The A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism will award a first-place prize of $5,000 to the winning journalist and $2,500 to their news organization. Second place awards $3,000 to the journalist and $1,500 to the news organization. Third place awards $2,000 to the journalist and $1,000 to the newsroom.

Enter the contest using the link here:  NCPA Contest

The contest for the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism is open to all journalists and all news organizations in North Carolina. The deadline to enter the 2025 contest will be 11:59 p.m. Eastern, Monday, April 28, 2025, and no extension will be granted.

This award will recognize excellence in investigative reporting, defined as a single article or series of articles or report based on the news outlet’s extensive investigation of an event or issue; not a report about an investigation led by a party other than the news outlet. Evidence of probable impact will weigh heavily in judging.

In many cases, the subjects of the reporting wish these topics to remain undisclosed to the public. Information presented through the reporting should be presented in a way that gives readers understanding and insight into subject matter that is not generally known to the public.

This contest is open to all news media organizations based in North Carolina and their staff members and includes newspapers, broadcast outlets, and digital-only platforms. Freelance journalists based in North Carolina whose reporting is published or aired by North Carolina news media organizations are also eligible to enter. Non-members of the NCPA must contact phil@ncpress.com to create a contest profile before entering. 

NCPA Members: The first and second place winners in the category of Investigative Reporting of the NCPA 2025 Better Newspaper Contest (all divisions) will be automatically entered into this A-Mark Prize contest at no additional fee.

Entries must have been predominantly published or aired between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. Entries must also include a written statement (500 words or less) outlining the background and scope of the entry and highlighting potential outcomes resulting from the reporting. A fee of $9 per entry will be assessed.

The A-Mark Foundation is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to supporting and encouraging journalism and investigative reporting through grants to organizations that offer awards recognizing journalistic excellence.

The North Carolina Press Association is the state’s trade industry representing newspapers and digital news outlets.