Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Fellowships and Mentorships 2027

About this call

Vital Impacts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Missoula, Montana, United States, supports photographers undertaking long-term documentary projects on environmental and conservation challenges and the people and communities working toward solutions, anywhere in the world. In 2027 it awards one $20,000 fellowship to an established environmental photographer, six $5,000 fellowships to emerging photographers, and ten mentorships. Fellows develop one project through December 31, 2027, with funds paid in three installments and ongoing guidance from mentors. One fellowship recipient, selected later, will be invited to exhibit at the 2027 Festival of Ethical Photography in Lodi, Italy, which covers production, installation, travel and accommodation. The program favours photographers with a meaningful, sustained relationship with the community or issue they document, and the main deliverable is a body of still photographs.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Photography
• Entry fee: $25
• Photographers from anywhere in the world may apply, subject to sanctions: fellows cannot be the target of sanctions or be located or resident in a country, territory or region subject to comprehensive territorial sanctions. The 2027 call strongly encourages photographers documenting their own communities and will also consider those with sustained engagement through recurring travel, long-term collaboration or professional or academic experience; the organizer's fellowship page also says applications from photographers residing outside the respective community or country will not be considered. Individual photographers only, no teams; still photography projects, with video or multimedia only as supplementary material. Submit up to 20 JPEG images from one or two bodies of work or photo stories (a story, not a collection of single best images), a 25-word synopsis of the proposed project, a 500-word project statement, a biography of up to 1,500 characters and social media information. A second project needs a separate application. The same application covers the fellowships and the mentorships; tick the box to be considered for a mentorship. Applicants agree to the Vital Impacts Code of Ethics and, if selected, sign the Fellowship or Mentorship Agreement; AI or generative tools may not create or materially alter photographs, and original RAW files must be kept for verification. Applications may be written in the applicant's native language or English. Fellows begin work within 30 days of accepting, meet their mentor and the Vital Impacts team regularly, and deliver about 50 color-corrected JPEG images with the RAW files by the end of the period on December 31, 2027. The $20,000 fellowship is paid as $5,000, $10,000 and $5,000, each $5,000 fellowship as $1,000, $3,000 and $1,000. Mentees meet their mentor monthly, attend required lectures and present their work at the end. Entrance fee $25 per submission, which may be waived for economic hardship and is waived for all applicants from developing countries (write to hello@vitalimpacts.org for a waiver code).