Honoring the contributions of our volunteers
Volunteer service and commitment drives the OpenStreetMap project. OpenStreetMap US recognizes eligible volunteers and their impact with the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
About the Award
The President’s Volunteer Service Award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too. OpenStreetMap US is proud to serve as an official certifying organization of the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Eligible and certified volunteers will receive a PVSA Award Package including a personalized Certificate of Achievement and a Congratulatory Letter signed by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Past Awardees
2023-2024 Award Year
- Eric Johnson: Adults Bronze Award
- Daniel Nelson: Young Adults Gold Award
- Lina Gerges: Young Adults Gold Award
2024-2025 Award Year
Eligible service must be completed within a 12-month period between November 1st, 2024 and October 31st, 2025. All service hours must be submitted to OpenStreetMap US by November 7th, 2025 to be considered for the Award Year.
| Age Group[1] | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Lifetime Achievement Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teens (13–15)* | 50–74 hours | 75–99 hours | 100+ hours | 4,000+ hours |
| Young Adults (16–25) | 100–174 hours | 175–249 hours | 250+ hours | 4,000+ hours |
| Adults (26+) | 100–249 hours | 250–499 hours | 500+ hours | 4,000+ hours |
PVSA Volunteer Eligibility
To be eligible to receive the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from OpenStreetMap US, applicants must be:
- An active individual member of OpenStreetMap US at the time of application
- A United States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e. green card holders) [1]
- 13 years or older [2]
- Able to provide documentation on service hours completed within the 12-month period
Eligible Service
- Unpaid acts of volunteer service benefiting others (can be in-person or virtual) [3]
- Service hours should advance the mission of OpenStreetMap US and/or benefit the OpenStreetMap project generally
- Service hours earned in pursuit of higher awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Silver Trefoil) can be used to count towards PVSA minimums if they meet eligibility criteria
- Eligible Service does NOT include: donating funds, political lobbying (non-partisan voter registration is an eligible activity), religious instruction, conducting worship service, proselytizing, volunteer service performed as part of court-ordered community service and serving only family members
Examples of OpenStreetMap-related Service Activities
- Mapping, directly on OSM.org or through tools such as the OpenStreetMap US Tasking Manager
- Coding and development for OpenStreetMap tools and related open source projects
- Participating in OpenStreetMap US working groups and committees
- Volunteering online and in-person for events such as State of the Map US
Tracking Service Hours
Volunteers are expected to track their own volunteer service hours throughout the year. OpenStreetMap US provides a Service Log that volunteers should download and complete. For each activity, the following information will be needed:
- Date of the volunteer service
- Description of activity
- Number of Service Hours
- For reporting mapping hours, changeset information from contributions are required
- For applicants under 18: An adult signature (i.e. teacher, parent, club advisor) is required
Applicants may print out a hard copy of the log to track volunteer work by hand throughout the year, but the submitted version must be typed into a copy of the spreadsheet.
Reporting Service Hours
Volunteers should submit their service log by accessing the “President’s Volunteer Service Award Submission” page within the OSM US membership portal and uploading a copy of the log once per award year.
Eligible service is determined by the guidelines set by the President’s Volunteer Service Award Program and OpenStreetMap US staff. Once submitted, OpenStreetMap US will review your application and email your third party signatories if needed. You will be notified of your award status by OpenStreetMap US within 5 weeks of submission. Please allow up to 6 months to receive your certificate, as OSM US staff orders them twice yearly.
FAQs
1. Is any pre-registration required to be eligible for this award?
No registration is required prior to completion of service hours or reporting service hours.
2. I am not a US citizen or I am a US citizen living outside of the country, am I eligible?
Please refer to the national PVSA eligibility requirements to determine your eligibility.
3. I have documented service hours eligible for the Lifetime Achievement Award. How do I submit?
Please reach out to us directly at volunteer@openstreetmap.us
4. I just learned about this program and it’s part way through the annual cycle. Can I use hours previously completed?
Yes, as long as you can meet the reporting requirements for those hours, you can report any eligible volunteer hours completed within the Award Year.
Other questions?
If you do have questions, feel free to email volunteer@openstreetmap.us.
[1] This is a requirement made by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation; OpenStreetMap US cannot make exceptions for non-US residents or citizens.
[2] While children aged 5-12 are eligible for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, OpenStreetMap US is not able to award service hours to this age range at this time.
[3] OpenStreetMap contributors often wear many hats - contributing both through their employment and on their volunteer time. If necessary, OpenStreetMap US may request additional documentation from your employer that documented activities were not compensated.
