Voices for Virginia’s Children is excited to open the nomination period for the 2025 Amplify Awards—a celebration honoring individuals and organizations across Virginia who are making powerful contributions to advocacy, equity, and systems change for young people and their families.

This year’s awards ceremony will be held on the morning of October 23, 2025, at UMFS in Downtown Richmond. We’re looking for changemakers whose work needs to be uplifted —those who are helping to shift narratives, influence policy, build community power, and improve outcomes for young people across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Who Should Be Nominated?

We welcome nominations of advocates and organizations working in the areas of:

• Public policy and legislative advocacy
• Public awareness and education
• Program development or implementation
• Grassroots organizing and coalition building
• Direct service/community work
• Research, evaluation, or data analysis
• Civic engagement and community leadership

Please note: Current elected officials and individuals actively running for office are not eligible.

What Honorees Receive:

Selected honorees will be featured in a professionally produced video, pitched to local media and legislative representatives for further recognition, and celebrated in front of a statewide audience of legislative leaders, fellow advocates, and community partners during the Amplify Awards Ceremony with the opportunity to participate in a panel-style conversation. Honorees will also be featured in Voices’ storytelling and promotional efforts throughout the year.

How to Submit a Nomination:

To submit a nomination, please complete the [application form linked below]. You may also choose to submit a brief video in place of a written nomination statement. Videos can be emailed to development@vakids.org after the application is submitted.

Help us shine a light on Virginia’s most passionate advocates—submit your nomination today!

NOMINATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 11:59 PM on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6^th, 2025

Award honorees must demonstrate:

• Efforts focused on promoting positive and equitable outcomes for young people;
• Dedication to young people who have been impacted by systemic injustices
• Work that inspired local, state, or national policy change or informed policy conversations
• High ethical standards; and
• Value for the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Represent issue areas aligned with Voices’ (5) issue areas (Early Care & Education, Child Welfare, Family Economic Security, Health Equity, and Mental Health).

Specific Criteria for the Four Award Categories Include:

Emerging (individual)

• Work/Volunteer in policy/advocacy for no more than five years
• Introduced new approaches that shaped policy or systems change

Established (individual)

• Active work in policy/advocacy for more than 20 years
• Consistent commitment to policies to improve equitable outcomes for children and youth

Youth-Led (organization/group)

• Leader of the effort is not older than 25 years old on October 23, 2025
• Incorporated youth voices and leadership into approach

Healing-Centered (organization/group)

• Internal shifts in practice, recognizing and reflecting trauma to promote healing
• Includes the voices of those directly impacted in shaping organizational approach
• Creates safe and affirming environments where staff, partners, and communities feel seen, heard, and valued 
• Cultivates partnerships rooted in trust, care, and shared power 

NOMINATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 11:59 PM on WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH, 2025

Winners will be announced in mid-late August

SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION BELOW:

This form is currently closed for submissions.

Questions should be directed to development@vakids.org.

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