The Fairfax County Citizen of the Year Award

Purpose of the Award:

Recognize and honor those citizens whose voluntary contributions of time and talent have resulted in major accomplishments that have enhanced the quality of life for citizens of Fairfax County.

Process:

The Fairfax County Citizen of the Year Award is sponsored by the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations and other civic-minded organizations in Fairfax County. Each year, a selection committee of county-wide organizations meets to review nominations for the Federation's "Citizen of the Year" and Citation(s) of Merit. The winners are honored at our annual banquet, scheduled in the spring.

Eligibility for both the Citizen of the Year Award and the Citation of Merit:

• Nominee must be a current resident of Fairfax County.
• The Citizen of the Year is recognized for voluntary acts that are not related to employment.
• Elected officials and full-time County or Commonwealth employees are ineligible for consideration if their contributions are related to their full-time positions.

Criteria:

• Contributions and accomplishments must have countywide rather than local significance.
• The nominee's achievements can be either:
  • General, such as multi-year community service with one or more organizations or activities with cumulative impact over the years of current importance or with positive implications for the future, or
  • Specific, including intense efforts as the major promoter of a single program or project completed in a finite period of time.

Special Gratitude Awards:

• Although elected officials and full-time County or Commonwealth employees are ineligible for consideration as Citizen of the Year or Citation of Merit honorees if their contributions are related to their full-time positions, they may be considered for Special Gratitude Awards.
• Persons whose contributions of time and talent resulted in major accomplishments that have enhanced the quality of life for citizens of Fairfax County, who do not meet the published eligibility standards for the Citizen of the Year consideration, may be honored by Federation Special Gratitude Awards
• Non-residents and deceased residents who have otherwise qualified for the Citizen of the Year Award may also be nominated for a Special Gratitude Award.
• Please submit information about these nominees on the form below, indicating that this is a Special Gratitude Awards.