Skip to content
Circlebreaker

Funding

Grant

The Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Fellowships and Mentorships

FellowshipRemote

Vital Impacts

Application Deadline

November 30, 2026

Official Page

Can you apply?

Check who can apply

“Fellows cannot be the target of sanctions or be located or resident in a country, territory, or region subject to comprehensive territorial sanctions applicable to the fellowship.” Eligibility

Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.

We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.

Vital Impacts, a US nonprofit founded by photographer Ami Vitale, runs a yearly call for still-photography projects on solutions-focused environmental stories. Fellows spend twelve months developing a project in the community they document, with help from Vital Impacts to publish and show it.

One application covers both the fellowships, each named after an environmental leader such as Dr. Jane Goodall, and a mentorship for ten emerging photographers.

Benefits & funding

  • One US$20,000 fellowship for an established photographer; six US$5,000 fellowships for emerging photographers.
  • Paid in three instalments: on signing the fellowship agreement, at about six months, and on delivery of final materials.
  • Ten mentorships: twelve months of one-on-one sessions with photographers and photo editors (no cash stated).
  • Fellows report periodically and deliver about 50 edited images plus RAW files.

Eligibility

  • Individual photographers only; no team applications.
  • Still photography only (no film or multimedia), on an environmental story; photographers documenting their own communities are strongly encouraged.
  • You need not live permanently in the community you document if you can show sustained engagement (recurring travel, long-term collaboration).
  • Not open to anyone under sanctions, or located or resident in a country, territory or region under comprehensive territorial sanctions.
  • No publication record needed; past applicants and recipients may reapply.
  • Must follow the Vital Impacts Code of Ethics and sign the Environmental Fellowship Agreement.

Application process

  1. 1
    Apply on Picter between 31 August and 30 November 2026 (the portal clock shows 1 December 2026, 4:59 AM).
  2. 2
    Submit up to 20 images from one or two photo stories, a 25-word synopsis, a 500-word project statement and a short bio.
  3. 3
    Pay the US$25 fee; waived for applicants from developing countries and possible for economic hardship (codes from hello@vitalimpacts.org).
  4. 4
    Tick the mentorship box to be considered for it; write in your native language or English.

Program timeline

  1. Applications open

    Aug 31, 2026

  2. Application deadline

    Nov 30, 2026

  3. Recipients announced (Picter timeline; main page says January 2027)

    Jan 16, 2027

The monthly round-up

New fellowships, scholarships and programs, once a month. No account needed.