OVERVIEW: Women Photograph supports women, gender nonconforming, transgender, genderqueer and nonbinary photographers.
IP TAKE: Women Photograph seeks to support documentary photography from a diversity of gender perspectives. While it is an approachable organization, grants are highly competitive. Applications are open internationally and free—more than 1,200 photographers applied for just three project grants in 2026.
Applicants should check the website rather than rely on past award structures, as things change often. For instance, in 2026, Women Photograph partnered with Leica on three $10,000 grants for new or ongoing documentary projects. Its separate Mentorship Program paired six early-career photographers with industry mentors and provided each with $3,000 for a six-month project. These were new offerings.
Projects that questions power structures and gender issues may have a clear edge; however, plenty of supported grants centered other subjects and themes. The common denominator involves documentary rigor. For nonprofits, however, this is not a conventional funder. Its direct awards go to individual photographers rather than organizations.
PROFILE: A conglomerate of more than 500 independent female documentary photographers, led by Daniella Zalcman, launched Women Photograph in 2017. Founded in San Francisco and now based in Washington D.C., the organization’s mission is to “shift the makeup of the photojournalism community and ensure that our industry’s chief storytellers are as diverse as the communities they hope to represent.” It supports “women, nonbinary, transgender, and intersex documentary photographers of any nationality” pursuing documentary photography projects. Note that in seeking to make visual journalism more equitable by supporting women and other gender-marginalized photographers, its grant guidelines do not say projects about gender or power structures receive preference.
Grant for Women, Journalism and Visual Arts
In a recent year, Women Photograph and Leica USA offered three grants of $10,000 each for new or in-progress documentary photography projects.
- Funding could cover reporting costs, photographers’ creative fees and other expenses tied to producing new work.
- Books, exhibitions, workshops and other secondary materials were specifically excluded.
- Eligibility was global: women, nonbinary, transgender and intersex documentary photographers of any nationality could apply. Applicants did not need to belong to Women Photograph, and there was no application fee.
- A requirement emphasizing a substantial body of already-completed work no longer appears in the current guidelines, but read carefully going forward.
- For information about how to apply, see the grants page; applications are accepted via the application portal, typically from April 15 to May 15, but dates my change from year to year.
- The foundation also supports a Women Photograph Database to increase opportunities for photographers.
- It allows editors and others to search documentary photographers by location, expertise, skills and demographic attributes
- Its network now includes more than 1,600 members worldwide.
Because Women Photograph’s sponsors and award structures have changed repeatedly over the years—Getty Images, Nikon, Leica, MPB and others have appeared in different cycles—this organization’s funding structure appears to be annual and sponsor-dependent. For instance, in 2025, MPB sponsored five grants fo $5,000.
Opportunities for Mentorship and Career Development
The Mentorship Program annually supports six early career photographers with remote mentoring from “industry leaders,” as well as $3,000 in project support over a six month period.
- Check the program page for current application information and due dates.
- It is open internationally to women, nonbinary, transgender and intersex documentary photographers.
- Current Women Photograph members are not eligible; selected mentees join the database after completing the program. Applications are free.
- Email hello@womenphotograph.com for additional information about this program.
Important Grant Details:
Women Photograph grants are awarded in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, as specified by each program.
- The foundation accepts applications for its grant and mentorship programs, but guidelines and due dates vary by program and change from year to year. See guidelines and due dates on program pages.
- Find profiles of past grantees organized by year in the drop down list under the grants tab.
- Keep up with new opportunities by signing up for Women Photograph’s mailing list at the contact page.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
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