The FOI Foundation of Texas is pleased to announce 2017 guidelines for the Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award contest. The contest is open to newspaper, broadcast and online media. The Spirit of FOI Award recognizes outstanding work in promoting open government and the public’s right to know.

The deadline for submission of entries is Thursday, May 18, 2017. Nominations must be for work published or broadcast in calendar year 2016. A nomination can be a single news story or series; an editorial or series of editorials; columns; editorial cartoons; or a community FOI project. There is a limit of one entry per news organization. Entries will be judged in the following size classifications, and up to two entries will be recognized in each class (a winner and an honorable mention, if warranted).

A – News organizations located in markets with a population of 500,000 or less.
AA – News organizations located in markets with a population of 500,000 or more.

All entries must be submitted electronically and include the following:
  • A letter containing the name of the person or organization nominated and the classification entered, explaining the effort being cited
  • Functioning online links or PDFs of pages containing the coverage being entered
  • Additional support documents or letters as the entrant deems necessary

Entries should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line FOI AWARD. Entries must be received by midnight Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Winners will be presented at the FOI Foundation of Texas state conference on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, at the Hilton Austin. For further contest questions, email [email protected] or call 512-377-1575.