By Key Club International Trustee Ghabrielle Rhoden  

What’s the Signature Project Award? It’s your club’s chance to shine! Key Club International recognizes clubs for recurring projects that create positive ripples in communities. Signature projects are service projects or fundraisers that a club conducts at least annually, and for which it has become known in its school and community.  

If your club has one, apply here. 

Remember, a project must have occurred annually for the past three to five years to be eligible. (Clubs that have recently started a new project that will recur, or that have conducted a one-time project, should consider entering our “Single Service” or “Major Emphasis” contests.)  

Don’t have a signature project yet?  

Creating a service project that can be repeated for three to five years can be a challenge, but it’s possible. Here are ideas to help Key Club members come up with impactful and sustainable projects: 

  • Environmental conservation. Take up a project focused on environmental sustainability. For example, they could organize regular beach clean-ups, tree-planting initiatives or recycling drives. These projects have long-term benefits for the community and ensure continuous engagement. Everyone loves a nature project. 
  • Education initiatives. Develop projects that support education in the community. Consider establishing tutoring or mentoring programs for underprivileged students, creating scholarship funds or organizing book drives for local schools or libraries. These initiatives can be repeated annually to make a lasting educational impact. 
  • Health and wellness programs. Organize regular health fairs, blood drives, fitness programs or mental health awareness campaigns. By focusing on a specific area of health each year, clubs can create sustainable projects that are impactful and versatile. 
  • Community gardens. Work with local organizations or schools to set up gardens, and produce can be grown and donated to food banks or used to support nutrition programs. This kind of project allows for continuous involvement and has a long-term impact on food security. 
  • Homelessness and poverty. Explore projects to alleviate homelessness or address poverty in their communities. Initiatives could include regularly volunteering at soup kitchens or food distribution events or collaborating with local shelters or organizations that support those in need. These projects can be repeated annually to provide ongoing support to vulnerable populations. 
  • Holiday themes. In December, clubs can donate gifts for kids and name the project “The Gift that Keeps on Giving” — or in the spring, host an Easter egg hunt for underprivileged children.  

It is also important to encourage clubs to assess the needs of their communities and tailor projects accordingly. By involving community members and stakeholders in the planning process, clubs can ensure that their projects remain relevant and impactful over several years.