WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Three Upper Valley newspapers are among 16 recipients of local civic journalism awards for Vermont news outlets announced Monday.
The Valley News, White River Valley Herald and the Journal Opinion were among the winners, who were selected by an independent panel of journalists and academics not employed by any of the nominees from a pool of over 30 nominees.
Winners were recognized for work to “inform Vermonters and foster civic engagement,” according to a Monday news release from UVM’s Center for Community News, the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office and the Vermont Community Foundation.
The state Legislature allocated $50,000 for the program in its fiscal year 2026 budget. This allocation was then matched by the Vermont Community Foundation to make $100,000 available statewide.
The White River Valley Herald, based in Randolph, received $10,000 as an organization that has “particularly distinguished themselves in recent years by reimagining the way they foster civic engagement” and “sustain themselves for the future.”
The West Lebanon-based Valley News and the Bradford, Vt.-based Journal Opinion each received $5,000 for providing “essential coverage” to their communities.