The story behind the Prize.
Prize Overview
Why mid-career
To keep great journalists in journalism. Mid-career reporters often face pivotal transitions as newsrooms and formats change. The Prize backs journalists who carry fairness, curiosity, and humanity into their next chapter.
An Annual Prize Award
Each year, the prize awards $50,000 in unrestricted support — no reporting requirements, no prescribed use — to a journalist whose work reflects Neal's commitment to excellence: rigor in verification, nuanced understanding of complex issues, courage in covering difficult subjects, and a deep belief in journalism as public service.
How the Winner is Chosen
Laureates bring forward nominations for the Prize; a selection committee chooses the recipient. The committee considers journalists working in print, online, radio, and broadcast from every region of the world, evaluating exemplary work for rigor, courage, and integrity. The Laureates honor is distinct from the annual $50,000 Prize.
In Honor of Neal Conan
Neal J. Conan
Neal Conan spent nearly four decades at NPR as a reporter, producer, editor, and host of Talk of the Nation. His fairness, curiosity, and respect for listeners guide the Prize created in his memory.
2025 Prize Winner
Mohammed Mhawish
Palestinian journalist Mohammed Mhawish reports with courage and humanity under extraordinary conditions. His work for The Nation, The New Yorker, and other outlets documents life in Gaza and the experiences of those displaced by war.