The Press Club of Cleveland is proud to present the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism in Ohio, an award launched in 2025 in partnership with the A-Mark Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to supporting journalism that uncovers the truth and holds power accountable.
This prize is part of the All-Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards and recognizes exceptional investigative reporting with a strong Ohio connection. Thanks to the generosity of the A-Mark Foundation, the prize comes with $15,000 in total cash awards for journalists and their news organizations:
- 1st Place: $5,000 for the journalist(s) + $2,500 for the publishing outlet
- 2nd Place: $3,000 for the journalist(s) + $1,500 for the publishing outlet
- 3rd Place: $2,000 for the journalist(s) + $1,000 for the publishing outlet
2025 Winners
First Place – Vanished
Danae King, Max Filby and Barbara Perenic
The Columbus Dispatch
“Textbook investigative reporting… Impressive breadth and depth of research, involving a lot of shoe leather. Effective presentation mixing several personal stories with statistical analysis. This is really important work that goes beyond traditional coverage of the topic, combining analysis, storytelling, and accountability in a way that’s truly special.” – Judges’ comments
Second Place – Cincinnati homicide cases unravel after deals with informants
Dan Horn and Amber Hunt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
“Fantastic work revealing a huge problem within the criminal justice system. An excellent example of holding officials’ feet to the fire and not letting them worm out of it with weak explanations.” – Judges’ comments
THIRD PLACE – ON THE DARK WEB: UNCOVERING THE CITY HACK
Isabel Cleary
WCMH
“Great watchdog reporting that finally got the city to admit it had covered up the full extent of the hack that exposed hundreds of citizens’ private information. Hats off to Isabel Cleary!” – Judges’ comments
About the A-Mark Foundation
Founded in 1997, the A-Mark Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to advancing investigative journalism through grants and partnerships. The A-Mark Prizes program operates in states across the U.S., rewarding impactful reporting that informs the public and fosters accountability.
Learn more about the A-Mark Foundation at amarkfoundation.org.
