TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting: Uncovering Commercial Bribery

The 2024 TRACE Prize is closed for nominations

The TRACE Foundation will begin accepting nominations for the 2025 Prize in the fall of 2024.



The TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting recognizes journalism that uncovers business-related bribery and financial crime with the goal of increasing commercial transparency and good governance.

Nominees may be print, broadcast or online reporters from any country who have investigated commercial bribery schemes, business activities that create serious conflicts of interest or similar commercial misconduct. Team entries and multiple submissions per author are permitted. Book-length entries are not accepted. 

A panel of independent judges will review the submissions and select up to two winners, who will each receive a cash prize of US$10,000. Reporter(s) will be invited to an award ceremony hosted by TRACE. The judges may also name up to two honorable mentions, who will each receive US$1,000.

The TRACE Prize judging panel operates independently. The TRACE Foundation has no involvement in the selection process beyond coordinating logistics and TRACE International—a separate entity—and its members have no influence on the TRACE Prize.

For questions about eligibility or the application process, please contact Emma Rathmann at erathmann@TRACEinternational.org.


“Every year we receive extraordinary examples of investigative journalism that expose corruption with the goal of advancing accountability and transparency. We look forward to receiving this year’s submissions and honoring the journalists undertaking this important work.”
Alexandra Wrage

President and Founder, TRACE




“Corruption is a global virus, and the battle against it must be, too. The TRACE prize uniquely recognizes and encourages the courageous, meticulous journalism that is part of that fight, anywhere it finds a voice.”
Diana Henriques

Judge, TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting




Read the 2023 TRACE Prize for Investigative Reporting press release here

2023 Judging Panel:

William Gumede

William Gumede

Associate Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg; Founder and Chairman of the Democracy Works Foundation

Diana B. Henriques

Diana B. Henriques

Financial writer and author, formerly with The New York Times

Rosebell Kagumire

Rosebell Kagumire

Writer and digital communication strategist, public speaker and award-winning blogger, based in Kampala, Uganda

Donatella Lorch

Donatella Lorch

Freelance reporter, formerly with The New York Times, NBC News and Newsweek

Jorge Luis Sierra

Jorge Luis Sierra

President of the Border Center for Journalists and Bloggers, journalist security consultant, formerly a Knight International Journalism Fellow with the International Center for Journalists, based in Texas

Amjad  Tadros

Amjad Tadros

Middle East Producer, CBS News

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