National Journalism Center Announces Dao Prize Finalists

The National Journalism Center — a project of Young America’s Foundation — and the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation are pleased to announce finalists for the 2024 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism.

Prizes are awarded annually for three categories: best local journalism, best multimedia reporting, and best overall reporting or series. Submissions are judged according to five criteria: Investigative depth, public interest, fairness and accuracy, style, and impact.

The winner for best overall reporting or series will receive a $100,000 prize and two submissions will win $10,000 each as runners-up, one will win $10,000 in the local category, and one will win $10,000 in the multimedia category.

The winners will be announced at the second annual Dao Prize Gala on November 13 held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The finalists for Best Overall Reporting or Series are:

• Spencer Lindquist of the Daily Wire for his Colony Ridge investigative series.
• Anna Giaritelli of the Washington Examiner for her ongoing coverage of the immigration crisis.
• Susan Crabtree of RealClearPolitics for her ongoing coverage of the United States Secret Service.
• Gabe Kaminsky of the Washington Examiner for his report, “Bidenbucks: How Democrats Weaponize Elections With Left-Wing Dark Money Allies.”
• Joseph Simonson of the Washington Free Beacon for his report, “How the Biden Administration’s Race-Based Grants Corrupted Public Sector Spending.”
• Andrew Kerr of the Washington Free Beacon for his investigative series on Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
• Mia Cathell of Townhall for her Investigative series on D.C. taxpayer-funded after-school programs aimed at recruiting children into the transgender movement.
• The Federalist staff for their 2024 election coverage.
• The Spectator staff for their series on crime, particularly in the nation’s capital.
• The Dallas Morning News staff for their series, “Bleeding Out: A Public Health Crisis in the American Trauma System.”

The finalists for Best Local Journalism are:

• The Dallas Morning News for its their “Bleeding Out” series.
• The Kingsport Times News for its “Breathless: Coal’s silent toll” series.
• The Daily Wire for its series on Colony Ridge,
• The Federalist staff for their 2024 election coverage.
• The Center Square’s J. Martinell for his investigative work exposing allegations of unethical conduct, potential corruption, and conflicts of interest involving the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

The finalists for Best Multimedia Reporting are:

• The Daily Caller for its “Do No Harm” series.
• The Dallas Morning News for its series on the fentanyl crisis.
• The Daily Wire for its Colony Ridge investigative series.

About the Dao Prize:

The Dao Prize, funded by the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation and launched in conjunction with the National Journalism Center, is an annual award founded to recognize excellence in investigative journalism. Dao Prize-winning journalism stands out for accuracy and courage.

In 2023, the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation partnered with the National Journalism Center to honor truth-seeking journalists. As trust in media hovers near record lows, DAF and NJC believe it is essential to celebrate reporters who advance the public interest through robust investigative work. Too often, legacy media celebrate work that protects power rather than challenges it. The Dao Prize will honor truth above all else.

Dao Feng He and Angela He started Dao Feng and Angela Foundation with a passion for freedom. As immigrants from China, Dao Feng and Angela know firsthand the importance of a free press and hope to revive the American media’s spirit of curiosity, skepticism, and vigor. 

About the National Journalism Center:

Since 1977, the National Journalism Center has trained aspiring journalists in the values of responsible, balanced, and accurate reporting.

The NJC offers an intense, 12-week in-person paid internship in the nation’s capital, training aspiring reporters in the fundamentals of responsible, fearless, and truth-seeking journalism. The internship combines on-the-job training with once-weekly seminars featuring off-the-record briefings with distinguished journalists, public policy experts, and lawmakers.

At the NJC, students spend an average of 30 hours weekly gaining practical, hands-on journalism experience at designated media work placements throughout the D.C. area. NJC students are matched with print, broadcast, or online media outlets based on the individual student’s interests and skills. Potential placements include the Hill, the Federalist, the Washington Examiner, Townhall, National Review, the Daily Caller, and many more. The NJC provides a generous $1,500 tax-free monthly stipend. A housing scholarship of up to $500 is also available for qualified candidates. The internships are full-time, five days a week.

The National Journalism Center is accepting applications for its 2025 paid spring and summer internships!