PVSA Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award?
- YRCS members (parents of currently active students, teachers, administrative staffs) and their immediate family members;
- Non-YRCS members with 60% reporting service hours performed at YRCS.
When is the deadline to apply?
The deadline to submit documents is on April 15th.
Will I be notified when my submission is received?
Yes, you will receive a confirmation email.
Do the verifying letters from the organizations where I served have to be on their letterhead or can I use my own form and have someone from the organization sign it?
Verification letters of hours served must come from the organization on their letterhead. Nothing else will be accepted.
Do I need a letter from each organization where I served?
Yes. Any hours you are submitting must be verified by the organization.
Does my time log need to reflect each day I volunteered, and hours served on those days, or can I put a range of dates with total hours?
You must log each day with a date and record your hours served for that day. We cannot accept a log that has only a range such as: February 1-15, 2020, 40 hours.
Can I submit my time log and then send the letters and everything else later?
All required documents must be submitted by the deadline to be considered.
If I have a service project that will occur just after the deadline, can I count those hours?
No. All service hours toward the award must be completed by the deadline.
I received a PVSA last year. Can I apply again?
Yes. You can apply every year if you meet the qualifications and submit a complete package by the deadline.
Can I send in my submission before the deadline?
Yes. As soon as you have completed your service hours, have all of your verifying letters, etc., you can send in your completed package.
Can I count time driving to and from my community service?
No. Unless, your service is the driving. For example: driving elderly people to doctor appointments for a retirement home.
Can I count non-YRCS related community service?
Yes, you can count any community service. This can be volunteering at a food bank, animal shelter or conducting YRCS activities. Please note that for non-YRCS members, there is a requirement that 60% of reporting service hours have to be performed at YRCS.
What are the dates of eligible service?
The dates are April 1st of last year to March 31st of this year.
I’m turning 16 during the 12-month award period, how can I determine my award age group?
The age is determined by the age they were for most of the award period (at least 7 months). Applied to YRCS reporting period, a volunteer’s age on September 16th in the previous year is his/her age for PVSA. For instance, if one’s birthday is September 16th, 2006 or earlier, he/she is at least 16 years old (Young Adult), for the reporting period of 2022-04-01 to 2023-03-31.
Please contact [email protected] with questions or for more information.