National Press Club Journalism Awards

Eligibility

All entries must have appeared between January 1 and December 31, 2025.

Entries may be submitted by journalists or by their employers. Entrants are responsible for ensuring judges can access all submitted materials and must provide passwords or access credentials where required. Non-traditional entrants are welcome, provided they clearly explain in supporting materials how their work meets the Club’s journalistic standards. Such entrants should include a brief statement describing their editorial independence.

The following are not eligible:

Content produced for house organs
Theses or academic reports
Advocacy outlets operated by interest groups, including trade associations, consumer organizations, or government agencies

Categories & Divisions

There are 15 different categories to choose from within the National Press Club Journalism Awards program. Some, but not all, categories are separated by divisions which include print/online and broadcast.

Categories

Fees, Member Discount & Payment

Member Rate: Free

Non-Member Rate: $140

Member Discount

To qualify for member rates on entry fees, a member of your full-time news staff must be a National Press Club member through the end of the entry period and must be the individual submitting the application. Click here to apply for National Press Club membership. Please note: membership application and review can take 2-3 weeks. Memberships must be paid in full at the time of entry. Member discounts are verified during the entry process.

Payment

All entries are non-refundable. Payment must be made online by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover at the time of entry.

Apply for Membership

Judging

In evaluating entries, judges will give weight to evidence of:

Individual enterprise
Fairness
Accuracy
Objectivity

The decisions of the judges are final. At the discretion of the judges, awards may not be granted in some categories.

Physical Awards

The National Press Club will present one (1) award plaque per category to winners at the annual journalism awards dinner in August. For those who cannot attend, the National Press Club will mail plaques to the address listed on the entry form. You are responsible for reaching out to the National Press Club to update your shipping information and are responsible for costs associated with misplaced or lost shipments due to incorrect information.