YAF's National Journalism Center Reveals 2025 Dao Prize Winners

The Federalist Wins First Place, $100,000 for Series on the Russia Collusion Hoax

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Journalism Center — a project of Young America's Foundation — and the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation are honored to announce The Federalist as winners of the third annual Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism, awarded Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C. 

The Federalist's team was nominated for its standout reporting series on the Russia collusion hoax, including an in-depth look at the declassification and release of key evidence from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The outlet's exceptional, deeply-sourced coverage detailed how members of the intelligence community, government agencies, and corporate media outlets manufactured the Russiagate hoax in a coordinated effort to undermine President Trump. For its first-place finish for Best Overall Reporting or Series, staff at The Federalist received $100,000 in prize winnings.

"The Federalist's superb reporting on the Russia collusion hoax epitomized everything we look for in a Dao Prize winner," said YAF Chief Communications Officer Spencer Brown. "In its relentless pursuit of the truth, staff at The Federalist helped expose widespread corruption at the highest levels of power, politics, and news. We are honored to recognize their efforts and help fuel more groundbreaking investigative reporting." 

Additional 2025 Dao Prize winners include:

• Best Overall Reporting or Series, Runner Up: Ashley Rindsberg at Pirate Wires for his series, "The Ideological Capture of Wikipedia." He received $10,000 in prize winnings. 
  
  
• Best Overall Reporting or Series, Runner Up: Katelynn Richardson and Megan Brock at The Daily Caller News Foundation for their series on gender ideology in the Biden Administration. They received $10,000 in prize winnings. 
  
  
• Best "DOGE" Reporting, Winner: Luke Rosiak at The Daily Wire for his report on a small federal agency that spent taxpayer money on vacations, self-portraits, and other luxuries. Rosiak is the first-ever winner of the "DOGE" Reporting category on government waste, launched this year. He received $30,000 in prize winnings. 
  
  
• Best Local Journalism, Winner: Tom Pappert, Michael Patrick Leahy, and Christina Botteri at The Tennessee Star for their series on Kilmar Abrego Garcia's infamous traffic stop that led to human smuggling charges. They received $10,000 in prize winnings. 
  
  
• Best Multimedia Reporting, Winner: Steven Robinson and Graham Pollard at The Maine Wire for their print and video series on the Chinese mafia's infiltration of rural America. They received $10,000 in prize winnings. 

The National Journalism Center and the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation are grateful to everyone who submitted reporting for the third annual award.

The Dao Prize is available to all U.S. media outlets. Nominations are judged by an independent prize committee with voting conducted by secret ballot following a period of debate and discussion. Nominating instructions and additional information can be found at DaoPrize.org.

About the Dao Prize

The Dao Prize, funded by the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation and launched in conjunction with YAF's National Journalism Center, is an annual award founded to recognize excellence in investigative journalism. Dao Prize-winning journalism stands out for accuracy and courage.

The Dao Feng and Angela Foundation partnered with the National Journalism Center to honor truth-seeking journalists. As trust in media hovers near record lows, DAF and NJC believe it is essential to celebrate reporters who advance the public interest through robust investigative work. Too often, legacy media celebrate work that protects power rather than challenges it. The Dao Prize will honor truth above all else.

Dao Feng He and Angela He started the Dao Feng and Angela Foundation with a passion for freedom. As immigrants from China, Dao Feng and Angela know firsthand the importance of a free press and hope to revive the American media's spirit of curiosity, skepticism, and vigor.

About the National Journalism Center

Since 1977, the National Journalism Center has trained aspiring journalists in the values of responsible, balanced, and accurate reporting.

NJC offers an intense, 12-week, in-person, paid internship in the nation's capital, training aspiring reporters in the fundamentals of responsible, fearless, and truth-seeking journalism. The internship combines on-the-job training with once-weekly seminars featuring off-the-record briefings with distinguished journalists, public policy experts, and lawmakers.

At NJC, students spend an average of 30 hours weekly gaining practical, hands-on journalism experience at designated media work placements throughout the D.C. area. NJC students are matched with print, broadcast, or online media outlets based on the individual student's interests and skills. The NJC provides a generous $1,500 tax-free monthly stipend and provides housing scholarships for 20 qualifying applicants. Internships are full-time, five days a week. The National Journalism Center is accepting applications for its 2026 paid spring and summer internships!

SOURCE Young America's Foundation