YAF’s National Journalism Center Reveals 2026 Dao Prize Finalists

The National Journalism Center (NJC)—a project of Young America’s Foundation (YAF)—and the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation are pleased to announce finalists for the 2026 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism.

Prizes will be awarded for four categories: best local journalism, best multimedia reporting, the “Daylight” award for reporting on fraud, and the Grand Prize for best overall reporting. 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 submission will win $10,000 in the local category, one will win $10,000 in the multimedia category, and one will win $30,000 for the special annual prize–this year highlighting the best reporting on fraud.

Winners will be announced at the fourth annual Dao Prize Gala on November 19 held at The Waldorf-Astoria in Washington, D.C.

The finalists for Best Overall Reporting or Series are:

• Frannie Block, Free Press, for her series titled “China vs. God,” and the fate of Christian Pastor Ezra Jin
• Megan Brock, The Daily Wire, for revealing Biden’s clandestine plan to trans child welfare
• Mia Cathell, Washington Examiner, for her reporting on the plight of female prison inmates suffering “state-sanctioned sexual exploitation” as a result of Biden-era “transgender agenda”
• City Journal (staff) for their viral series on “California Initiatives” that exposed sex-changes for illegal aliens, death row inmates watching porn on free iPads, and a “gay certification program” that gave government contracting preference to homosexuals
• Andrew Kerr, Washington Free Beacon, for his reporting titled “Untangling Wes Moore’s Personal Mythology”
• Emily Kopp, Daily Caller News Foundation, for her series on “Anthony Fauci’s Deep State Deception”
• Ryan Lovelace, Racket, for his three-part series on the FBI “assessments” that targeted non-criminal Americans for surveillance
• Nick Minock, WJLA, for his “Crisis in the Classroom” investigations into Loudoun County Public Schools
• Luke Rosiak, The Daily Wire, for his Ohio “Medicaid Millions” series
• Nick Shirley, for his investigation into Minnesota daycare fraud

The finalists for the Daylight Award for fraud reporting are:

• Abigail Anthony and Malia Marks, National Review, for her series on race-based government programs in Washington state
• Hudson Crozier, Washington Examiner, for his investigation on the taxpayer-funded establishment of a left-wing “autonomous zone” in Madison, Wisconsin
• Armin Rosen, County Highway, for his sprawling “Shame of our Cities” profile of St. Paul’s convoluted fraud-based political system
• Nick Shirley, for his investigation into Minnesota daycare fraud
• Derek VanBuskirk, The Daily Caller, for his series titled “Beyond Minnesota”
• Luke Rosiak, The Daily Wire, for his Ohio “Medicaid Millions” series

The finalists for Multimedia Reporting are:

• Frannie Block, Free Press, for her series titled “China vs. God,” and the fate of Christian Pastor Ezra Jin
• Nate Friedman for his investigations on exposing paid protesters and the rise of Islam in the west
• Sara Gonzales, The Blaze, for her dogged investigation of H1B visa abuse in Texas
• Jennie Taer, The Daily Wire, for her on-the-ground coverage of ICE operations in Minneapolis
• Shelby Wilder, Newsmax, for her reporting from the frontlines of war and childhood education in Ukraine titled “Education Under Siege”

The finalists for Best Local Reporting are: 

• Nick Minock, WJLA, for his investigation into soft-on-crime prosecutors in the Washington, D.C., area, including Fairfax County Attorney Steve Descano.
• Marc E. Fitch, Inside Investigator, for his investigative reporting in Connecticut on a series of “equity” nonprofits, fraud, abuse and a local elected leader sitting at the center of all of it.
• Kevin Krause, Dallas Morning News, for a deeply reported series titled “Abused and Abandoned” about the cost of human trafficking in Northern Texas and the victims left behind as a result
• Nick Minock, WJLA, for his series about “soft on crime prosecutors” in Northern Virginia
• Jared Strong, The Center Square, for his exhaustive efforts reporting out the spending of one “Diversity Commission” in Illinois
• The Tennessee Star (staff) for its series of reports that ultimately resulted in the release of the Nashville Covenant Manifesto

About the Dao Prize:

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

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 the 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.

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 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. The NJC provides a generous $1,500 tax-free monthly stipend and provides housing scholarships. Internships are full-time, five days a week. The National Journalism Center is currently accepting applications for its 2027 paid spring and summer internships.