Contest Rules

It’s not too early to begin assessing what you’ve written, photographed, blogged, videotaped, designed, edited, headlined and more in 2023 for the Nebraska Press Women communications contest.

The contest is open to NPW members.  If you are not a member and are interested in joining so you can enter the contest, visit NPW’s Join Now page.

All work must have been published, printed or broadcast between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023. Entries must be (digitally) submitted by noon Jan. 17, 2024, except for books, which have a deadline of noon Jan. 31, 2024. Late entries will be accepted through noon Feb. 7, 2024, along with a single $25 late entry fee. (There is no late entry for books; Jan. 31 is the absolute deadline for them.)

Entry fee is $20 for the first entry and $12 for all subsequent entries.

Categories are:

• Writing (Categories 1-17)
• Editing (Categories 18-20)
• Photography (Categories 21-23)
• Graphics and Design (Categories 24-26)
• Radio and Television (Categories 27-32)
• Web and Social Media (Categories 33-41)
• Advertising (Categories 42-45)
• Communications Programs and Campaigns (Categories 46-50)
• Public Relations Materials (Categories 51-53)
• Information for the Media (Categories 54-56)
• Speeches (Category 57)
• Collegiate/Education (Categories 58-61)

For a complete list of categories and entry guidelines visit the Categories and Requirements page on the NFPW contest site.

First, second, third and honorable mention awards will be given unless a judge decides that no entry merits a first place (or another) award.

First-place entries automatically go on to the NFPW contest if the winner is also a member of NFPW. You must join NFPW by March 15, 2024, to have work compete nationally.

Questions? Submit questions regarding categories to Teri Ehresman.  For local questions, email NPW contest chair Mary Jane Skala or call her at 308-293-0982.Find out more and enter the contest.

Contest Reminders/Overview

• 2024 dues must be paid by Dec. 31, 2023. Nonmembers are invited to join NPW by this date and enter the contest.
• All entries must have been published, posted or printed in 2023. 
• Most categories and sub-categories are for a single example, but some require multiple examples as one entry – ie. Columns, two, and continuing coverage and series, two-six. A few require a project statement and description.
• NPW allows up to two entries per category or sub-category. 
• State contest entry fees are $20 for the first entry and $12 per entry for the rest.
• First-place winning entries in the state contest qualify to advance to the national contest, but ONLY if the entrant is an NFPW member.
• State-only members have a one-time-only opportunity to add national membership. State first-place award winners who want their entries to advance must pay national dues by a deadline set by NFPW.
• The $20 per entry national entry fee is paid by NPW, of which $15 must be reimbursed by the entrant.
• All entries are done online. Enter the contest through a Nebraska Press Women portal in the nfpw.org contest section.
• PDFs, word documents, jpgs and website links are the main formats.
• Note that if a print entry has a jump, the first page and jump page(s) must be combined into one pdf to represent one day’s story – sidebars or information boxes published with the main story count as part of that one story – or as one part within a category requiring several examples.
• Photo entries must include a pdf or online link as proof of publication and also a jpg of the original print. Each original image file must be less than 1G in size.
• The contest is open, and entries can be made a few at a time or all at once. They are not actually entered until the fees are paid and the entrant hits “submit.”
• The final entry deadline is noon Feb. 7, but an additional one-time fee of $25 will be charged for entries made after noon on Jan. 17.
• State awards will be presented at a 2024 NPW Conference.
• NFPW awards will be presented during the 2024 conference.