The 2026 Mayoral Service Recognition Program: Impact Awards
The Mayoral Service Recognition Impact Awards celebrate outstanding volunteer initiatives across New York City. These awards recognize organizations, businesses, and residents whose service strengthens communities through the power of collective action.
- Spirit of the City Award: Recognizes an individual (21 or older) whose exceptional service has made a meaningful impact on their community and inspired others to take action.
- AmeriCorps Alum Impact Award: Honors an AmeriCorps alum who continues to embody the spirit of “Getting Things Done” through community service beyond their term of service.
- Community Impact Award: Celebrates an organization that strategically addresses city or community needs through innovative volunteer engagement.
- Partnership Impact Award: Recognizes a collaborative effort between an organization and a business that came together in service to a community.
- Youth Impact Award: Honors an individual or group of young people whose service has produced a tangible community impact.
Nominations will close on February 20th 2026 at 5pm.
Review and Selection Process
All eligible applications are reviewed by an internal NYC Service committee. The highest-scoring applications in each category advance as finalists.
Finalists are then presented for a public vote, allowing New Yorkers across all five boroughs to show support for their preferred nominees. Public voting results are incorporated into a final review conducted by the internal committee.
The top-scoring finalist in each category is selected as the award recipient. Please note: all awardees are subject to final vetting prior to award distribution.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for any Impact Award, nominees must:
- Have completed a volunteer project within New York City during calendar year 2025
- The majority of the project activities must have occurred in 2025.
- Address a defined community need or city priority
Additional criteria for specific awards:
AmeriCorps Alum Impact Award
- Completion of an AmeriCorps service term prior to the volunteer project
- Project must be unaffiliated with the nominee’s AmeriCorps service
Spirit of the City Award
- Nominee must be 21 years of age or older at project completion
Youth Impact Award
- Nominee must be under 21 years of age at project completion
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a nominee be submitted for more than one award?
A: Yes. Individuals or groups may be nominated for multiple awards for which they are eligible; however, a nominee may only receive one award.
Q: Can multiple people nominate the same individual or group?
A: Yes. Multiple nominations for the same nominee are permitted and will be reviewed through the standard selection process.
Q: Who may submit a nomination?
A: Any individual with an established relationship to the nominee may submit a nomination, including peers, mentors, supervisors, educators, family members, or the nominee themselves.
Important Notice
All nominations must be submitted through the official online form available on this page. Submissions sent through other formats will not be accepted.
For preparation purposes, a downloadable Word version of each nomination form is available below. These documents may be used to draft responses prior to final online submission.
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