Frequently Asked Questions

The A-Mark Foundation is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in 1997. Initially, the Foundation: provided funding to charitable organizations, including ProCon.org*, acquired by Encyclopedia Britannica in May 2020, and; published research reports on a variety of topics. In 2024, the Foundation announced the expansion of the A-Mark Prizes for journalism and investigative reporting as our primary work. Our past research reports are still available on our website under the Previous Content tab.

*ProCon.org provided pros and cons on major issues so people could decide for themselves how they felt on any such issue.

We believe that a healthy and free media is the foundation of democracy. Our mission statement reflects this core belief: Making focused grants to organizations that offer awards to promote and encourage journalism and investigative reporting.

A-Mark Foundation was endowed by our founder, Steven C. Markoff.

A-Mark Foundation is a nonpartisan organization and is not driven by any particular political ideology.

The A-Mark Prizes are a series of awards recognizing excellence in journalism and investigative reporting. They started with the Los Angeles Press Club in 2023, and are currently being expanded to other organizations around the country. We work with press clubs, writers’ groups, and other organizations nationwide to fund annual cash prizes. Some organizations may re-name the award but in all instances, the A-Mark Prize recognizes investigative reporting and journalistic excellence.

Details may vary by location, but the overall prize money will total $15,000 in each state, which will usually be distributed as follows:

• First place: $5,000 for the reporter(s) and $2,500 for the outlet
• Second place: $3,000 for the reporter(s) and $1,500 for the outlet
• Third place: $2,000 for the reporter(s) and $1,000 for the outlet

A-Mark Foundation hopes that the A-Mark Prizes lead to increased recognition and support for journalism and investigative reporting across the United States. Aware that most state-level journalism awards did not have a cash prize, we hope that providing a monetary award to both journalists and investigative reporters and their media outlets will enable more important work to be published.

We trust that independent organizations dedicated to the advancement of journalism and investigative reporting are in the best position to determine excellence among their members. The A-Mark Prize is modeled on our pilot program with the Los Angeles Press Club, where we integrated the A-Mark Prize seamlessly into an existing journalism awards program. We work within the awards framework designed by each organization to ensure transparency and credibility. Our role is funding the cash prize; we are not involved in appointing judges, determining eligibility, or selecting winners.

We’ll be updating our A-Mark Prizes page to list all of the locations as we continue to expand across the United States. Visit the website of an A-Mark Prize location to learn more about entering. Eligibility for the A-Mark Prize will be determined by each individual organization, but the awards will generally be open to journalists, investigative reporters, and publications located in, or coverage about, the awarding organization’s state or region. Journalists may be eligible to apply for an A-Mark Prize from more than one grantee, depending on the specific rules decided by each organization.

If you’re interested in awarding an A-Mark Prize for journalists in your state, contact us at [email protected].