Nominations for the Bureau of Land Management's 2013 "Making a Difference" National Volunteer Awards
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
January 10, 2013
In Reply Refer To:
1114 (420) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 01/15/2013
Information Bulletin No. 2013-031
To: All Washington Office and Field Office Officials
Attn: Volunteer Coordinators, Resource Program Leads
From: Assistant Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community Partnerships
Subject: Nominations for the Bureau of Land Management's 2013 “Making a Difference” National Volunteer Awards DD: 03/01/2013
We cordially invite your nominations of outstanding volunteers, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Volunteer Coordinators and BLM volunteer supervisors/project organizers for consideration for the BLM’s 2013 “Making a Difference” National Volunteer Awards.
Begun in 1995, the BLM National Volunteer Awards Program acknowledges volunteers and BLM employees involved with the Volunteer Program who have made significant contributions to BLM programs, initiatives, projects, and/or events. Several factors influence the selection of award recipients, including the caliber and extent of their service and the program needs they have filled. Attachment 1 provides eligibility criteria, outlines the nomination process, provides guidelines for preparation of nomination packages, and briefly describes the selection process. Please particularly note the requirement for BLM manager approval of all nominations, with such approval reflected in the cover memo accompanying each nomination packet.
The “Making a Difference” awards are divided into three categories:
• Standard Award – recognition of 2012 accomplishments by individual volunteers or volunteer groups (no set number of awards presented);
• Lifetime Achievement Award – recognition of cumulative accomplishments by individual volunteers or volunteer groups with 10+ years of service to the BLM (no set number of awards presented); and
• Employee Award – recognition of BLM Volunteer Coordinators, BLM volunteer supervisors, or BLM volunteer project organizers (one award presented).
Please note that volunteers and volunteer groups may not be nominated in both the Standard and Lifetime Achievement categories, and that volunteers and BLM employee nominees will be evaluated in two separate groups.
Nomination packages should be submitted, preferably via email, to Linda Schnee of the Division of Education, Interpretation, and Partnerships (lschnee@blm.gov) through the State/Center Volunteer Coordinator (see Attachment 2) by Friday, March 1, 2013. If the State/Center Volunteer Coordinator is a nominee, the State/Center may submit his/her nomination separately and directly. If email is not available, nominations should be sent by FedEx only to:
Linda Schnee, Bureau of Land Management, 20 M Street, SE, Suite 2134, Washington, D.C. 20003.
“Making a Difference” Award winners will be selected in March. Their BLM nominators and State/Center Volunteer Coordinators will be notified of the selections shortly afterwards. Award-winning volunteers and BLM employees will be honored at a special ceremony in May in Washington, D.C. Additional details will be provided to winners and their BLM contacts well in advance.
For information on last year’s “Making a Difference” winners and their accomplishments, please see our Volunteer Intranet page.
If you have questions about the BLM’s “Making a Difference” Volunteer Awards Program or the nomination process, please feel free to contact Linda Schnee at (202) 912-7453 or lschnee@blm.gov. We look forward to learning about your outstanding volunteers.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Carl Rountree Ambyr Fowler
Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance, WO-560
National Landscape Conservation
System and Community Partnerships
2 Attachments
1 – 2013 BLM “Making a Difference” National Volunteer Awards Nomination Criteria and Process (2 pp)
2 – Table of BLM State and Center Volunteer Coordinators (1 p)