A record 590 clubs submitted entries for the 2026 contest.

By Erin Chandler

The top 21 finalists have been selected for consideration in the 2026 Signature Project Contest. 

Communities around the world know their Kiwanis clubs through their signature projects. Whether it’s a festival, a fundraiser or an effort to help those in need, each signature project is tailored to the community it serves — with the goal of making it a better place to be a kid. 

A record-breaking 590 clubs submitted projects that serve kids in 46 Kiwanis districts all over the world. Each Kiwanis district selected its nominees. Members of the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees then reviewed the district winners and selected finalists in each of two groups based on club size. This year, a tie resulted in 11 finalists from Group I — clubs with 27 or fewer members. Below, in alphabetical order according to district, are the Group I finalists. 

Annual Charity Golf Classic
Kiwanis Club of Hoover-Metro, Alabama, U.S.
Alabama District
The Kiwanis Club of Hoover-Metro’s Charity Golf Classic has taken place for 32 years. For this annual event, golfers tee up — and enter raffles with prizes provided by 50 local businesses — to raise funds for local organizations that serve the community. Members of three local Key Clubs help out and are allotted some of the funds for their own service projects. Other proceeds go to six local nonprofits, resulting in support for community members who have experienced domestic and sexual violence, people in need of financial assistance, those experiencing food insecurity and others. The goal of the event is to ensure that the community’s children and families grow, develop and thrive in healthy and enriching environments. And it’s a fun day for everyone involved! 

Hope Starts Here: Kiwanis Pantry Project
Kiwanis Club of Redding-Sundial, California, U.S.
California-Nevada-Hawaii District
On a Saturday in June, the Kiwanis Club of Redding-Sundial’s Kiwanis Half K brings families together to enjoy a half-kilometer walk — and then rewards them with doughnuts, lunch and games. But the event has a larger purpose: It’s the main fundraiser for the club’s Kiwanis Pantry Project, which fills pantries at seven local schools. In addition to nutritious food for kids who might not otherwise have enough to eat, the club provides hygiene kits, toothbrushes and essential clothing items such jackets, socks or pants where needed. In just two years, the Kiwanis pantries have helped hundreds of children and brought four new members into the club. Now the Redding-Sundial Kiwanians are working toward the goal of expanding the project to every school in Redding. 

Pre-K Backpacks
The Kiwanis Club of Rabun County, Georgia, U.S.
Georgia District
For 20 years, the Kiwanis Club of Rabun County has helped kids get a positive start to their education. The 15-member club comes together in the spring to fill and hand out more than 100 Kiwanis-branded backpacks, each one containing books, school supplies and games that help students develop a love of reading and get their minds ready for kindergarten in the fall. The backpacks also contain flyers for parents, who get information about Kiwanis, the project and the importance of reading to children. The project has drawn 10 new members to the club while helping kids enter their school years with increased literacy and a readiness to learn. 

Night of Service
Kiwanis Club of Carmel, Indiana, U.S.
Indiana District
The Kiwanis Club of Carmel’s Night of Service is an inclusive, annual event that brings the whole community together to assist local nonprofits. During the most recent Night of Service, 70 attendees rotated between stations where they created 20 tie blankets and over 20 friendship bracelets for Brooke’s Place, which supports children grieving the loss of a loved one; assembled over 50 graduation bags for children completing equine therapy programs through Children’s TherAplay; and made 70 sensory toys for Visually Impaired Preschool Services. The club also collected donations for a local food pantry and held a drawing for one attendee to choose a charitable organization to receive a US$50 donation. Clients of a local center for adults with developmental disabilities were specifically invited to join alongside their neighbors. In just one night, the Kiwanis Club of Carmel makes a substantial difference in its community — and creates a lasting sense of fellowship. 

Harvesting Hope: Healing Begins with US (Kiwanis Inspired Teens Fund)
Kiwanis Club of Troy, Michigan, U.S.
Michigan District
The Kiwanis Club of Troy’s fundraiser brings over 100 members of the community together for hors d’oeuvres and wine from local restaurants, music and entertainment, a silent auction, raffles — but most of all, for the opportunity to learn more about mental health assistance. Proceeds from Harvesting Hope benefit the club’s KIT (Kiwanis Inspired Teens) Fund. In Michigan, nearly 60% of teens experiencing mental health issues have trouble accessing help, either because of financial barriers or monthslong wait times. The KIT Fund helps alleviate the cost of mental healthcare, and the club works with clinical providers and schools to help students get counseling within 24 hours. In just two school years, Harvesting Hope and the KIT Fund have supported 17 students who were struggling to access mental health services and scheduled 134 therapy sessions for young people.  

Kiwanis-Led Destination Play Space for ALL Ages and ALL Abilities
Kiwanis Club of Springfield South, Missouri, U.S.
Missouri-Arkansas District
The playground equipment at Fellows Lake recreational area was over 50 years old, unsafe and neglected when the Kiwanis Club of Springfield South stepped in. With help from enthusiastic community partners, members transformed the space into the only fully accessible playground in Greene County — The Hatch: A Playground for ALL. Now thousands of families per year come there to picnic, hike, fish, relax and play together. The club recognizes the importance of play in helping kids build social skills and learn about the world, so it was important that the playground be a place where children of all abilities could play and belong. Through PlayCore, it has been designated a National Demonstration Site for quality, evidence-based research in outdoor recreation. Next, the club plans to make the playground the site for an annual Kiwanis Day of Play event, where families can enjoy refreshments and activities — and get information and resources from local organizations like Abilities First. 

Annual Baldwinsville Kiwanis Turkey Day Race
Kiwanis Club of Baldwinsville, New York, U.S.
New York District
Over 57 years, the Kiwanis Club of Baldwinsville’s biggest annual fundraiser has become a beloved holiday tradition in the community. The Turkey Day Race, held on American Thanksgiving, includes a kids’ fun run, a 5K and a 10K — with an average of 1,600 runners taking part. Last year’s event welcomed 1,800 runners! Even those who are not running get involved, with the Baldwinsville Village, Sheriff’s Department, Fire Department, School District and local sponsors all providing assistance. Proceeds from the event help the club give over US$50,000 back to the community in scholarships and grants for everything from preschool to local theater, youth sports and the Ronald McDonald House. During the race, the club also hosts a food drive to support local food banks during the holiday season. And thanks to the event, 19 new members have come running to join the club. 

Kiwanis Special Athlete Basketball Tournament
Kiwanis Club of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Pennsylvania District
For 46 years, the Kiwanis Club of Jenkintown has provided athletes ages 8-70 with intellectual and developmental disabilities an opportunity to compete in an inclusive basketball tournament with players like them from across the tri-county area. The one-day event is positive, welcoming and free of charge, with meals and snacks, Kiwanis T-shirts, medals and trophies for all athletes provided. Athletes and volunteers then participate together in service projects — building bonds between community members of all abilities. Members of Aktion Club, Key Club, Builders Club and Circle K International (all of which are Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs) serve alongside Kiwanians as athlete buddies, coaches, event volunteers and service project partners. Four hundred people attended last year’s tournament. Club members say that many participants, both athletes and volunteers, identify the Kiwanis Special Athlete Basketball Tournament as the best tournament experience they’ve had. Over the years, 80 new members have joined Kiwanis as a result. 

Adventure Camp
Kiwanis Club of Corabia, Olt, Romania
Romania Provisional District
Each year, the Kiwanis Club of Corabia provides dozens of young people with a six-day experience that’s once in a lifetime. The club’s Adventure Camp brings together about 40 teens from Key Clubs across Romania, as well as young people living in refugee centers in Ukraine, for outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain climbing along with workshop activities that spur creativity, critical thinking and leadership. Workshop topics range from how to prepare a speech to first-aid skills. Campers conquer fears, build confidence, increase adaptability and improve their English-language communication. By working together, they also confront prejudices and form friendships. At the end of the experience, campers are awarded medals, diplomas and candy — but the greatest reward is the newfound ability to climb mountains, both literally and metaphorically. The Corabia Kiwanis Club has run its Adventure Camp for three years, and it aspires not only to continue the adventure, but to expand it internationally. 

Project: BAYLO (Basura ay Yaman at Likas-kayang Oportunidad para sa Kabataan — Waste is Treasure and Sustainable Opportunity for Youth)
Kiwanis Club of Golden Salakot Aklan, Aklan, Philippines
Southern Philippine District
The Kiwanis Club of Golden Salakot Aklan saw two problems in the municipality: plastic pollution that clogs drainage systems, pollutes coastlines and negatively affects public health; and disempowered young people with limited sources of income and means of self-improvement. But the club also saw the chance to tackle both simultaneously. Project: BAYLO organizes students from underserved schools, teens who have left school and young adults struggling to find employment to collect, separate and creatively repurpose plastics. The K-Kids of Laguinbanua Integrated School, which the Kiwanis club sponsors, even assist in weighing and recording collected plastic bottles. Problematic plastic waste becomes, in the club’s words, a yaman (treasure): It’s an income source through recycling and upcycling, and it gets young people involved in environmental stewardship and entrepreneurship. Over the past three years, the project has reduced pollution, beautified the community and empowered the next generation of environmental leaders. 

A Full Calendar of Support for Foster Teens
Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Southwest District
In 2026, the Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee, Phoenix celebrated its 50th Easter Parade. This tradition gets the whole community involved — Key Clubs, schools, businesses, civic leaders and families. Many volunteers return over multiple years, and some families have been volunteering for generations. But once the Easter Bunny has waved goodbye, funds raised through the Easter Parade fuel a year of service to teens in foster care. Every year, club members serve a Thanksgiving dinner to over 300 foster teens. During the Christmas season, they provide gifts and necessities that bring holiday joy to over 400 foster teens. The club also hosts an annual community baby shower to provide essential baby supplies, resources and emotional support to pregnant teens in foster care. Over the years, thousands of vulnerable young people have received items that meet their immediate needs — and a sense of stability, belonging, support and dignity.