National and council awards are a great way to make your fellow volunteers feel appreciated! Know a special someone who has gone above and beyond for Girl Scouts? Then make sure to nominate them for one of the awards listed below.
Any Girl Scout troop, service unit, council, or individual can nominate a volunteer for an award. There are also awards available at the service unit and troop level!
How to Nominate a Volunteer
Learn about the awards by reviewing the National & Council Awards Packet. Then check the past awardee list (tab 1: last year’s recipients, tab 2: complete list) to see awards your candidate may have already earned. Here are some tips for how to write a strong nomination.
Complete and submit the online nomination form.
Recruit an additional person to complete and submit the online Letter of Endorsement and recruit the other individuals signing the letter of endorsement.
June 30th is the due date for Nominations and Letters of Endorsement for fall recognition events!
Award Descriptions
Additional details and full criteria for each award can be found in the National & Council Awards Packet.
National Awards
| Appreciation Pin | For outstanding service to at least one community. |
| Honor Pin | For outstanding service to two or more communities. |
| Thanks Badge | For outstanding service that benefits the entire council or Girl Scout Movement. |
| Thanks Badge II | For outstanding service council-wide or beyond having already received the Thanks Badge. |
| President’s Award | Recognizes a service unit team or group who surpasses team goals to result in a significant, measurable impact toward reaching the council’s overall goals. |
Council Awards
| Alliance Award | Recognizes an organization or business that has developed a council-wide alliance that facilitates Girl Scouting on a significant level. |
| Chris Arkley Significant Impact Award | For continued outstanding service for 3 years after receiving the Appreciation Pin. |
| Dennis Chew Outstanding Fundraiser Award | For promoting and expanding business and community support and contributions to Girl Scouts of Northern California. |
| Heritage Award | For promoting the history of Girl Scouts, through artifact preservation, restoration, sharing and/or by planning and attending heritage events/programs. |
| Outdoor Trailblazer Award | For providing outdoor experiences for girls. |
| Phyllis Jones Amistad Award | For commitment to diversity and inclusion through significantly increasing the number of diverse Girl Scouts in a troop, service unit, outreach program, or camp over a period of time. |
| Maud Whalen Continued Exceptional Service Award | For continued exceptional service after receiving the Honor Pin. |
| Eleanor L. Thomas Exemplary Leadership Award | For being an exceptional role model for girls and other adults and by having an extraordinarily profound impact on girls’ lives through her/his empowerment of those girls. |
| Ruth Robertson Commitment to Excellence Award | For demonstrating long-term commitment to the Girl Scout organization through at least ten years of service. |
| Circle of Empowerment Award | For empowering others to deliver the Girl Scout mission by providing support, guidance, and professional development to other Girl Scout adults. |
Additional Recognition
Those celebrating 30 years and above for the GSUSA Numeral Guard and Volunteer Years of Service Award are recognized at Fall Adult Recognition Events Pins are in 5 or 10 year increments. Those eligible for a pin should fill out the form by June 30 to be recognized at council recognition events in the fall.
“On My Honor” – Due to changing registrations systems over the years, we are unable to look up membership and volunteer years at the GSUSA or Council level. These two pins are self-reported and don’t require a formal nomination.
For Questions, contact Lauren Uda, Associate Director of Volunteer Support, at Luda@gsnorcal.org.