The 2025 New England Better Newspaper Competition is open and accepting entries across all divisions — Editorial, Advertising, and College! Whether you’re a publisher, newsroom leader, reporter, ad director, sales rep, or a student editor or journalist, entering is simple, digital, and rewarding.

This is your opportunity to showcase your best work from the past year and gain recognition for excellence in New England journalism. The entire process is online — no printing, mailing, or complicated steps. You can upload files, include URLs, and even have billing handled after the deadline.

Entering is truly easier than you think! Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the competition to help you get started.

For further information, please email Linda Conway at l.conway@nenpa.com or Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com.

Learn more about the Better Newspaper Competition

Submit your entries

FAQs

Who can enter?

Editorial and Advertising Divisions: Open to all NENPA member publications and their staff. If your publication isn’t a member yet, there’s still time to join and participate! Find out more at this link.

College Division: Open to all college and university publications in New England, and their student journalists — no membership required.

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What work is eligible to enter the competition?

Work published by NENPA member news organizations during the contest year, August 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025, is eligible for this competition.

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How do I enter?

It’s all digital! Register online, upload your files or share URLs to your work, and you’re done. No printing, mailing, or complicated formatting required.

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Can individual staff members enter their own work?

Absolutely! Entries can be submitted by your publication or directly by staff members — everyone is encouraged to showcase their best work.

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When is the deadline?

There’s still time left to enter before the final deadline on [insert date] — but don’t wait too long! The final deadline for all entries is Friday, November 14, 2025.

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What about billing?

Invoices are handled after the deadline, so there’s no need to pay upfront. Just focus on getting your best work entered.

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Why should I enter?

Winning a NENPA award is a mark of excellence in New England journalism. It’s a great way to celebrate your newsroom’s achievements, recognize individual talent, and gain regional recognition for your work.

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Ready to get started?

Follow these easy steps:

1.  Go to www.newspapercontest.com/nenpa to register.

2.  The portal resets each year, so you’ll need to register even if you entered last year.

3.  Create a password. (We don’t store last year’s password, so you’ll need to set a new one. You can reuse the same password if you wish.)

4.  Enter the Association Code: NENPA

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When will the awards be presented?

Awards will be presented at the annual New England Newspaper Convention in Spring 2026 (location and dates to be announced soon).

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