Yes, there are available grants for black photographers in the United States of America. There are loads of initiatives geared toward supporting black photographers, but funding is a major setback affecting the plans. Interestingly, some organizations have dedicated funds to support black photographers who are ready to take their professions to a global level.
They also, tackle some challenges facing the black communities in the United States. Although most of the grants issuing organizations are open to all photographers, some of them usually give preference to black photographers or female photographers of color.
Grants Available for Black Photographers in the United States of America
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The Everyday Projects Grant
The Everyday Projects Grant is one of the available grants aimed at issuing institutions black photographers in the United States can apply for. This is to support black and other photojournalists from different backgrounds to develop their craft.
Over 450 photographers send their applications for this grant from all across the globe. The Everyday Projects will be awarding two types of grants to photographers who are ready to work on a long-term project that will make a great impact on their community development.
This project grant offers two awardees $6,000 in grant money, aside from that, each awardee will also receive mentorship for one year during the time of the proposed project. Some of the mentors working with the Everyday Projects Grants are Jehan Jillani who is a Visuals Editor at The Atlantic, and Mallory Benedict who is a Photo Editor at National Geographic.
Requirements
- You must be a photojournalist who is working on a project
- You are required to submit your previous and current work
How to Apply
Visit their website to fill out the application whenever it’s open to the public.
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The Getty Images Inclusion Grants 2023 for Photographers
The Getty Images Inclusion Grants are committed to supporting photographers and creative communities all across the world. They achieve this via a series of grants awarded to qualified applicants in the creative space. They provide them with grant money, and other support such as mentorship, and licensing resources that will help them scale up their photography business.
Applicants who are qualified and awarded the grant are selected by a diverse panel of judges who are known in the field of photography and communications. Since this project started, the Getty Images Inclusion Grants have awarded over $2.4 million to photographers and filmmakers across the globe.
Requirements
- The applicant must be a photographer or a videographer
- Your proposed projects can either be ongoing work, new photography, or a videography project.
- The project must be unique, and it must meet other requirements as stated in the advert for the grant.
How to Apply
- Applicants are required to apply through the organization’s online form on their website.
- Applicants can also send a mail to grants@gettyimages.com to make inquiries.
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Peak Design Grants
Peak Design Grants is a grant designed specifically for black photographers and filmmakers. This aims at promoting inclusivity and not encouraging color competition in the creative industry. The grants issued by Peak Design Grants are restricted to Black photographers and each grant will include over $3500 in gear:
- Sony Alpha a7III Mirrorless Camera with 28-70mm Lens
- Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod
- 2 Peak Design Everyday Bags of choice
- Peak Design Tech Pouch
- Peak Design Slide Lite, Leash, and Cuff straps
- Peak Design Capture Clip
- BorrowLenses $250 gift card
- 2-year subscription to SmugMug Pro
- 2-year subscription to Flickr Pro
Note that those selected for this grant will be judged on different criteria that revolve around their needs, interest, talent, and motivation for the project they are involved in. An applicant’s portfolio will be a consideration in awarding grants, but not the only one. You are expected to apply even if your portfolio is not as polished or robust as you’d like.
Requirements
- You must fill out the online application form and submit the required documents
- Applicants must be black photographers and filmmakers based in the United States
- You must prove that you don’t have the financial resources to purchase your own professional-level gear.
How to Apply
Fill out the application form on their website and also submit all the documents as stated on the website.
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PhMuseum Grants Program
The PhMuseum Grants Program was created with the aim to support photographers across the board. This is to help photographers discover new projects and explore the boundaries of contemporary photography. Since 2012 PhMuseum Grants Program has awarded about $143,000 in cash prizes and granted 11 exhibitions at international photography festivals.
Requirements
- You must be a photojournalist who is working on a project
- You are required to submit your previous and current work
How to Apply
Visit their website to fill out the application whenever it’s open to the public.