Applications for the 2026 Easterseals Award for Excellence in Coverage of Disabilities are closed.
The Easterseals Award for Excellence in Coverage of Disabilities recognizes outstanding journalism that expands the public’s understanding of issues shaping the lives of people with disabilities.
This is the inaugural year for the award, established by Easterseals and the National Press Foundation to promote journalism excellence that deepens society’s understanding of the challenges and successes experienced by the more than 1 in 4 people in the U.S. with a disability.
The Easterseals Award for Excellence in Coverage of Disabilities carries a $10,000 prize.
The award is open to U.S.-based journalists working in any-sized newsroom and in any media format or platform, from podcasts to television packages to print/digital stories. Entries could range from well-crafted features to investigative journalism.
Related social media or short-form video that supplements coverage may be included in the submission. Coverage might explore topics such as accessibility in education and employment, healthcare disparities, mental health, inclusive technology, transportation barriers, or the impact of policy changes on daily life.
The jury for this prize will be selected from distinguished current and former journalists.
The inaugural winner of the Easterseals Award for Excellence in Coverage of Disabilities will be selected in Fall 2026 and presented with the award at the National Press Foundation Annual Journalism Awards Dinner, February 25, 2027, at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C.
NPF issues more than 15 awards every year to recognize and encourage excellence in journalism in keeping with our mission of “making good journalists better.”
“The stories we tell about disability shape our workforce, our economy, and our future. They influence how we define opportunity, how we support families and caregivers, and how we build systems that open doors instead of closing them. Journalism plays an important role in shaping that understanding,” said Easterseals President and CEO Kendra Davenport.
“Easterseals is proud to partner with the National Press Foundation to establish this award and recognize journalists whose work brings clarity, context, and substance to the national conversation on disability.”
