⚪ Open Now: Submit By 9 October 2026
The Demographics & Planetary Health Story Prize
Honoring Original Journalism That Connects the Dots
The Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize contest is designed to recognize original published journalism that connects demographic change to planetary health, whether through population dynamics, reproductive health, migration, climate, or the economic and geopolitical forces tying them together.
Hosted by the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health and the Planetary Health Alliance, the Hopkins Population Center, and the William H. Gates Sr. Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at Johns Hopkins University, this prize takes a wider lens and seeks to honor all types of reporting, journalism, and content creation that reaches outside a typical sector audience.
Submission Categories
Print, Podcast, Digital News, & Newsletters
AWARD: $500 USD
This category is for journalists or reporters who take a more traditional approach to journalism, whether self-publishing or publishing for a recognized media outlet.
Social Media, Blogs, & Video
AWARD: $500 USD
This category is for content creators who utilize social networks or personally-driven content outlets to engage their audiences.
Submission Guidelines & FAQs
What do submissions need to include?
All Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize submissions must include:
- Author details (name, contact information)
- A headline and a sub-headline
- A link to the published piece, or a draft plus a note on where it's slated to run
- A brief (150-word) summary on the story's significance and the reporting behind it
- Media outlet affiliation
- A thumbnail image that represents the piece
Who is eligible to submit?
Who IS eligible:
- The Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize is open to journalists, freelancers, community reporters, and student journalists reporting for a digital, print or social outlet.Â
Who is NOT eligible:
- Submissions from NGO or organizational blogs are not eligible.
What story topics are eligible?
Submissions to the Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize should engage substantively with the intersection of demographics and planetary health.Â
Examples might include (but not limited to):Â
- Population trends and their environmental or health consequences
- Migration driven by climate or resource pressure
- Reproductive health access in the context of environmental change
- Solutions and innovations to mitigate forced migration
- Energy/urbanization, designing cities that meet demographic trends
- Impacts of rising heat levels and increased pollution on maternal health
- Climate impacts on marginalized populations and gender disparities
What story formats are eligible?
The Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize accepts submissions in multiple formats, including:
- Published or broadcast news stories
- Features or op-eds
- Explanatory pieces
- Short-form documentary or audio pieces
Which story publication dates are eligible?
Content published in 2026 is eligible to be submitted for the Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize.
When do submissions close?
The Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize contest closes on Friday, 9 October 2026. Submissions will not be accepted after this date.
Who will judge the submissions?
A panel of judges from the fields of journalism, planetary health, and demography will review submissions to the Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize.
What evaluation criteria will the judges use?
Judges will evaluate submissions to the Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize guided by simple criteria and a scoring system. Final determination of the winners will be made based upon the judges’ scores.
Criteria include:
- Originality and rigor: Is the reporting sourced beyond press releases and does it bring new information or framing to the topic?
- Clarity of the demographics–planetary health connection: Does the story make that link legible to a general audience, not just specialists?
- Craft: Is the writing well structured, and does it use data or visual storytelling effectively?
- Potential for impact: Is the piece likely to reach and inform readers who wouldn't otherwise encounter this topic?​
- Substantive power of the piece: Does the reporting surface something that moves the conversation forward?
Submission Form
Timeline & Key Dates
Monday,
10 August 2026
Submissions Open
The Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize contest officially opened and began accepting submissions on 10 August 2026.
Tuesday,
22 September 2026Â
Virtual Story Pitch Session
Join this virtual session on 22 September 2026 to get the story behind the headlines on demographics and planetary health, straight from the experts driving the coverage.
Friday,
9 October 2026
Submissions Close
The Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize contest will close on 9 October 2026. Submissions will not be accepted after this date.
Thursday,
22 October 2026
Winners Announced
The winners of the Demographic & Planetary Health Story Prize contest will be announced at the Demographics & Planetary Health Convening in Washington, D.C. on 22 October 2026.Â
Virtual Story Pitch Session:
Breaking Down the Headlines
Tuesday, 22 September 2026
On the sidelines of Climate Week NYC and UNGA 81, join us for this virtual story pitch session​ to hear from experts working at the intersection of demographics and planetary health.
They'll discuss some of the most consequential storylines in the field right now—ideas you can take straight into your own reporting.
Register now to attend. As well, we will send the event recording and presentation slides once the event concludes.Â
About the Story Prize Co-hosts
The Institute for Planetary Health accelerates cross-university collaboration to address the degradation of Earth's natural systems and its impacts on human health and well-being, catalyzing scholarship and practice that bring together faculty, students, and staff across disciplines to confront the urgency of the Earth crisis and safeguard health on a rapidly changing planet.
The Planetary Health Alliance (PHA) serves as the global backbone organization for the growing Planetary Health movement, coordinating a consortium of more than 500 universities, research institutes, NGOs, and government entities from 80+ countries committed to understanding and addressing the impacts of global environmental change on human health and well-being.
The Hopkins Population Center (HPC) stimulates and facilitates original research that integrates social science, public health, and biostatistics to advance population dynamics research across poverty and inequality, sexual and reproductive health, and family, maternal and child health.
The William H. Gates Sr. Institute for Population and Reproductive Health (WHGI) transforms evidence to action by generating knowledge, strengthening health systems, developing leaders, and convening global movements that advance equitable sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all.Â