Volunteer Community of the Year
Your community is already doing the work. Let us help Arkansas recognize it!
EngageAR Volunteer Community of the Year Award
Across Arkansas, municipalities are building stronger communities through volunteerism, community partnerships, and civic engagement. The Volunteer Community of the Year Award recognizes Arkansas municipalities that address the community’s greatest needs through city-led citizen engagement initiatives. This annual recognition honors Arkansas municipalities that demonstrate strong civic engagement, volunteerism, and community collaboration.
Award categories include:
- Best City (20,000 people or more)
- Best Mid-Sized Town (5-20,000 people)
- Best Small Town (5,000 people or less)
- Most Innovative Community
- Most Sustainable Community
- Most Resilient Community
- Most Youth Engagement
Winning communities receive:
- Highway Recognition Signs
- Civic Engagement Award Funding ($1,250 – $5,000)
- Statewide Recognition during Arkansas Municipal League Winter Conference
Position your community for recognition! If your municipality is building connections, creating opportunities, and improving the quality of your community, now is the time to tell that story.
Nominations for the 44th Volunteer Community of the Year Award open Friday, August 21, 2026, with the nomination period closing on Friday, October 23.
Award Guidelines & Eligibility
Nomination applications should describe community-wide, city-led citizen engagement initiatives within a 12-month period from September 1 to August 31.
To be eligible, the community initiatives in the nomination must be spearheaded by the municipal staff and elected officials.
Application Requirements
- Complete Volunteer Community of the Year Nomination form
- 50-word executive summary of your project.
- Typed, double-spaced entry with no more than five pages describing the municipally developed volunteer project.
- Clear connection between your project and at least one of the award categories listed.
- (Optional) Up to 3 support materials for your volunteer project, which may include articles, photographs, and community letters.
Nomination Guidelines
Nomination applications should describe community-wide, city-led citizen engagement initiatives within a 12-month period from September 1 to August 31.
Eligible Submissions
- Community-wide volunteer initiatives
- Partnerships between municipalities and local organizations
- Programs with measurable impact
- Stories supported by examples and outcomes
- Ongoing community engagement efforts
- Volunteer initiatives spearheaded by municipalities
Ineligible Submissions
- Single-day events without broader impact described
- Individual recognition submissions
- Initiatives driven by nonprofit organizations rather than municipalities
Award Categories
Best City (20,000 people or more)
These municipalities demonstrate sustained, strategic leadership in engaging residents to improve their quality of life through civic action, touching one or more of the categories for the Volunteer Community of the Year Award.
Best Mid-Sized Town (5-20,000 people)
These municipalities demonstrate sustained, strategic leadership in engaging residents to improve their quality of life through civic action, touching one or more of the categories for the Volunteer Community of the Year Award.
Best Small Town (5,000 people or less)
These municipalities demonstrate sustained, strategic leadership in engaging residents to improve their quality of life through civic action, touching one or more of the categories for the Volunteer Community of the Year Award.
Most Innovative Community
Recognizes a municipality that demonstrates originality and creativity in designing, promoting, and delivering volunteer programs. Innovation may include new models of engagement, use of technology, or fresh approaches to solving civic problems through volunteer action.
Most Sustainable Community
Recognizes a municipality that uses volunteer service as a tool for long-term environmental, economic, or social sustainability. This award honors local governments that embed sustainability goals into their volunteer strategy.
Most Resilient Community
Recognizes a municipality that has shown remarkable ability to adapt and recover from crises by mobilizing volunteers under municipal leadership. This includes responses to natural disasters, economic shifts, or public health challenges.
Most Youth Engagement
Recognizes a municipality that actively involves young people in volunteer service, promoting leadership, civic education, and a lifelong ethic of service through programs initiated or coordinated by the city.
Why Should I Nominate My Community?
Communities invest countless hours creating programs, supporting volunteers, building partnerships, and improving quality of life.
The VCOY Award provides an opportunity to:
- Showcase your community’s achievements
- Celebrate the people driving local change
- Strengthen community pride
- Attract new partnerships and opportunities
- Stand out among municipalities across Arkansas
- Demonstrate measurable community impact
Winning communities become examples for other municipalities, demonstrating what is possible when local government, volunteers, partners, and residents work together toward a common goal.
Previous Award Winners
- 2024 Award Recipients: Best City, Maumelle; Best Town, Keo; Most Innovative, Siloam Springs (City) and Leslie (Town); Most Sustainable, Fayetteville; Most Resilient, Calico Rock; Most Youth Engagement, Piggott.
- 2023 Award Recipients: Bentonville, Crossett, Fairfield Bay, Fayetteville, Keo, Maumelle, Van Buren
- 2022 Award Recipients: Bentonville, Etowah, Fayetteville, Lonoke, Mulberry, West Memphis
- 2021 Award Recipients: Fayetteville, Maumelle, North Little Rock, Osceola, Siloam Springs, Vilonia, West Memphis
- 2020 Award Recipients: All municipalities in the state were recognized for their outstanding response efforts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2019 Award Recipients: Alma, Eureka Springs, Fairfield Bay, Fayetteville, Greenbrier, Jonesboro, Osceola, Van Buren
- 2018 Award Recipients: Fairfield Bay, Greenbrier, Russellville, Van Buren
Award History
The Arkansas Volunteer Community of the Year Awards, co-sponsored by the Governor’s Advisory Commission on National Service and Volunteerism (Engage Arkansas) and the Arkansas Municipal League, have honored over 130 Arkansas communities demonstrating exceptional citizen engagement by addressing critical local needs over the past 43 years.
Whether through innovative projects, sustainable practices, resilience in the face of challenges, or meaningful youth engagement initiatives, these awards celebrate local government dedication to service and citizen engagement.
FAQ
Who can submit a nomination?
Nominations are open to the public; however, the strongest nominations typically come from municipal staff, community partners, volunteers, and local leaders who can speak to a community’s impact, partnerships, and civic engagement efforts.
When does the nomination period open?
Nominations for the 2026 Volunteer Community of the Year Awards open Friday, August 21, and close Friday, October 23.
What types of volunteer efforts are considered?
The Volunteer Community of the Year Award recognizes communities that demonstrate a strong culture of service and civic engagement. Eligible efforts may include:
- Community volunteer programs
- Beautification and cleanup initiatives
- Youth engagement and leadership projects
- Partnerships with nonprofits and civic organizations
- Community events powered by volunteers
- Programs that improve the quality of life, public spaces, or local services
- Collaborative efforts between residents, businesses, schools, and local government
What makes a strong VCOY Application?
Strong applications tell a clear story about how a community comes together to create positive change. This isn’t about having the largest budget or population. It’s about showing how your community’s made a difference! The strongest submissions typically include:
- Examples of volunteer-driven initiatives
- Meaningful partnerships and collaboration
- Demonstrated community impact
- Resident engagement and participation
- Specific outcomes, accomplishments, or success stories
- Photos, testimonials, or supporting materials when available
What resources and tools can I use to help?
What do winners receive?
- Highway Recognition Signs: Two official Volunteer Community of the Year signs displayed at city entry points (Courtesy of the Arkansas Highway Commission)
- Civic Engagement Award Funding: Award funds range from $1,250 to $5,000 and are to be reinvested in local volunteer and community initiatives.
- Statewide Recognition: Recognition among Arkansas municipal leaders during the Arkansas Municipal League January Winter Conference (Dates TBD)
If you have any remaining questions about the Volunteer Community of the Year Award after reviewing the FAQ, please reach out via the contact form.
