Call for Applications: Women Photograph Grants 2026 – Project Grants for Women & Nonbinary Photographers ($10,000)

Application Deadline: June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)

About the Grants

Women Photograph is excited to announce our 2026 project grants for women and nonbinary photographers. Thanks to generous support from Leica USA, these three $10,000 grants will support photography projects either new or in-progress from visual journalists working in a documentary capacity. Women Photograph is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the visibility and representation of women and nonbinary visual storytellers in the media industry. Since its founding, the organization has worked to address the gender imbalance in photojournalism, where women and nonbinary photographers remain significantly underrepresented.

Grant Benefits

• Grant Amount: $10,000 per grant (three grants available)
• Funding Use: May be used to cover the hard costs of reporting, photographers’ creative fees, and any other expenses that support the production of new work
• Note: This grant is not meant to support the production of books, exhibitions, workshops, or other secondary materials

Eligibility Requirements

These grants are open to women, nonbinary, transgender, and intersex documentary photographers of any nationality. Central to Women Photograph’s mission is to be inclusive of and support work from photographers who represent a diverse range of identities, geographies, and experiences. You do not need to be a member of Women Photograph to apply.

Important Notes:

• There is no fee to apply
• Only one submission per open call is permitted
• Applications must be submitted in English, but we welcome applications translated using services like Google Translate
• There are no restrictions on camera equipment used for grant work
• You are welcome to submit links to video/multimedia components in the body of your project description, but your application must be rooted in still photography
• Any use of generative AI must be disclosed clearly
• Grantees will retain full ownership of all work completed
• Women Photograph and Leica USA will ask for the use of promotional images to be used explicitly in conjunction with promoting the photographer, the work, and the grants

Application Requirements

Applicants are encouraged to submit a story (rather than singles) as part of the grant application. The images need not be related to the project proposal, but please specify in your application if the images are unrelated to your proposal.

Key Dates

• Applications Open: May 20, 2026
• Application Deadline: June 30, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)

Please check the time zone carefully for the deadline, we will be unable to reopen applications or make any exceptions for late work.

Why These Grants Matter

Women and nonbinary photographers remain significantly underrepresented in the field of documentary photography and visual journalism. According to industry studies, across major publications, only a small fraction of assignments is given to women photographers, with even lower representation for nonbinary, transgender, and intersex photographers. These barriers are compounded by the high costs of documentary work, which often requires travel, equipment, research, and time away from paid employment. For photographers from underrepresented geographies and backgrounds, accessing funding for long-term projects can be nearly impossible. The Women Photograph Grants address these gaps by:

• Providing substantial funding ($10,000) for documentary projects
• Supporting photographers of any nationality – global eligibility
• Welcoming applications from non-members – no membership required
• Allowing funding for hard costs and creative fees – flexible use of grant funds
• Retaining full ownership of work by grantees
• Focusing on still photography while allowing multimedia components

For women, nonbinary, transgender, and intersex documentary photographers working on visual journalism projects, these grants offer critical financial support to produce new work, cover reporting costs, and advance their careers.

Judges: Judges to be announced (TK).

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who can apply?
  These grants are open to women, nonbinary, transgender, and intersex documentary photographers of any nationality. You do not need to be a member of Women Photograph to apply.
• Is there an application fee?
  No, there is no fee to apply.
• How many submissions are allowed?
  Only one submission per open call is permitted.
• In what language should the application be submitted?
  Applications must be submitted in English, but we welcome applications translated using services like Google Translate.
• What equipment can I use?
  There are no restrictions on camera equipment used for grant work.
• Can I include video or multimedia?
  You are welcome to submit links to video/multimedia components in the body of your project description, but your application must be rooted in still photography.
• What if I use generative AI?
  Any use of generative AI must be disclosed clearly.
• Who owns the work?
  Grantees will retain full ownership of all work completed.

For More Information: Visit the Official Women Photograph Grants 2026 Page