The National Press Foundation is a non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

 (NGO) that provides training for journalists and awards excellence in journalism

Journalism

Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...

. The Foundation was established in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 in 1976.

Activities

NPF gives awards for achievement in print, broadcast and online journalism at its Annual Awards Dinner, held every February. The dinner is the foundation's largest source of unrestricted revenue. The awards include Ben Bradlee Editor of the Year Award, Sol Taishoff Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, the Everett McKinley Dirksen Awards for Distinguished Reporting of Congress, the Berryman Award for Editorial Cartoons, Excellence in Online Journalism, the Chairman's Citation and Kiplinger Distinguished Contributions to Journalism. National Press Foundation award winners often go on to win Pulitzer Prize

Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...

s.

In 2004 the National Press Foundation presented its Broadcaster of the Year Award to Brit Hume

Brit Hume

Brit Hume is an American television journalist and political commentator.For twenty years he was a correspondent for the American Broadcasting Company, including Chief White House Correspondent. He then spent ten years as the Washington, D.C. managing editor of the Fox News Channel and the anchor...

. The award generated some controversy. Geneva Overholser, head of the University of Missouri

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...

's Washington journalism program, resigned from the Foundation's board in protest. She accused Hume of practicing "ideologically connected journalism" and said "he did not deserve the award".