• Nominees must have volunteered for a non-profit organization, started their own project, or have been involved in grassroots action. 
  
  
• Your nominee must currently be volunteering or have volunteered sometime between January-December 2018. 
  
  
• Your nominee must have volunteered in Toronto and they must living in Toronto—their home postal code should start with M. 
  
  
• You can't nominate yourself, someone you're related to, or someone you're living with. 
  
  
• We don't accept posthumous nominations.
  
  
• Each non-profit can nominate up to two individuals.
  
  
• We cannot accept nominations of groups.
  
  
• No payment can have been made for the nominee's volunteer contribution. 
  
  
• The nominee's volunteering activities may include lobbying or advocacy work, but cannot have been partisan in nature, such as volunteering for a mayoral candidate.
  
  

Frequently Asked Questions

What information will I need to complete the nomination form?

You will need:

• Your contact details (name, email, and phone number)
• The contact details of a reference we can contact if the nominee is shortlisted (name, email, and phone number)
• The nominee’s first and last name.
• The nominee’s postal code.
• The nominee’s email address and telephone number.
• The nominee’s preferred gender pronoun and approximate age.
• A description of how the nominee contributed to the community (200 words or less).
• A description of the difference their contribution made (200 words or less).
• A description of why their contribution is unique or extraordinary (200 words or less).
• Up to three pieces of supporting information, such as a photo of the nominee in action, statements from others about the nominee's contribution, or any other information you'd like the judges to review.

 

Can I nominate myself?

Unfortunately you can’t nominate yourself. But if you know someone who can nominate you, consider asking them to do so.

Can I nominate my mother/sister/partner?

No, unfortunately we don’t accept nominations from relatives or people living with the nominee. If you know someone who is deserving but who you can’t nominate consider asking one of their fellow volunteers, or their volunteer coordinator to nominate them instead!

Can I nominate more than one person?

Yes, we will accept a maximum of two nominations from the same non-profit organization. You can nominate more than two people if they volunteer for different organizations. 

What will the award recipients receive?

The six recipients will be presented with their award during a ceremony held during National Volunteer Week (April 7-13), the date and venue of which will be announced early in 2019. They will receive complimentary tickets to the event for two guests of their choice and their nominator. Additionally, they will take part in a professional photo shoot, be included in Volunteer Toronto promotional materials, be featured on the Volunteers of Toronto photo blog, and may be chosen to be interviewed by local TV and newspaper stations. 

How will the award recipients be decided?

A selection committee of local community leaders, a Volunteer Toronto board member and previous award recipients, will review the applications and decide on the award recipients. The honourees will be presented with their award at a formal event held during National Volunteer Week.

How many award recipients will be chosen?

Six people will be chosen for their exceptional contribution to Toronto through volunteering. Click here to see the 2018 Legacy Award recipients. 
 

Can I nominate someone I have nominated in the past but who wasn’t chosen?

Yes, you can nominate someone who was been nominated before, but be sure to think about how that person’s contribution stands out from other volunteers’ and how you will communicate that in the nomination form.  

Can I nominate a business or a group of individuals?

No, all nominations must be for an individual person, rather than a group of volunteers or a business.
 

Can I nominate someone who lives or volunteers in Mississauga, Markham, Pickering, or an area outside of Toronto, but within the GTA?

All nominees must live in Toronto and have been volunteering in Toronto—their residential postcode should start with M. This includes Scarborough, North York, Etobicoke, York and East York but does not include areas outside of the City of Toronto. Click here to see a Google Map of the City of Toronto. 
 

Can I mail in a nomination or supporting information?

No, All nominations and supporting information must be submitted by completing the online form.