The Jefferson Cup was last awarded in 2019 when longtime House of Delegates Speaker William J. Howell was honored.
VACo seeks nominations for this year’s Jefferson Cup Award to be presented at the November 12-14 Annual Conference. Please submit nominations to Dean Lynch at dlynch@vaco.org.
Click here for a list of Jefferson Cup recipients. Below is a brief history of the Jefferson Cup as well as criteria for award recipients.
On October 25, 1964 at The League of Virginia Counties Executive Board Meeting – The Committee that had been appointed by President Stuart T. DeBell of Fairfax County to study methods and procedures for recognizing outstanding programs, contributions and achievements in local government, reported. The Committee recommended the establishment of an award for outstanding contributions and achievements in local government to be made at the discretion of an Awards Committee in a presentation at the Annual Meeting. The Committee further recommended that the Jefferson Cup suitably engraved to set on a wooden base be adopted as the award. The award was to be called THE JEFFERSON CUP AWARD.
Criteria established for award recipients
1. Any individual who has made an outstanding contribution to local government may be a recipient of the Award.
2. Any local government which has participated in an outstanding local government activity may be a recipient.
3. The Award is to be made at the Annual Meeting of VACo but may not necessarily be made each year.
4. Nominations are to be made to the Awards Committee by August 15 of each year prior to the Annual Meeting.
5. Any additional rules, regulations, standards can be adopted by the Awards Committee.