The award is named for Jim S. Keat, a retired editor and foreign correspondent for the Baltimore Sun, who was a long-time advocate for public information access. Keat is a member of the MDDC Hall of Fame.
Recipients include:
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2022 | The Baltimore Sun |
| 2021 | The Baltimore Brew |
| 2020 | The Baltimore Sun |
| 2019 | The Baltimore Sun |
| 2018 | The Baltimore Sun and Baltimore Brew |
| 2017 | The Baltimore Sun and the Montgomery County Sentinel |
| 2016 | The Baltimore Sun |
| 2015 | The Baltimore Sun |
| 2014 | The Baltimore Sun |