Impact Award Categories

Submitted projects will be evaluated based on their impact, feasibility, innovation, and level of community engagement. A panel of judges will review each project, and winners will be announced at the annual Impact Awards ceremony. The school must submit an Impact Award application to be considered for these additional prizes.

Please see below for the Impact Awards categories. Schools will select which categories they would like to submit their project for when completing the Impact Awards application in the spring. Schools can submit their projects to multiple categories, unless otherwise noted below.

Community Partner Awards (3)
First Place: $20,000, Second Place: $10,000, Third Place: $5,000

Description: These awards recognize the projects that worked with community partners in a significant way, whether establishing relationships with a multitude of community partners or working strategically with one community partner to strengthen their project's impact. Please Note: If PSA determines that community partners provided substantial resources beyond the initial funding to drive the project's outcome, your submission may be limited to the community partner and people's choice awards. Projects will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Legacy Builders Awards (3)
First Place: $20,000, Second Place: $10,000, Third Place: $5,000

Description: We want to recognize the projects that are creating sustainable change for the city. Projects submitted to this category can be new ideas for 2025-2026 or continuations of a school's previous year's project. Please Note: If you are building upon last year's project, this is the only category you will be eligible for.

Safer, Cleaner, Greener Awards (3)
First Place: $20,000, Second Place: $10,000, Third Place: $5,000

Description: These awards honor the projects that help make Philadelphia safer, cleaner, greener, or all 3! These projects will need to demonstrate how they improved the city in one or more of the following ways.

The Innovation Awards (3)
First Place: $20,000, Second Place: $10,000, Third Place: $5,000

Description: The Innovation Awards will celebrate creative new initiatives that think outside of the box to make a better Philly. These awards recognize the entrepreneurial minds who are paving the way for the future of service projects.

Please Note: 95% of the prize money must be utilized for improvements and programs within the winning school. If a school wants to support its community partner(s), no more than 5% of the award money can be allocated.