Spirit of NH Awards
FAQs
view the 2022 spirit awards
The Spirit of NH Awards are New Hampshire’s largest volunteer recognition ceremony. Each fall, Volunteer NH recognizes nominees with Volunteer Service Awards & Volunteer Champion Awards, as well as a recent addition, a People’s Choice Award. While all relevant nominees are invited to attend the Spirit of NH Awards ceremony, one nominee from each subcategory is selected to receive an Outstanding Volunteer Service/Champion Award, and one winner is selected to receive the top honor of the night, the Spirit of NH Award.
Volunteer Champion Awards recognize outstanding volunteer initiatives that provide the infrastructure for volunteers to be successful in their service. Awards in the Volunteer Champion category recognize excellent program management, fund development efforts that sustain volunteer programs, and commitment of time/resources to engage employees in community volunteer roles.
Volunteer Service Awards recognize individuals and groups who provide volunteer services that strengthen communities and improve the lives of New Hampshire residents. These awards honor outstanding volunteers – or groups of volunteers – who reflect the strong ethic of service and volunteerism in our state.
Volunteer Service Award Subcategories:
- Youth/Young Adult (age 22 and younger)
- Adult (age 23-64)
- Senior (age 65+)
- Group (pair, family, club, or any other group of people who volunteer regularly)
Also eligible for an award in any of the above categories are AmeriCorps volunteers (a person of any age being recognized for their efforts in a National Service program such as AmeriCorps State/National, AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, or Senior Corps)
Volunteer Champion Award Subcategories:
- Business
- Nonprofit/Public Service Organization (including government or military groups)
Check Back Soon for 2023 Spirit Information!
Come back in early 2023 for information on nominations, date, venue, and more!
The Spirit of NH Award
From the Volunteer Service Award category, an individual or a group is selected to be surprised with the Spirit of NH Award. This special award highlights the tremendous impact that volunteers can have. While all award recipients are recognized for their critical role in fostering the tradition of volunteerism, the Spirit of NH Award sets an inspiring tone for future service contributions. The awardee is selected with an anonymous vote by a review committee made up of Volunteer NH’s partners, past recipients/nominators, and community members from across New Hampshire. The recipient first receives a standard (non-”Outstanding”) award in their category, and is then surprised with the Spirit of NH Award at the end of the night.
| Read about all past Spirit winners here |
The People’s Choice Award
Since 2020, Volunteer NH has invited the public to participate in voting for their favorite Spirit nominee to receive the People’s Choice Award. Voting takes place during a set time period and closes during the evening of the event, before the winner is announced.
2021: Clifton West, Co-Founder, Black Lives Matter Seacoast
2020: Ishwori Bhatta, NH Nepali Community
View Past Spirit of NH Awards Information
