PICPA

Truth in Finances Award

Honoring excellence and balanced reporting that clarifies misinterpretations of financial issues that affect individuals or the community at large, uncovers financial fraud, or reports on fraudulent activities that harm the financial well being of individuals, communities, or companies.

About the Award
Stories to Consider
Entry Categories
Entry Rules
Deadline
Judging
Award
Entry Form  
Downloadable Entry Form  - Download and save, complete, then email or print & mail your submission.

Certified public accountants (CPAs) and reporters share a responsibility to protect the public interest. The Forensic and Litigation Services Committee of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) initiated this award to support balanced reporting of financial issues that are relevant and useful to the community at large. The award recognizes reporters whose skills identify, clarify, or expose the fiscal accountability of individuals, companies, or governmental agencies.

• Elder fraud and tips to protect senior citizens
• Fraudulent practices in private or public companies, nonprofit organizations, or governmental agencies that inaccurately reflect the financial state of the entity
• Fraudulent investment practices that inaccurately reflect opportunities and risks 
• Illegal fundraising activities 
• Illegal or inappropriate allocation of donations
• Embezzlement of assets in companies, churches, government agencies, or nonprofits
• Breaches of fiduciary duty
• Third-party collusion or insurance fraud

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Newspaper reporters, editors, and publishers as well as TV and radio reporters who present stories occurring in and around Pennsylvania that educate and/or protect consumers’ well-being and the fiscal health of the communities are eligible to enter the PICPA Accountability Award. Materials must be published between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012. Entries should relate to reporting work that uncovered the financial issues that were a detriment to a business, community, or individual.

This award recognizes journalists’ diligent investigative skills, research, and writing, abilities. There are three categories:

• Newspapers with circulation of less than 49,000
• Newspapers with circulation  of 49,000 or more
• Radio and television stations 

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Only the creator of an entry or an editorial officer of the media organization that published the entry may submit an award entry.

PICPA members or the general public may submit nominations of reporters who provided notable coverage by sending a copy of the article, DVD of the coverage, or appropriate links to a web site to communications@picpa.org. PICPA will contact reporters and/or their editors directly to request that they complete an entry form so the publicly nominated articles can be entered into the competition. If consumers would prefer to contact the reporter directly, the submission form can be found at www.picpa.org/accountability.

Each submission must include a completed official entry form and a brief summary of the report. The application can be found at www.picpa.org/accountability.

1. Via Mail – Complete application and mail along with the following:
   1. One original clipping with headlines, photos, illustrations, publication name, and publication date. OR submit a digital printout of the online version of the article, including publication name and date.
   2. Each entry must be arranged on 8 ½  x 11 sheets
2. Via E-mail – Download and complete online application and include the following:
   1. Provide a link to the article in the online application, attach a PDF of the article, or provide .wav or  a .mov file for broadcast media submissions.
   2. E-mail digital version of entry in PDF format to communications@picpa.org with subject line: Accountability Award. Include name of publication and contact information provided with online form within the body of the e-mail.

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• Education value
• Organization
• Thoroughness
• Creativity
• Effectiveness in presentation
• Reach and affect on community

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Awards of $500 will be presented in those categories that receive qualified entries. Recipients will be recognized at the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association (PNA) “Newspaper of the Year Luncheon” during its annual meeting.