DEADLINE: The Goldsmith Awards

The Goldsmith Awards Program, administered by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government., strives to foster a more insightful and spirited public debate about government, politics and the press, and to demonstrate the essential role of a free press in a thriving democracy.

• The annual Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting honors investigative reporting that best promotes more effective and ethical conduct of government, the making of public policy, or the practice of politics. The winner receives $25,000, and five finalists receive $10,000. While the subject can address issues of foreign policy, a submission qualifies only if it has an impact on public policy in the United States at the national, regional or local level. Deadline: January 5, 2026.
• The new Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting honors reporting that focuses on the functioning of government and the implementation of public policy. Exemplary pieces use an explanatory and solutions-focused lens to illuminate a government or public policy implementation process, program, or problem. $15,000 prize.  Deadline: January 5, 2026.

Submissions will be accepted only from the U.S. news media and publications or individuals operating under journalistic standards and ethics. Newspapers, magazines, broadcast media, radio, podcasts, and online news organizations are eligible.

The annual Goldsmith Book Prize is awarded to the trade and academic book published in the United States in the last 24 months that best fulfills the objective of improving democratic governance through an examination of the intersection between the media, politics and public policy. Recent Goldsmith Book Prizes have been awarded to books about political journalism, the history of news, news and political polarization, internet freedom, local news and digital democracy. Books that are not on the topic of media and politics will not be considered. Deadline: December 18, 2025.