Win $20k: Vital Impacts Environmental Photography grant 2025 opens for global submissions

In an inspiring boost to the global visual storytelling community, Vital Impacts has officially announced its 2025 Environmental Photography Grant, inviting environmental photographers from around the world to apply for a chance to receive funding and mentorship that could propel their careers to new heights. This grant is tailored specifically for photographers whose work highlights the complex and pressing issues facing our planet, from climate change to biodiversity loss, Indigenous knowledge to environmental justice.

The 2025 edition of the grant program offers two substantial grants totaling $20,000 USD. A $20,000 Vital Impacts Grant will be awarded to an established environmental photographer working on a long-term documentary project focused on the environment. Additionally, an Emerging Photographer Grant of $5,000 USD will be granted to a young or early-career photographer with a developing body of work. The grant’s mission is to support both accomplished and rising photographers using their lens to drive environmental change and global awareness.

Founded by conservation photographers Ami Vitale and Eileen Mignoni, Vital Impacts has become a respected platform supporting photographers with compelling narratives that inspire stewardship of nature. This year’s grants are aimed at amplifying work that has tangible impact, strengthens conservation efforts, and offers fresh perspectives on how humanity interacts with the natural world. With climate crisis narratives often oversimplified or underreported, the program seeks photographers who can create transformative visual storytelling that educates, informs, and activates audiences.

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A key component of the grant is its mentorship opportunity. Finalists and recipients will receive direct guidance from industry-leading photographers and editors, ensuring not only financial support but also professional development. Vital Impacts emphasizes that selected projects must demonstrate both conceptual clarity and storytelling ambition. Priority will be given to work that elevates voices from frontline communities and illustrates the interconnectedness between ecosystems and people.

Applications are now open and will close on September 6, 2025. Submissions must include a detailed project proposal, a portfolio of images, and a clear outline of how the funds will be used. Photographers from any nationality are encouraged to apply, with no restrictions on geographic location. Entries must be in English and submitted through the Vital Impacts online portal.

In addition to the grant, selected photographers may have the opportunity for future exhibitions, print sales, or features across Vital Impacts’ expansive global network. Previous grantees have gone on to publish in National Geographic, The New York Times, and other leading media platforms, making this grant a launching pad for impactful environmental journalism.

With increasing urgency around ecological collapse, this grant arrives at a critical time. Photographers not only document the world, they shape how we see and respond to it. The Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Grant 2025 represents an important investment in visual voices that can move hearts, shift narratives, and create measurable impact in protecting our planet. For environmental photographers ready to tell the story of Earth’s most critical challenges and triumphs, this is more than a grant, it’s a global platform.

For complete eligibility and application details, visit the official Vital Impacts Grant page.