• A nominee must be a resident of Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
• A nominee must also be in good standing ethically and possess a strong sense of integrity and good character.
• Nominees are generally individuals who are not typically in the limelight but who perform valuable public service at the community level.
• If the nominee is connected to a Spartanburg County nonprofit organization through paid employment, the individual must demonstrate community impact beyond the scope of their job.

While you may nominate yourself for the award, most nominations are submitted by a friend or colleague of the nominee. Many times, the nominee does not know they have been nominated for the award.

Nominations will be accepted through Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Be able to answer the following questions about your nominee –

Innovation

• What new idea(s) did the person bring to fruition to address one or more of the critical community issues facing Spartanburg County.

Community Leadership and Impact

• How did the nominee provide leadership and act as an agent for community change?
• Describe the geographic scope of the project, the impact that has already been achieved, and the long-term projected impact of the nominee’s work.

Civic Participation and Community Engagement

• How has this person demonstrated leadership in working with Spartanburg residents, particularly the grassroots community?
• Civic engagement is defined as individuals working together to make a difference in the community.  Provide two examples of how this nominee was able to engage a broad segment of the community, including the number of people impacted and special accomplishments to solve a specific issue.

Three letters of reference/recommendation are required.

• Letters should speak to the nominee’s work in the community.
• Please submit/upload these letters with the nomination.

Please contact Ashley Whitt by email or phone call 864-582-0138 if you have questions about the letters of recommendation.

The recipient of the Mary L. Thomas Award for Civic Leadership and Community Change receives a physical award and a $5,000 grant to award to the nonprofit organization of their choice, working with the Spartanburg County Foundation.

• A committee reviews all nominations and selects the recipient based upon the award criteria.
• Once a recipient is selected, the nominator is notified by Spartanburg County Foundation staff. Together, they schedule a meeting with the honoree to privately inform them of the award.
•  The award is kept confidential until it is announced at the Spartanburg County Foundation’s Annual Meeting.
• Between the award notification and the Annual Meeting, a short video highlighting the recipient and their work in the community is made. The video is shown when the award is announced at the Annual Meeting.
• The honoree is provided a special seating area during the Annual Meeting where their friends/family may join them.
• The honoree is presented a physical award at the Annual Meeting and is given a few minutes for remarks from the stage. At this time, the award recipient may announce the nonprofit organization they have chosen to receive the $5,000 grant.

The nomination process is managed online through the GoApply portal where you’ll click “register a new account” to start the process.

• You will register as an individual.
• Once you have an account, Click “opportunities” at the top of the page. The opportunity name is 2026 Mary L. Thomas Award for Civic Leadership and Community Change. Click “view” to begin.
• If you think you already have an account, but aren’t sure, reach out to Hailey Barnhill. Do not register a new account with an email you’ve previously used.

Nomination FAQ’s