Awards and Competitions
For journalists:
Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Award
entries were due Jan. 10, 2025
The Brechner Freedom of Information Project sponsors an annual $3,000 award recognizing excellence in reporting that centers on the public’s right to know and draws on government documents and data that uncover official secrecy.
Successful entries showcase top-notch journalism and shine a light on the status of freedom of information laws and access to government-held information.
The deadline for entries was Jan. 10, 2025. Entries are currently being judged and the winner will be announced during Sunshine Week March 16-22.
Here is information to plan for next year’s submissions in January 2026: Stories or a series of stories published in 2025 in a general circulation (non-academic) news medium (online, print or broadcast) are eligible. Joint or collaborative efforts among new organizations are welcome. The prize money is made possible by an endowment created by the Brechner family. The award has been presented annually since 1986.
To apply, email to the Brechner FOI Project (brechnerreport@jou.ufl.edu) one PDF that includes, in order:
- A cover letter explaining the inception of the story, how it was produced, use of records, and how it led to more transparency using government documents and data.
- Links to any multimedia or video work. If it is behind a paywall, include a login and password.
- The print versions of the stories.
Please submit entries to brechnerreport@jou.ufl.edu.
The award recipient/s will be invited to the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications in Gainesville for a day of dialogue with students, faculty and the community. Read more about the past winners.
For students:
2025 Student Freedom of Information Award
Nominations are open for the 2024-2025 Student Freedom of Information Award for high school and college journalists using public records in their reporting.
Submissions are due 11:59 p.m. Eastern on June 30, 2025, for work published from June 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. The high school winner will be awarded $1,000 and the college winner $2,000.
The most recent awards were presented at the 2024 fall conventions in New Orleans (college) and Philadelphia (high school).
The Student Freedom of Information Awards, in partnership with the Student Press Law Center, recognizes a student journalist or team of journalists from a high school and from a college for outstanding and tenacious use of public records in reporting that promotes transparency and brings important issues to light in their school or community.
High School: The award comes with a $1,000 prize, sponsored by the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida. It will be presented at the fall National High School Journalism Convention. The cash prize will be split between the student(s) and the student news organization or reporting program and, if applicable, between multiple winners. View prior recipients.
College: The award comes with a $2,000 prize, sponsored by the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida. It will be presented at the Fall National College Media Convention. The cash prize will be split between the student(s) and the student news organization or reporting program and, if applicable, between multiple winners. View prior recipients.
Submit your nomination online today!
For Researchers:
2025 NFOIC-Brechner Freedom of Information Research Competition – proposals due May 5, 2025
The seventh annual Freedom of Information Research Competition, sponsored by the National Freedom of Information Coalition and University of Florida Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project, welcomes one-page proposals for papers that shed light on freedom of information.
The top three papers will earn cash prizes and will be published (if the author desires) in the online Journal of Civic Information, published by the University of Florida’s Brechner Freedom of Information Project.
Authors are invited to submit a one-page paper proposal, which will be reviewed by a panel of expert freedom of information researchers. Proposals should include a title, one-paragraph abstract/summary, a paragraph outlining the proposed methodology, and a paragraph explaining the relevance of the potential findings for government agencies, FOI advocates, and access practitioners (e.g., journalists, citizens, record custodians).
Proposals may encompass any research methodological approach (legal, survey, experimental, content analysis, etc.), and should provide insights of practical value for those who work day-to-day in access to government information. Topics can include anything regarding FOI, such as access to public records, court transparency, open meetings, access to public employees, open data, and other related matters. Proposals should focus on civic information at the state/local levels, but topics regarding U.S. FOIA and international access also will be considered if they have relevancy or application to state coalitions for open government (e.g., the spreading of the “Glomar response” from federal agencies to state/local agencies, or the effects of technology or policies on agency transparency in a federal agency or other country that can be applied to any government agency). Because the primary purpose of the Journal is to furnish actionable information to professionals, an article’s usefulness to a lay audience will weigh in the publication decision; we encourage authors to consider audience accessibility in decisions of presentation style and depth of treatment.
All submissions must be submitted via email by no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, May 5, 2025. Email your one-page, single-spaced proposal as a Word file to paper competition chair Dr. David Cuillier, University of Florida, cuillerd@ufl.edu. Cuillier, who is founding editor of the Journal of Civic Information, is director of the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project.
Those whose proposals are accepted must submit a finished paper by Aug. 4, 2025, and present their findings at the virtual NFOIC summit this fall (dates to be determined), to freedom of information practitioners from throughout the United States. First place will receive $1,000, second place $600 and third place $400. The top three papers will be published (if desired) in the online Journal of Civic Information. Graduate students are especially encouraged to submit their work. To see previous papers presented, go to https://www.nfoic.org/nfoic-sponsored-research/
Winners of the 2024 NFOIC-Brechner Freedom of Information Research Competition presented their findings at the Nov. 14, 2024, National Freedom of Information Coalition online summit.