Contest Category Details

ANY FORMAT REPORTING

• Religion Story of the Year

  • Submit one story published or aired by a news outlet that made a significant impact, provided exceptional coverage of an issue, or broke new ground. Entries may include the main story and related content published on the same date. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $120

• Renner Award for Excellence In-Depth and Continuing Coverage

  • Submit an in-depth project or intentional series on a religion-related topic; or continuing coverage that documented a developing topic as it unfolded. Eligible entries must be published or aired by a news outlet in the last year. Up to 10 stories may be submitted per entry. For entries with more than 10 parts, entrants may include a one-page summary describing additional components. In-depth projects and series should be intentionally packaged together at publication for news purposes, and not post-publication for contest submission purposes. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $100

• Supple Award for Excellence Feature Reporting

  • Submit up to three examples of features coverage, published or aired by a news outlet in the last year. Examples may include the main story and related content published on the same date. This includes, but is not limited to longform narrative storytelling, human interest pieces, in-depth profiles, and topics that range from the serious and lighthearted to the entertaining and unusual. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $100

• Excellence in Analysis and Explanatory Reporting

  • Submit up to three examples of clear, insightful analysis or in-depth explanatory coverage of religion-related issues close to the news cycle and published by a news outlet in the last year. Entries should go beyond reporting facts to provide context and deepen audience understanding of complex topics. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $100

• Rachel Zoll Award for Excellence in Breaking News

  • Submit up to three examples of breaking news coverage of a religion-related topic published or aired by a news outlet in the last year. Entries should demonstrate timeliness, accuracy, and depth under deadline pressure. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit. Named after Rachel Zoll, the former national religion writer for The Associated Press who was beloved and respected by her fellow RNA members. RNA honored Zoll with a Special Recognition Award in 2018. She died in 2021 after a three-year bout with brain cancer.

  • Fee: $100

• Excellence in Investigative and Data Reporting

  • Submit up to three examples of investigative journalism or data-driven coverage published or aired by a news outlet in the last year. Examples may include the main story and related content published on the same day. Entries should use deep sourcing, other investigative methods, and/or data reporting to reveal new insights about religion-related topics. Entries should demonstrate originality, depth, and impact. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $100

• Excellence in Digital Storytelling

  • Submit up to three examples of digital-first storytelling published by a news outlet in the last year that creatively uses multimedia elements (text, video, audio, graphics, interactives, etc.) and digital platforms (social media, websites, mobile, etc.). Entries should highlight innovation in digital storytelling. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $100

• Chandler Award for Excellence in Student Religion Reporting

  • Submit up to three religion stories published or aired during the most recent academic year (summer through spring) in campus publications or in niche or general circulation outlets during a student internship. Entries may include the main story and related content published on the same day. Students do not need to be an RNA member to submit. Please write to awards@rna.org to set up a free account on the awards platform to submit.

  • Fee: $0

WRITTEN RELIGION REPORTING

• Division 1: Niche and Religious Audiences

  • Submit up to three examples of written religion reporting published in the last year by a news outlet that serves a niche or religious audience. Entries should showcase overall quality, depth, and consistency of coverage. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit. Entry note: Individuals may only enter one of the three written division contests per year. Entrants are responsible for selecting the division that best matches the body of work being submitted and the outlets that published it. Freelance journalists submitting work published in multiple outlets should pick the division that best matches the body of work they are submitting.

  • Fee: $100

• Division 2: Local, Regional and Metro Outlets

  • Submit up to three examples of written religion reporting published in the last year in a local, regional, or metro outlet (including newspapers, nondaily outlets, or online-only platforms). Entries should demonstrate excellence in reporting that serves a local or regional community. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit. Entry note: Individuals may only enter one of the three written division contests per year. Entrants are responsible for selecting the division that best matches the body of work being submitted and the outlets that published it. Freelance journalists submitting work published in multiple outlets should pick the division that best matches the body of work they are submitting.

  • Fee: $100

• Division 3: National and International Outlets

  • Submit up to three examples of written religion reporting published in the last year in national or international outlets (including newspapers, nondaily outlets, online-only platforms, or wire services). Entries should demonstrate excellence in reporting for a broad national or global audience. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit. Entry note: Individuals may only enter one of the three written division contests per year. Entrants are responsible for selecting the division that best matches the body of work being submitted and the outlets that published it. Freelance journalists submitting work published in multiple outlets should pick the division that best matches the body of work they are submitting.

  • Fee: $100

• Excellence in News Commentary

  • Submit up to three examples of religion news commentary published in the last year. Entries should demonstrate excellence in analysis, perspective, and originality, with a focus on timely or news-driven topics. Unlike editorials, which reflect an outlet’s institutional voice, this award recognizes the perspective of individual journalist(s). Award will be given to one individual.

  • Fee: $100

• Excellence in Lifestyle and Culture Commentary

  • Submit up to three examples of commentary on religion-related life, culture, or societal experiences published in the last year. Entries may be lighter in tone, conversational or more personal in nature and do not need to be closely tied to the news cycle. Award will be given to one individual.

  • Fee: $100

• Religion Publication

  • Submit up to three issues of a publication that exclusively or almost entirely covers religion and religion-related topics published in the last year. This includes but is not limited to magazines and news periodicals. While layout and design may be considered, judging will focus primarily on content, including text, photos and graphics. Entries must be submitted digitally; send PDFs of publications to awards@rna.org. Award will be given to the publication.

  • Fee: $100

• Book of the Year

  • Submit a copy of one nonfiction book published in the last year. Eligible books are those employing journalistic techniques and classified as biography, history, current affairs, analysis, business, or certain memoirs. Ineligible are books classified as fiction, self-published, scriptural exegesis, scriptural commentary, self-help, how-to, or memoirs that are primarily spiritual journeys. Do not submit galley proofs or pre-publication versions. Entries must be submitted digitally; send PDFs of books to awards@rna.org. Award will be given to the author(s).

  • Fee: $100

VISUAL RELIGION REPORTING

• Excellence in Photography

  • Submit up to three religion-related news photos published in the last year via a news outlet. Photos should be submitted via static URL or uploaded with the following specs: 72 dpi, 1200 pixels on the longest side, JPEG files. Name files as: FirstLast1.jpg, FirstLast2.jpg, etc. Photos may be cropped and corrected for exposure, color, and white balance, but no other digital manipulation is permitted. Photos must be documentary in style and not staged. Entries must include caption, photographer name, and date taken. Award will be given to the individual photographer.

  • Fee: $80

• Excellence in Video: Short Reports

  • Submit up to three produced videos, 10 minutes or less in length, which were distributed independently, shown publicly for the first time on a news outlet’s website or official social media accounts, or aired on a network, cable, satellite station in the last year. If a video is longer than 10 minutes, only a 10-minute continuous stretch will be judged; if applicable, indicate the minute markers where the judge(s) should begin and end the viewing. Transcripts are not required but welcomed. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $80

• Excellence in Video: Long Reports

  • Submit one produced video, 10 to 60 minutes long, which was distributed independently and shown publicly for the first time in the last year. It should be a video aired on a network, cable, or satellite station, or published on a news outlet’s official social media account or website. Religion-related documentary films are also eligible. If a video is longer than 60 minutes, only a 60-minute continuous stretch will be judged; if applicable, indicate the minute markers where the judge(s) should begin and end the viewing. Transcripts are not required but welcomed. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $80

AUDIO RELIGION REPORTING

• Excellence in Audio: News Reporting

  • Submit up to three produced audio pieces of any length, first aired or published in the last year. Eligible entries include reported news stories, features, and investigative work. Entries will be judged on accuracy, clarity, originality, sourcing, timeliness, and production quality. This category is intended for journalistic efforts across audio formats — from short news spots to long-form narrative and investigative audio. If a piece is longer than 45 minutes, only a 45-minute continuous stretch will be judged; if applicable, indicate the minute markers where judges should begin and end listening. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $80

• Excellence in Audio: Commentary and Conversation

  • Submit up to three produced audio programs between 15 and 60 minutes in length, first aired or published in the last year. Eligible entries include host-led podcasts, interview-driven shows, roundtables, and commentary formats offering analysis, perspective, or dialogue on religion-related issues. Entries will be judged on originality, clarity, conversational flow, host skill, and insightfulness of discussion. If an episode is longer than 60 minutes, only a 60-minute continuous stretch will be judged; if applicable, indicate the minute markers where judges should begin and end listening. Transcripts are not required but welcomed. Winning entries will share the award among all those credited if under five individuals; if over five individuals, the outlet will be awarded as a unit.

  • Fee: $80