22 Photography Grants to Follow for 2020
Yvan Cohen
Mon Nov 25 2019
We’ve found all the top photography grants out there and conveniently organized them into this list for you. We’ve even sorted the awards by deadline periods in the year to help you better know which ones are coming up.
Spring:
- Aaron Siskind Foundation Grant – $15,000
- CENTER Project Launch and me&EVE Grant – $5,000
- Dorothea-Lange Paul Taylor Grant – $10,000
- Eugene Smith Grant – $40,000
- Inge Morath Grant – $5,000
- Getty Reportage Grant – $15,000
- Getty Where We Stand Grant – $3,000-10,000
- The Emerging Photographer Grant – $10,000
Summer:
- Lucie Foundation Grant – $1,000-5,000
- International Photography Awards – $500-10,000
- Getty Array Grant – $5,000
- Getty Woman Photograph Grant – $10,000
- Firecracker Grant – $2,000
- Carmignac Photojournalism Award – $60,000
- Reminders Photography Stronghold Grant
Fall:
- Alexia Grant – $20,000
- International Photography Grant – $1,000
Winter:
- CBRE Photographer of The Year Award – $10,000
- HIPA Photography Competition – $4,000-120,000
- Manuel Riviera-Ortiz Foundation Grant – $5,000
- Getty Disability Stories Grant – $5,000-10,000
- Howard Chapnick Grant – $5,000
Spring
Selective focus photography of pink cherry blossom flowers
1. Aaron Siskind Foundation Grant – $15,000
Application Period: Spring 2020
Application Deadline: Friday, May 31, 2020 at 11:59pm Eastern Time
The Aaron Siskind Foundation photography grant is supporting photographers whom have demonstrated a serious commitment to photography. Despite the majority of recipients in the past being professionally active photographers, you will not be excluded for a lack of professional experience.
Eligibility: All genres of photography are welcome to apply for the photography grant. Regardless of your photographs’ subject matter, your work should comprise a “mature and coherent body of work”.
2. CENTER Project Launch and me&EVE Grant – $5,000 each
Application Period: Spring 2020
Application Deadline: February 24th, 2020
This cash award is given to a photographer to support them with completing an ongoing project or to help them disseminate their work. Completed projects are by no means excluded from winning the prize, though it is important to outline how the cash prize is going to benefit your project and grow its exposure. Ie. The cash prize is to be used as a means of furthering your project, not just cash as a reward outright.
Eligibility: Only open to fine art and documentary photography projects. The me&EVE photography grant is also only given to female photographers aged 40 and up. You must also be focusing on social justice photography projects.
3. Dorothea-Lange Paul Taylor Grant – $10,000
Application Period: Spring 2020
Application Deadline: May 15th, 2020
When applying, each applicant must submit a portfolio of up to 20 images. The photography grant specifies all work submitted should show evidence that it was created with reliance on documentary methods. That is, photographs taken through interviews, research, or long-term fieldwork. With that in mind, special consideration is given to work that ‘gazes outwards’.
Eligibility: Photographers of any age and nationality are welcome to apply. Applicants should be documentary artists working on a project that captures the interplay of words and images. This should be conveyed through the creation and presentation of their work. Single artists as well as collaborative teams may apply.
4. Eugene Smith Grant – $40,000
Application Period: Spring 2020
Application Deadline: April 30th, 2020
The Eugene Smith Grant was designed to help photographers complete or begin an ongoing photographic project. The grant is typically awarded to the project that is most likely to reflect exemplary and compelling photojournalism work. Thus, it is important the project targets a pressing issue related to the human condition.
Eligibility: Photographers must be working on a project that targets a pressing issue related to the human condition: humanitarian concerns, armed conflicts, psychological, cultural or other issues that highlight an underlying acknowledgement of our common humanity.
5. Inge Morath Grant – $5,000
Application Period: Spring 2020
Application Deadline: April 30th, 2020
In cooperation with the Magnum Foundation and established by Magnum Photos, the Inge Morath award is an annual honorary award given as tribute to Inge Morath, late photographer whom worked at Magnum for more than fifty years.
Eligibility: Only female photographers under the age of 30 are eligible to win this photography grant. Additionally, the applicant must be working on a long-term documentary photography project.
6. Getty Reportage Grant – $15,000
Application Period: Spring 2020
One of the broadest photography grants awarded by Getty. The Reportage grant is given to support independent photojournalists around the world. Three awards of $15,000 are awarded each year. The grant is awarded to photojournalists pursuing projects that are personally important to them. The more meaningful the work to the photojournalist, the higher the likelihood of being awarded the grant.
Eligibility: Applicants must be a photojournalist and proposals must be submitted in English. The proposed project must also be of significant personal meaningfulness.
7. Getty Where We Stand Grant – $3,000 to $10,000
Application Period: Spring 2020
As part of Getty’s emergence success programs, the Where We Stand grant is given to upcoming photographers who’s work focuses on the evolving narratives surrounding the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Eligibility: Only photographers with less than five years of experience are eligible to win the award. The content must also revolve around the narratives behind the LGBTQIA+.
8. The Emerging Photographer Grant – $10,000
Application Period: Spring 2020
Application Deadline: June 6th, 2020
This photgraphy grant was designed to support the continuation of a photographer’s personal project or emerging career. This grant is part of Burn Magazine’s mission to identify the finest emerging authors out there and encourage them to continue following their passion.
Eligibility: There is no stylistic restriction. That is, the nature of work may be either journalistic or purely artistic. Projects may be completed or ongoing. Additionally, there is no restriction on age limit or maximum number of projects you can enter.
Summer
Beach birds calm clouds
9. Lucie Foundation Grant – $1,000 to $5,000
Application Period: Summer 2020
Application Deadline: August 18th, 2020
The lucie foundation prides itself on recognizing and rewarding emerging talent. The award is typically given to photographers who demonstrate a need for the money, alongside evidence of themselves as an emerging talent.
Eligibility: Emerging Artist Scholarship ($2,500) is available to any individual photographer working on any open themed project. The Photo Made Scholarship ($1,000) is available to any individual photographer working on a fine art photography project. And the Photo Taken Scholarship ($1,000) is available to any individual photographer working on a documentary or photojournalism project.
10. International Photography Awards – $500 to $10,000
Application Period: Summer 2020
Application Deadline: August 18th, 2020
The IPA is an open photography competition for professionals, non-professionals, and students from around the world. There are awards ranging from the most prestigious, the International Photographer of the Year Award ($10,000 cash prize), to the Discovery of the Year Award for non-professionals ($5,000), to 13 sub-category awards in both professional and non-professional brackets (a total of 26 sub-category awards).
Eligibility: Certain awards, are totally open and not restrictive of photography genre, like the Photographer of the Year award. However, awards such as the Discovery of the Year Award, and certain sub-category awards, are limited only to non-professional photographers. Having said that, there is just as many awards for professional photographers as there are non-professional.
11. Getty Array Grant – $5,000
Application Period: Summer 2020
This award is given to four recipients. In this photography grant, Getty is looking for visual artists who capture the visual narrative of underrepresented ethnic communities. This includes, but isn’t limited to, African-American groups, South Asian, or indigenous communities.
Eligibility: All photographers and visual artists are welcome to apply, though the subject matter of the project should surround capturing underrepresented ethnic communities.
12. Getty Woman Photograph Grant – $10,000
Application Period: Summer 2020
This photography grant was designed to help elevate the work and voices of female visual journalists. Thus, Getty is looking to support professional female photojournalists with an ongoing documentary photography project. This photojournalist should have demonstrated a long-term commitment to their story.
Eligibility: While it is not explicitly stated, we can presume female photographers are given preference to winning this grant. Special consideration is also given to photographers who give evidence of having a personal connection with the communities they cover.
13. Firecracker Grant – $2,000
Application Period: Summer 2020
Application Deadline: August 4th, 2020
This grant, aimed at supporting female photographers globally, was created to assist with the completion of a documentary project. While this is not a core requirement, it is preferred by the panel that the project is documentary by nature. The award is given to a photographer based on the strength of their visual portfolio and artist statement.
Eligibility: This photography grant is only available to women and non-binary individuals. All photography genres are accepted.
14. Carmignac Photojournalism Award – $60,000
Application Period: Summer 2020
One of the most generous and prestigious photography grants available, the Carmignac award is given to a photographer to carry out a 6-month field report. The award is supported by the Foundation Carmignac and selected by an international jury.
Eligibility: While this photography grant is awarded to any photographer, it is one the most prestigious photography grants available. It requires a high degree of professionalism, proven quality of work, and willingness to dedicate 6-months to completing the proposed project.
15. Reminders Photography Stronghold Grant – Unknown Award Amount
Application Period: Summer 2020 to Winter 2020
Based out of Tokyo, the Reminders Photography grant selects one winner every deadline period. Winning the award comes with a variety of perks that include using the RPS gallery space rent-free, free accommodation, and getting to feature your work in their gallery space.
Eligibility: This grant is available to not just photographers, but also curators, gallerists, and even book publishers.
Fall
Autumn leaves
16. Alexia Grant – $20,000
Application Period: Fall 2020
Application Deadline: September 30th, 2020
The Alexia grant awards a professional photographer or visual journalist the chance to pursue a photography project that shares the Alexia Foundation’s goals. These goals heavily emphasize promoting world peace and cultural understanding.
Eligibility: All genres of photography are welcome to apply for the grant. However, you must be an individual photographer pursuing a project without other content producers. While you can have a team to support you, you must be the primary content creator for the project.
17. International Photography Grant – $1,000
Application Period: Fall 2020
Application Deadline: August 31st, 2020
The International Photography Grant is open to any and all photographers globally. With no submission fee, feel free to apply with no downside.
Eligibility: Photos submitted must be part of a consist project. Additionally, the only photography genres accepted is creative, documentary, landscape, portrait, and travel.
Winter
Snowy pathway surrounded by bare trees
18. CBRE Photographer of The Year Award – Photographer trip of a lifetime valued at $10,000
Application Period: Winter 2020
Application Deadline: January 31st, 2020
This photography grant is given only to individual photographers. Of all the photography grants we’ve featured on this list, this one may have the greatest global renown. However, with such great renown comes stiff competition as the CBRE’s Photographer of the Year grant receives over 100,000 entries every year.
Eligibility: Photographers over the age of 13 are welcome to apply for the competition. There is no regional, demographic, or photography style that this award excludes.
19. HIPA Photography Competition – $4,000 to $120,000
Application Period: Winter 2020
Application Deadline: October 31st, 2020
The HIPA Photography Competition in Dubai offers a variety of photography grants in amounts ranging from $4,000 to $120,000. The grand award ($120,000) is given annually, and is based upon a given theme for the year. This year the theme is water. While other photography grants only award a single winner, the HIPA grant more generously hands out awards to first, second, and third place applicants. This leaves a higher likelihood of walking away with some kind of financial gift.
In addition to the grand prize, there are a number of other awards that can also be won within other subcategories: portfolio, general, and mobile photography categories.
20. Manuel Riviera-Ortiz Foundation Grant – $5,000
Application Period: Winter 2019-2020
Application Deadline: November 1st, 2019 to April 15th 2020
The Manuel Riviera-Ortiz Foudnation gives out one award every year for documentary photography and film. The top 12 applicants are selected to have their work featured at a exclusive gallery in Les Rencontres d’Arles (Arles, France).
Eligibility: Applicants must submit a 15-image portfolio under the documentary photography genre. The work must thus be non-fiction, and surround a pressing social issue such as health, poverty, oppression, war, famine, or other similar topics. Proposals can only be for new or ongoing projects. The grant is also open to any professional and nonprofessional photographers.
21. Getty Disability Stories Grant – $5,000 to $10,000
Application Period: Spring/Winter 2020
Application Deadline: November 1st, 2019 & 2020
This grant is given to photographers who focus on stories depicting life with disability. Photographers are encouraged to photograph the struggles, hardships, and silver-linings of living with disability.
Eligibility: This award is recognized as an ‘emerging talent’ award, and is thus only awarded to photographers with less than five years of experience.
22. Howard Chapnick Grant – $5,000
Application Period: Winter-Spring 2020
Application Deadline: April 30th, 2020
While other photography grants require the grant money to be put towards a proposed project exclusively, this grant may be used towards a range of qualified photographic undertakings. This could include funding towards schooling, a special long-term project or an internship.
Eligibility: Photographers of any age are welcome to apply, though special consideration is given to any project that focuses promoting social change and/or serve significant concerns of photojournalism.
Written by Yvan Cohen | Yvan has been a photojournalist for over 30 years. He’s a co-founder of LightRocket and continues to shoot photo and video projects around South East Asia.
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