Local winners come from national networks of "Media Partners" and "Corporate Champions", from the associated "Students In Action", Lead360, and the GlobeChangers programs.
[4] The awards are presented each year during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., where a broad array of honorees are recognized.
Also recognized are organizations – companies that represent the pinnacle in corporate citizenship and academic institutions that best reflect the Jeffersonian ideals of citizen involvement.
The Jefferson Awards are led by the Board of Selectors who choose the national winners and oversee the activities of the organization.
[citation needed] The Jefferson Awards Foundation is a non-profit organization that "recognizes, inspires and activates volunteerism and public service in communities, workplaces and schools across America."