Skip to main content
MVAA's Employment Impact Award

MVAA's Employment Impact Award

Recognizing Innovation and Excellence in Employment

MVAA’s Employment Impact Award (formerly the Innovator Award) recognizes an employer or staff member(s), either as an individual or a team, who developed a new process, method, technology, or innovative service that will radically improve or transform current and former military and military spouse hiring/retention practices, or quality of life at the employer. The work of the nominee(s) should exemplify the process of accelerating ideas, insights and technologies that improve any aspect of the employment experience for veteran employees.

Examples of such innovations might include:

  • Pathways and opportunities in drawing transitioning service members and veterans nationwide and abroad back to Michigan.
  • Technologies that have achieved major improvements in the hiring/retention of military-connected employees.
  • Partnerships with community/industry partners benefiting existing veteran employees.
  • Policy or human resource practices improving veteran quality of life changes.
  • Use of state or federal grants to benefit veteran causes such as employment or homelessness.
  • Volunteerism/non-profit involvement to better veterans lives within the community. 

Consumers Energy 2025 MVAA Employment Innovator

2025 MVAA Innovator Award Announcement

Nominations

Nominations are welcome from employers, staff, or partners; self-nominations also permitted. They must include a statement regarding the nominee’s innovation, technology or service and its impact on the employer, veteran employees or larger veteran community. 

Participating or nominated organizations must be certified as Veteran-Friendly Employers at Gold-, Silver-, or Bronze-level. MVAA may award up to 5 Innovators annually.

Submit a Nomination

To submit a nomination, please use this form. If you have additional documentation (PDFs, articles, letters of support, videos, etc.) to submit, please email them to MVAAStrategy@michigan.gov.

If you have questions regarding the nomination process or application, please email Erik Schreur, Employment Analyst, at schreure@michigan.gov.

The nomination deadline is Friday, April 17, 2026. Awards will be presented on May 12, 2026 at MVAA's annual Leadership Summit.

 
MVAA VFE Impact Award Logo MVAA Employment Impact Award