The Year 2020 has been everything but a little shy of apocalyptic, with escalating effects of climate change, the early scare of World War 3, and the crown on it all; the Corona Virus Pandemic. It’s quite easy to be caught in the vacuum of it all and this is mostly the case for creatives world over, especially independent creatives who have no monthly income.
While the effects of the Pandemic are slowly but steadily fading and what we hope will be a better time is setting in, it’s still quite frightening what the next couple of months hold, so we’ve compiled a list of grants from 500px that photographers can apply for that hopefully helps them achieve goals for the year or maybe just help hold them and their craft together until better times. See the list below and note that some of these might require submission fees;
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- Individual Photographer’s Fellowship
By the Aaron Siskind Foundation
This fellowship is in place to support an active professional photographer. A panel of high-profile judges determines the winner(s) based not only on the work actually submitted for review but on their past accomplishments in the field and future potential.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: $25
Award: Up to $15,000 for each artist selected
Eligibility: For artists at least 21 years old working in photography and photo-based art.
Requirements:
-10 images
-250 word (maximum) Artist Statement
-Career Summary/CV/Short Bio (500-word maximum)
- Getty Images Creative Bursary
By Getty Images
For photographers with fewer than five years of experience and little-to-no budget, this grant is an opportunity to launch your creative potential. See all grants funded by Getty Images here.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: None listed
Award: $3,000 – $10,000
Eligibility: Not listed
Requirements:
-Links to existing portfolio of work online
-Summary of project proposal (200-500 words)
-Mood board
-A short essay
*See also Disability Stories, ARRAY Grant, Women Photograph Grant, Chris Hondros Fund Award, and Reportage Grant.
- IPG Talent of the Year 2020
By International Photography Grant
With no restrictions on genre or subject, IPG Talent of the Year allows photographers to follow their own creative leanings, as long as a cohesive photographic series is submitted with the application.
Application Deadline: July 31, 2020
Fees: None
Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, submitting an ongoing project or a project completed within the past three to five years.
Requirements:
-A series of up to 10 images with a common theme
-A description of your project (50 words, maximum) and project title
- Alexia Professional Grant
By the Alexia Foundation
This grant is for photographers who are working toward positive change through peace and cultural understanding. As it is one of the higher monetary awards, there are some extra restrictions on eligibility, so read the application materials carefully on this one.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: $50
Award: $20,000
Eligibility: Must be an individual photographer who has not received grants or awards of more than $10,100 in the previous calendar year.
Requirements:
-Project synopsis (25 words, maximum)
-Written proposal (550 words, maximum) to produce a body of work
-Resume with three references
-Body of work (up to 20 photographs)
- Firecracker Photographic Grant
By Firecracker
Exclusively for female documentary photographers, the Firecracker Photographic Grant allots printing, mounting, and framing credits from Genesis Imaging in addition to their monetary award.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: £10
Award: £2,000
Eligibility: Must be a female photographer seeking aid with the completion of a documentary photographic project.
Requirements: Not listed
- Project Launch Grant
By CENTER
The Project Launch Grant applies to series’ that are already completed or in progress. The award is intended to facilitate the completion of a project and/or publicize it at a higher level than the photographer currently has access to.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: TBA (In the past, $45-$55)
Award: $1,000 – $5,000
Eligibility: Granted to an outstanding photographer working on a fine art series or documentary project.
Requirements: Not listed
- Artist-in-Residence Program
By Light Work
This grant is a departure from the others featured here, as it is a residency program. The winner not only receives a stipend and support from the funding agency, but also housing, “24-hour access to state-of-the-art facilities”, and support from Light Work staff.
Application Deadline: July 1, 2020
Fees: Not listed
Award: $5,000 stipend and one-month residency
Eligibility: Must be an artist working in photography or image-based media.
Requirements: Not listed
- The Imagely Fund
By Imagely
In support of a photographer who is bringing awareness to humanitarian issues and environmental crises, The Imagely Fund is awarded once each year. Details have not yet been released for 2020, but in 2019 Imagely awarded two grants for the first time, one for a humanitarian and one for an environmental project.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: None
Award: $5,000
Eligibility: Must be at least 21 years of age.
Requirements:
-One-page project statement
-A link to an online portfolio with at least one complete photo essay
- Ian Parry Scholarship
Patron: Sir Don McCullin C.B.E.
In 1989, Ian Parry, a 24-year-old photojournalist covering the Romanian Revolution, died on assignment. Friends, family members, and Parry’s picture editor at the time of his death banded together to form the Ian Parry Scholarship in his honor. In 2019, the award was spread across two categories.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: None
Award: £3,500
Eligibility: Must be attending a full-time photographic course or under 24 years of age.
Requirements: Not listed
- Lucie Scholarship Program
By Lucie Foundation
The Lucie Foundation awards four monetary grants each year. The categories are: ChromaLuxe X Lucie Foundation ($3,000), Emerging Artist ($2,500), Photo Made ($1,000), and Photo Taken ($1,000).
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: None
Award: $1,000 – $3,000
Eligibility: Varies
Requirements:
-Project proposal
-Project description (250 words)
-Project Plan
-Five goals for the project
-Biography (one page) and/or CV
-20 digital images
- PHmuseum 2020 Photography Grant
By the Photographic Museum of Humanity
Applicants stand to win a portion of the $16,000 in cash prizes from this grant. Some photographers will win portfolio reviews, publication, a solo exhibition, or a projection at the Lagos Photo Festival 2020 in lieu of a monetary award.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: $40
Award: $1,300 – $8,000
Eligibility: Varies
Requirements:
-Project proposal
-Project description (250 words)
-Project Plan
-Five goals for the project
-Biography (one page) and/or CV
-20 digital images
- Emerging Photographer Fund
By Burn Magazine
Both journalistic and artistic projects are eligible for this grant, and/or for the separate, Fujifilm Young Talent Award ($10,000). The two awards are not mutually exclusive, and there’s no limit to the applicant’s age or to the amount of projects a single photographer can enter.
Application Deadline: TBA
Fees: None
Award: $10,000
Eligibility: Photographers with a personal project or emerging career
Requirements: Not listed
*See also the Fujifilm Young Talent Award.
- Magnum Foundation Fund
By Magnum Foundation
Applicants for this award are selected by invitation, which makes it an excellent goal to work toward as you start writing open call grants. In the meantime, you can look into other grants and fellowships under the Magnum Foundation umbrella: The Photography and Social Justice Fellowship, Arab Documentary Photography Program, Magnum Foundation Fellowship, and Inge Morath Award.
Application Deadline: September
Fees: None
Award: Up to $10,000
Eligibility: By nomination only
Requirements: Not listed
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Grants are a way of showcasing your work to professionals in the industry and growing. Should in case you don’t get picked, some organizations will get back with reasons why giving the photographer a chance to learn and grow.
