The Culture of Good Community Impact Awards recognize businesses, nonprofit organizations, and teams across the United States that are making a meaningful difference in their communities.

These national awards celebrate organizations that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to giving back through employee volunteerism, charitable initiatives, community partnerships, and sustainable impact.

We believe that doing good deserves to be recognized, regardless of the size of your organization or the resources available to you.

The awards are open to U.S.-based for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations of all sizes.

Whether you're a small business supporting your local community, a growing organization engaging employees in meaningful service, or a large company creating widespread impact, we want to recognize the good you're doing.

Organizations can apply in their appropriate size category, and individual teams may also apply for recognition.

There are four award categories for 2027:

• Small Organization: Up to 250 employees

• Medium Organization: 251–999 employees

• Large Organization: 1,000 or more employees

• Team Award: Individual teams, departments, stores, or locations making an outstanding community impact

Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations are eligible. Multiple winners may be recognized within each category.

New for 2027, the Team Award recognizes individual teams, departments, stores, or locations that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to making a difference in their communities.

This award celebrates groups of employees who take initiative, work together, and create meaningful community impact through volunteerism, giving, and service.

It's an opportunity to recognize the people within an organization who are going above and beyond to do good.

Yes! An organization may submit two or more applications for recognition of its overall community impact and also nominate a deserving team, department, store, or location for the Team Award.

Each application should highlight the specific impact of the organization or nominated team.

Applications open Monday, October 26, 2026, in recognition of National Make a Difference Day, and close Wednesday, March 31, 2027.

All applications must be submitted by the deadline to be considered for the 2027 awards.

Application fees are based on organization size or award category:

• Small Organization (up to 250 employees): $250

• Medium Organization (251–999 employees): $500

• Large Organization (1,000+ employees): $750

• Team Award (team, department, store, or location): $250

Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations are eligible. The Team Award has a flat $250 application fee, regardless of the size of the parent organization.

There are no additional required fees if selected as a winner.

Complete the online application and share the story of the impact your organization has made in its community.

You'll be asked to provide basic information, answer four community impact questions, and upload supporting materials.

We encourage you to be specific, share meaningful stories, and include measurable results whenever possible.escription

Item descEvery application includes three questions designed to highlight how your organization or team is making a meaningful difference in your community.

Question 1: Employee Participation

How has your organization or team inspired and engaged employees to actively give back and make a difference in your community?

500-word maximum

Question 2: Community Impact

What meaningful impact has your organization or team made in your community over the past year?

500-word maximum

Question 3: Partnerships & Sustainability

How has your organization or team collaborated with others to strengthen your community impact and create lasting change?

500-word maximum

We encourage applicants to share specific examples, meaningful stories, and measurable results whenever possible.

Community impact comes in many forms. Eligible initiatives may include employee volunteerism, charitable giving, nonprofit partnerships, education programs, environmental sustainability, food insecurity initiatives, health and wellness efforts, neighborhood improvement projects, and other activities that strengthen communities.

Whether your efforts impact a small neighborhood or communities across the country, what matters is the meaningful difference you're making.

Yes. Applicants should be prepared to upload their organization logo and up to three photos that illustrate their community impact.

Photos of volunteer projects, employee involvement, community partnerships, or the people and causes you support are encouraged.

Yes! You can pause your application and return to complete it later.

We encourage applicants to begin early to allow enough time to gather impact stories, photos, and supporting information before the March 31 deadline.

Applications are evaluated using three criteria:

1. Employee Participation: How employees are inspired, engaged, and involved in making a difference in their communities.

2. Community Impact: The meaningful difference created through the organization's or team's efforts.

3. Partnerships & Sustainability: The relationships and collaborations that strengthen community impact and how those efforts create lasting change.

Each criterion is scored on a scale of 1 to 5, for a maximum possible score of 15 points.

Applications receiving a total score of 12 to 15 points qualify for recognition as a Community Impact Award winner.

Unlike traditional award programs that select only one winner per category, we recognize multiple deserving organizations and teams that meet our judging standards.

We believe community impact isn't a competition. Every applicant who earns 12 or more points out of 15 qualifies for recognition, regardless of how many other organizations receive an award.

No. There is no finalist stage for the 2027 Community Impact Awards.

All applications are reviewed and scored based on the three judging criteria. Those meeting the winning score requirements are selected for recognition.

Not at all!

Community impact looks different for every organization. A small business supporting a neighborhood nonprofit can make just as meaningful a difference as a national company coordinating volunteer efforts across multiple locations.

We evaluate applications based on the impact made, employee involvement, partnerships, and sustainability, not simply the size of an organization's budget or the number of people served.

Winners will be notified privately on Friday, April 30, 2027.

Selected organizations will receive information about their award recognition and next steps.

The official announcement of the 2027 Community Impact Award winners will take place on Wednesday, May 12, 2027, Community Impact Day.

Winners will be asked to keep their recognition confidential until the public announcement.

Receiving a Community Impact Award is an opportunity to celebrate your people, recognize your commitment to giving back, and inspire others to make a difference.

Benefits include:

• National recognition for your community impact

• Recognition of employees and leaders who make giving back possible

• A digital award badge for your website, social media, and communications

• Digital promotional resources to help share your achievement

• Opportunities to increase visibility for your community impact initiatives

• A meaningful way to strengthen employee pride and your culture of giving back

Absolutely! Winners are encouraged to celebrate their recognition through social media, websites, press releases, employee communications, and other marketing channels.

Winning organizations receive digital resources to help share their achievements and recognize the people behind their impact.

We also encourage winners to tag @CultureOfGood so we can help celebrate and amplify their stories.

No. The application fee is the only required cost.

Optional award-related products like trophies or services may be offered separately, but there are no additional required fees for receiving your award recognition.

Yes! Previous Community Impact Award winners are welcome to apply again.

We encourage returning applicants to highlight new initiatives, continued progress, and the ways their community impact has grown over the past year.

Absolutely! Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations are eligible.

The Community Impact Awards recognize organizations that demonstrate a commitment to serving their communities, engaging their people, and creating meaningful change.

We're happy to help!

Whether you have questions about eligibility, the application process, or how to best share your community impact story, our team is available to assist you.

Schedule a call: https://calendly.com/ryanmccarty/community-impact-awards

Visit www.cultureofgood.com and follow Culture of Good on social media for application reminders, important announcements, and inspiring stories from organizations making a difference.