Call for
Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Grant 2025
About Organisation
Vital Impacts is a women-led, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to using the power of art and storytelling to spotlight the efforts of communities working to protect people, wildlife, and natural habitats around the world. Rooted in a mission to support both grassroots conservation initiatives and the visual artists who tell their stories, Vital Impacts bridges the gap between local action and global awareness. Through impactful imagery and community-based narratives, the organization brings attention to critical environmental issues and encourages engagement through visual media. Vital Impacts believes in the transformative role of storytelling to inspire, educate, and mobilize individuals toward conservation and environmental protection. Their support extends to both emerging and established photographers and artists who share a dedication to preserving our planet’s biodiversity and addressing ecological challenges. With a strong commitment to ethical storytelling and cultural sensitivity, the organization fosters long-term collaborations between visual storytellers and local communities. By amplifying voices that are deeply rooted in the regions they document, Vital Impacts ensures that environmental stories are told authentically and with impact. Ultimately, the organization aims to cultivate a global community where storytelling drives sustainable environmental change.
About the Grant
The Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Grant is designed to support long-term, locally based documentary photography projects that highlight environmental and wildlife conservation efforts. The grant is open to both emerging and established photographers committed to telling solution-driven environmental stories through compelling visual narratives. One distinguished photographer will receive a $20,000 grant, while six additional emerging photographers will each be awarded $5,000. These funds are designated to support the documentation and development of meaningful stories rooted in the photographers’ own communities over a twelve-month period.
The program emphasizes collaboration with local communities to ensure that the environmental issues and initiatives portrayed are relevant, authentic, and impactful. Selected grantees will benefit from continuous guidance and support from the Vital Impacts team and a dedicated network of mentors, including prominent photographers and editors.
In addition, ten emerging photographers will be chosen for a year-long mentorship program. This includes personalized sessions aimed at strengthening their storytelling, industry understanding, and publication potential.
By the end of the grant period, participants are expected to have produced a compelling body of work ready for publication, capable of driving awareness and change within the environmental and conservation sectors.
Who can Apply?
Vital Impacts invites applications from photographers who are locally embedded within the communities they aim to document. The ideal applicant is someone with an intimate understanding of their environment and a passion for storytelling that reflects the complex realities of local conservation challenges and solutions. Priority will be given to individuals who are residents of the community or country where the story is based.
Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to ethical visual journalism and a capacity to work collaboratively with local conservation initiatives. The grants aim to empower local voices, and as such, applications from individuals not rooted in the region or attempting to document issues outside their own community will not be considered.
Photographers at different career stages are welcome: established photographers are eligible for the $20,000 grant, while emerging photographers may apply for the $5,000 grants and/or the mentorship program. The mentorship opportunity is open to ten emerging talents who are eager to refine their skills and gain professional guidance.
All applicants must adhere to the Vital Impacts Code of Ethics and will be required to sign the Environmental Grant Agreement upon selection. Proposals may be submitted in the applicant’s native language or in English.
How to Apply?
Applicants can submit their proposals in English or their native language. Translation support will be provided if necessary. Submissions must align with Vital Impacts’ Code of Ethics and be focused on environmental stories based within the applicant’s own community. Finalists must agree to sign the Environmental Grant Agreement. Detailed instructions are available during the submission process once the application period opens.
Application Deadline
Applications must be submitted before the specified closing date. Late entries will not be considered, and applicants are encouraged to complete their submissions well in advance of the deadline.
Last Date To Apply
The final date to apply for the Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Grant will be clearly stated during the application process. Ensure your full proposal is submitted before the deadline to be eligible.
Grant Amount
One established photographer will receive a $20,000 grant. Additionally, six emerging photographers will each receive $5,000. Ten other emerging photographers will be selected for a year-long mentorship program.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, please visit the grant website here.
