7, 2007 — January 31, 2008. All nominations must be postmarked, faxed, or submitted online no later than 5:00 PM, Thursday, January 31, 2008. Any incomplete nomination or nomination received after 5:00 PM on January 31, 2008 will not be considered.
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Question: Is it necessary to complete the nomination profile form for the nominee and the nominator in addition to the nomination narrative?
Answer: Yes. Please include the full name (first, middle and last for individuals) or full legal name (for organizations and businesses). It is very important that the category selected is that of the nominee, rather than the affiliation or category of the nominator.
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Question: How long must the nomination narrative be?
Answer: For online submissions, the nomination narrative is comprised of six questions, each with a character limit of 2500 characters (roughly three paragraphs). For offline submissions (PDF or MS Word downloads), the nomination narrative must be no more than one page single-spaced on 8 ½ x 11 paper with one-inch margins and typed in 12-point font.
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Question: Does the nomination narrative need to follow any specific format?
Answer: Yes. The nomination narrative should answer all six of the questions, as stated in the nomination narrative section of the nomination form and in the order presented.
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Question: May I nominate someone for a category that isn’t listed on the nomination form?
Answer: No. Nominators must select only one of the listed categories. Please do NOT select multiple categories for the same candidate.
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Question: May I submit multiple nominations for different individuals or organizations?
Answer: Yes. An individual or organization may submit as many nominations as desired for different individuals and organizations.
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Question: What are the general requirements for the letters of support?
Answer: Two letters of support are required, no longer than one page each. Letters should clearly state the author’s relationship to the nominee and knowledge of his/her service in order to provide sufficient information on the individual or organization. Letters may not be used to serve as both a letter of support and the nomination narrative. Letters must be submitted by someone other than the nominator and by someone not directly related to the nominee.
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Question: Can the author of the letter of support remain anonymous?
Answer: We prefer that the nominator provide the contact information of those submitting letters of support. Providing the contact information allows us to contact the author in case we need to track the letter of support.
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Question: Can the author of the nomination narrative also write a letter of support?
Answer: No. A letter of support must be submitted by someone other than the nominator. Letters must also be written by different individuals, not the same person.
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Question: May I submit additional information such as additional support letters, photographs and/or news clippings to further support my nomination?
Answer: No, such additional information will not be considered. However you may mention this information in the narrative. Two letters of support is the required number and additional letters will not be considered.
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Question: Who reviews the nominations?
Answer: Nominations are reviewed by a panel of independent judges. Judges are selected based on their experience and expertise in the field of volunteerism.
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Question: When will I be notified about my nomination's status and when is the 2008 Governor's Volunteerism & Community Service Awards ceremony?
Answer: A judging panel will meet in late February to determine the 2008 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service awardees. Letters will be mailed to all nominators in early March notifying them of the judging results. The awards ceremony will take place on April 24, 2008 in Virginia Beach.
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Question: If awarded, how many guests may I invite to the awards ceremony?
Answer: Each award winner may invite five (5) additional guests (family and/or friends) to the ceremony. Awardees may request additional guest passes, if space is available. A small fee may apply.
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Question: If I have further questions, where may I call or e-mail for assistance?
Answer: You may contact the Office on Volunteerism and Community Service at (800) 638-3839 or e-mail at .
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