The Sidney prize is awarded each month to an outstanding piece of socially-conscious journalism. It’s sponsored by the Hillman Foundation, which also awards the annual Hillman prizes every spring. Winners receive $500, a certificate designed by New Yorker cartoonist Edward Sorel, and a bottle of union made wine. Nominations are due by the last day of each month.
The prize honors the late Sidney Cox, professor of English literature at Dartmouth from 1927 to 1952. Cox’s long essay, “The End,” appeared in Portfolio magazine and sparked a debate about the role of science in human knowledge and culture. He argued that despite what blinkered humanities professors might say, science provides insight into nearly everything.
In the fall of 2022, the Hillman Foundation awarded a Sidney prize to Jennifer Gonnerman for her piece in New York Magazine titled “Last Home Standing.” Gonnerman’s profile of Jacqueline Tamaklo, one of the millions of victims of predatory mortgages in America, was a gripping read. In it, she chronicles her struggle to keep her home after being misled by a pastor into believing she’d sign a monthly mortgage payment of $2,500. The reality turned out to be much different, and she soon lost her home.
Originally known as the Sidney Shapiro Tzedakah Award, this prize was founded in 1997 to recognize Jewish funders who collaborate with other grantmakers to achieve significant collective impact and advance their shared goals. Developing philanthropic partnerships and collaborations is a core value of the Jewish Funders Network, and this prize embodies the spirit of the work we do in our field.
Each year, the Foundation awards a Sidney prize to an essay that is published in a major US or international literary magazine or journal and addresses a topic of contemporary importance. The prize is named in memory of the late Sidney Louis Wagman ’51, who was noted for his loyalty to high ideals.
Literary Prizes
The University of Sydney offers a number of undergraduate literary prizes, including the Sidney prize. Students who are nominated by their Faculty and who have met the criteria for a prize are awarded a $1000 prize and their achievement is recorded on their transcript. The majority of these prizes are literary prizes and require an application and the submission of written work.
Overland is pleased to announce that Annie Zhang has won our Neilma Sidney Prize 2023 for her story ‘Who Rattles the Night?’. The prize is open to all writers (located anywhere in the world) and entries were assessed by a panel of judges comprising Laura Elvery, Paige Clark, and Michael Winkler. To enter the next Neilma Sidney Prize, click here. Subscribers to Overland are eligible for a discounted entry fee. The deadline for the 2020 prize is 30 April. The winner will be announced in June. The full shortlist is here. Subscribers to Overland get additional opportunities, giveaways, and events.