Submitting a nomination ┃ Who you can nominate ┃ Nomination forms ┃ After your submission ┃ Contact us
Award nominations for 2026 are now open
Do you know a volunteer or volunteer program making an outstanding contribution in the Boroondara community?
Nominate them for our:
- Volunteer of the Year
- Volunteer Program Innovation and Inclusion Award
- Volunteer Years of Service Award – our new award for volunteers who have contributed to the same organisation for milestone years of 20, 30, 40 or 50 years.
Submitting a nomination
You must provide the contacts details of the volunteer you’re nominating or a key contact at the volunteer group or program you’re nominating.
- You will also need to provide the contacts details of at least one referee who is familiar with the work, contribution and achievements of the person or volunteer group you’re nominating. You will need permission from them before submitting your nomination.
- You can attach one or 2 documents to support your nomination. For example: certificates of achievements or recognition or photos of the volunteer or volunteer group you’re nominating.
- When responding to questions in the nomination form, maximum character limits apply for each response.
- You may be contacted by our Civic Awards Assessment Panel or the Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre team if they require any further information to support your nomination.
Before you begin the nomination form, please have all your information ready.
Who you can nominate
This award acknowledges a volunteer who has made a positive impact in the local community.
To submit a nomination in this category, the person you’re nominating must meet the following criteria.
The person you’re nominating:
- must be an Australian resident
- must volunteer in the City of Boroondara for a not-for-profit organisation
- can’t be a current serving Councillor or Council officer of the City of Boroondara
- can’t be an award recipient (winner or special commendation) at the Boroondara Volunteer Awards during the past 6 years (2020-2025 inclusive). If they were nominated but didn’t receive an award, they can be nominated this year.
This award recognises organisations that design innovative and inclusive approaches to volunteer engagement.
The award celebrates programs that:
- respond to community needs
- welcome volunteers from diverse cultural backgrounds, ages and abilities
- demonstrate best practice by creating new or improved ways of involving volunteers in services and community programs.
To submit a nomination in this category, the program or service you’re nominating must meet the following criteria:
- must be associated with a not-for-profit organisation or community group that involves volunteers
- must be based in the City of Boroondara
- must benefit people who live, work or study in the City of Boroondara
- can’t be an award recipient (winner or special commendation) at the Boroondara Volunteer Awards for the same program or project during the past 6 years (2020-2025 inclusive). If they were nominated but didn’t receive an award, they can be nominated this year.
We've introduced this new category in 2026 to recognise the ongoing contributions of long-standing volunteers.
The person you’re nominating:
- must be an Australian resident
- must volunteer in the City of Boroondara for a not-for-profit organisation
- must have volunteered with the same organisation or program in Boroondara for over 20 years, 30 years, 40 years or 50 years
- can’t be a current serving Councillor or Council officer of the City of Boroondara.
After you submit your nomination
The Boroondara Civic Awards Assessment Panel will then review the nominations.
The panel may seek more information about your nomination by contacting you or the referees you’ve listed in the nomination form.
If you submit a nomination, the Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre will contact you in late April or early May to let you know the outcome of your nomination. They will also contact everyone who received a nomination to let them know the outcome of their nomination.
Award recipients are presented with a certificate at a celebration event during National Volunteer Week in May 2026. The awards are honorary and there are no official or obligatory duties required by award recipients during the year.
