Deadline: September 16, 2025
Applications are open for the Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Grant 2025. The grants serve a dual purpose: to provide support and encouragement to visual storytellers embarking on long-term documentary photography projects, and to foster collaboration with local communities dedicated to environmental and wildlife conservation efforts.
The aim of these grants is to spotlight solution-based environmental initiatives through visual storytelling. Recipients will have the opportunity to dedicate their time, guided by mentorship and intellectual freedom, towards producing a compelling body of work.
Throughout the twelve-month period, the Vital Impacts team and their mentorship community will provide ongoing support and guidance to grant recipients. By the conclusion of the grant period, it is expected that each recipient will have completed a comprehensive body of work ready for publication, showcasing the impact of their efforts on environmental conservation.
Grant
- Vital Impacts is proud to offer one $20,000 grant to an established environmental photographer, along with six $5,000 grants to emerging photographers from across the globe. These funds are specifically earmarked for the development of documentary projects focusing on environmental stories, with each grant supporting a separate photographer and project over the course of twelve months.
Eligibility
- Open to local photographers deeply embedded within their communities, possessing both the knowledge and passion to report on environmental issues, particularly those relevant to their own surroundings. They are on the lookout for individuals who can convey the complexities of environmental or conservation challenges, along with potential solutions.
- It’s imperative that grant recipients focus on documenting a story within their own community. The goal is to bolster local journalism, so they are specifically targeting photographers rooted in the communities they aim to spotlight. They won’t be considering applications from photographers outside of the respective community or country.
- Applicants are encouraged to apply in their native language or in English. For proposals submitted in foreign languages, they will arrange for translation services to ensure fair evaluation and consideration.
- All applicants must follow the Vital Impacts Code of Ethics and be able to agree to and sign the Environmental Grant Agreement.
- Grantee cannot be the target of sanctions or located or resident in a country, territory or region that is the target of comprehensive territorial sanctions.
- Prior publication experience is not a requirement. Vital Impacts is particularly interested in uplifting photographers who have been working on long term projects and who have existing relationships with the stakeholders in this issue.
Application
For more information, visit Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Grant.
