The King's Award for Voluntary Service

Overview

Every day, millions of people across the UK are making a difference by volunteering. Each year, outstanding examples of this work are celebrated through the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS).

Created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from all across the UK for many years.

Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest Award given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.

The King's Award for Voluntary Service is for:

• Groups that are truly outstanding and making a big difference to their local community.
• Groups where volunteers, rather than paid staff, are in the driving seat.
• Groups that have highest standards in everything they do.

Eligibility

The group cannot nominate themselves, they must be nominated by someone else.

The nominator must:

• be a member of the public with a good knowledge of the group’s work (such as a beneficiary or long-term supporter)
• be able to supply two separate letters of support from two additional people who know the group well

The nominator must not:

• be a volunteer, employee or trustee of the group, or in any way involved with the running of the organisation

They need to ensure that nominators are independent, and members of the group cannot nominate themselves. This is very important, as KAVS is a national Honour.

Group eligibility criteria

KAVS awards are intended for groups that are led by volunteers and provide a benefit for local communities.

The group must:

• be made up of three or more people
• be based in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• have been in operation for at least three years before nomination
• have over half its volunteers eligible to reside in the UK
• be led by volunteers, not by paid staff; over half its members should be volunteers
• provide a specific and direct benefit to the local community

The group must not:

• have been nominated for a QAVS/KAVS award in the past 3 years
• have already received a QAVS/KAVS award
• operate as a national organisation, as QAVS/KAVS is aimed at local volunteer groups
• have fundraising or grant making as its primary focus
• be based within or in support of a public service, unless they have a separate identity from the public service organisation
• operate solely for the benefit of animals, unless it can demonstrate that its work provides significant other benefits to the local community (for example, therapy pets)

Additional Guidance:

Specific and direct local benefit

Groups must provide direct benefits to a community through their work, for example, directly supporting disabled people. Groups will be considered ineligible where their sole purpose is to support one or more other groups that provide these direct benefits. This is why fundraising and grant-giving organisations are specifically excluded as listed above.

Please note, groups that raise funds might be considered if their activities have a significant beneficial impact on the wider community beyond fundraising (for example, by hosting a major event or providing a significant local service).

National organisations

A group can be nominated if it is a branch of, or affiliated to, a larger regional or national organisation. However, it will be expected to have initiated and developed a distinctive approach locally and be able to show a high degree of autonomy and self-determination (for example, a local scout group).

Groups supporting a public service

Groups based within or in support of a public service (such as a hospital, police force or school) are eligible, but you will need to be able to demonstrate that:

• the group has a separate identity from the statutory organisation and is clearly under the leadership of volunteers, rather than simply following instructions from paid staff in the organisation
• the group is an established, long-term volunteer group with its own unique identity and a governance structure, rather than being part of a wider scheme or a school-led volunteering initiative

Nominating

The first step of making a nomination is to set up a nominator account. This is so they have a record of who is making the nomination and can get in touch.

You can then complete the nomination form and submit the two letters of support.

Letters of support

Nominators must submit two separate letters of support from two additional people who know the organisation well. As it often takes time to obtain these, they recommend requesting these as soon you complete the eligibility questionnaire.

Letters must not be written by a volunteer, employee, trustee or anyone involved with the running of the group. Letters from patrons, for example, supporter or funder, are acceptable, as long as they have no involvement with the management and operation of the group.

The letters play a very important part in the assessment process. They are looking for letters that bring the work and impact of the group to life, so a letter from someone who knows their work well. For example, a letter from a beneficiary or member of the community would be ideal, rather than your local MP or Mayor unless they have detailed knowledge of the group’s work and impact.

Writers should provide factual detail to support their message of endorsement, as this provides extra evidence for assessors.

These letters should state the following:

1. The impact of the group on the local community
2. What the volunteers in the group do and why they are special
3. The relationship of the supporter to the group, including the reason for the endorsement

Only two letters can be submitted. Each should be from a different individual.

Click here to view a list of all awardees.