Kenneth J. Miller Founder's Award
Celebrating Leadership And Volunteer Service
One of the founders of Water For People, Kenneth J. Miller exemplified the value of volunteer service.
The Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award was established in 2001 by the Water For People Board of Directors to honor outstanding volunteers. After a distinguished career of national and local service, Ken Miller passed away in June 2010 and the award was renamed in his memory. He embodied self-sacrificing volunteer service and his vision for a world in which everyone has lasting access to safe, reliable water and sanitation services continues to be an inspiration. Today, the Miller Award is presented annually to exceptional volunteers selected by Water For People Committees and Workplace Giving partners.
Please join us on Monday, June 2 at: 10 AM Pacific/11 AM Mountain/12 PM Central/ 1 PM Eastern for the virtual Award Celebration.
View the Ceremony Program
Kenneth J. Miller Founders' Award Nominations are closed for 2024-25
Award Timeline
- Award Cycle: June 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025
- Winner Forms Due: March 31, 2025
- Winner Presented Pin By: April 4, 2025
Criteria
- An individual can only receive the Miller Award once. Please reach out if you have questions about the eligibility of your winner.
- Committees choose one winner per award cycle.
- Workplace Giving partners choose one winner per award cycle (per company, not office).
Nominations for 2025-26 will open in July 2025. For more information and eligibility, please reach out to us.
History
The Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award was established in 2001 by the Board of Directors of Water For People to honor outstanding volunteer service to the cause of safe water and sanitation around the world.
From its beginnings, Water For People was envisioned to be a volunteer effort of the North American water and wastewater communities. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) leaders who organized Water For People believed that water professionals throughout North America would recognize the urgent need to support such a cause by contributing their financial assistance, organizational skills, and professional expertise. Local groups of water and sanitation professionals launched hundreds of active programs in support of Water For People. As the organization grew and began to accomplish its vision of service, it became evident that extraordinary volunteer efforts were being made at the local level and that this dedicated work needed to be publicly acknowledged and honored.
The search for a model individual to exemplify the value of volunteer service and to underscore the importance of this award led immediately to Kenneth J. Miller of Denver, Colorado, one of the founders of Water For People and its first president.
