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Calendar of Grants and Prizes for Documentary

Grants and photography competitions are often a way to develop one’s artistic practice, to get one’s work out, to lead a long-term project. Here you will find a list of all important prizes and awards dedicated to portrait photography with a calendar of submissions, grant amounts and useful information. Submit your work.

JANUARY

World Press Photo Awards
1st prize: 10 000€
Submission deadline: early January
www.worldpressphoto.org

Sony World Photography Awards / Documentary Category
1st prize: $25,000 + Sony photo gear & exhibition in London
Submission deadline: mid January
www.worldphoto.org

Photographer of the Year (POY) / Documentary Category
1st prize: $1,000 + crystal trophy
Submission deadline: late January
www.poy.org


The Alexia Professional Grant
1st prize: $20,000
Submission deadline: late January
www.alexiafoundation.org 


FEBRUARY


Lumix Festival Freelens Award for Young Visual Photojournalism / Picture Series Category
1st prize: 10,000€
Submission deadline: February 
www.fotofestival-hannover.de

Festival La Gacilly Photo with Fisheye 
1st prize: Exhibitions at Festival La Gacilly Photo and Rencontre d’Arles + publication in Fisheye Magazine + more
Submission deadline: February 5th, 2021
www.festivalphoto-lagacilly.com


PH Museum Photography Grant

1st prize: 7400€ + projections in festivals
Submission deadline: February 18th, 2021
www.phmuseum.com/grants


CENTER’s Project Launch Grant
1st prize: $5,000 + exhibition + professional development workshop
Submission deadline: To Be Announced
www.visitcenter.org/project-launch

CENTER’s Project Development Grant
1st prize: $5,000 + exhibition + professional development workshop 
Submission deadline: To Be Announced
www.visitcenter.org/project-development

CENTER’s me&EVE Award
1st prize: $5,000 to a female-identified photographer, 40 years of age and over
Submission deadline: To Be Announced
www.visitcenter.org/me-and-eve-award


Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest
1st prize: Worldwide exhibitions
Submission deadline: February 28th, 2021
www.stenincontest.com

Catchlight Fellowship
Three grants of $30,000 each
Submission deadline: Sunday, February 28, 2021
catchlight.io


MARCH


International Photography Award (IPA)
1st prize: Between $500 and $10,000 in different categories
Submission deadline: March 14th, 2021
www.photoawards.com

Zoom Photo Festival Saguenay
1st prize: Winners exhibit their photos at the festival
Submission deadline: March 15th, 2021
www.zoomphotofestival.ca

Istanbul Photo Awards
1st prize: $8,000 + exhibitions + published in professional photobook
Submission deadline: March 18th, 2021 
www.istanbulphotoawards.com


Grand Prix ImageSingulières 
1st prize: 8000€ + publication of portfolio on Mediapart + exposition in festival 
Submission deadline: March 31st, 2021
www.imagesingulieres.com


APRIL


POY Latam Award
1st Prize: $1,000
Submission deadline: late April 
www.poylatam.org


Henri Cartier Bresson Award

1st prize: 35 000€
Submission deadline: April 30th 2021
www.henricartierbresson.org


MAY


Dorothea Lange – Paul Taylor Prize 
1st Prize: $10,000 + feature in Centre for Documentary Studies’ digital publications + inclusion in the Archive of Documentary Arts at Rubenstein Library, Duke University
Submission deadline: May 15th, 2021
www.documentarystudies.duke.edu/awards/lange-taylor


W. Eugene Smith Fund Student Grant
1st prize: $5,000
Submission deadline: May 31st, 2021
www.smithfund.org

W. Eugene Smith Fund Grant
5 prizes of $10,000 each
Submission deadline: May 31st, 2020
www.smithfund.org


Getty Images Women Photograph Grant

Getty Image Reportage Grant


World.Report Master Award of Festival della Fotografia Etica
1st Prize: 5 000€
Submission deadline: late May
www.festivaldellafotografiaetica.it


Aaron Siskind Individual Photographer’s Fellowship Grant
1st Prize: $15,000
Submission deadline: late May
www.aaronsiskind.org


JUNE


Burn Emerging Photographer Fund 2019

1st prize: $10,000
Submission deadline: early June
www.burnmagazine.org

Burn Fujifilm Young Talent Award

1st prize: $10,000
Submission deadline: early June 6th
www.burnmagazine.org



JULY


The Ian Parry Scholarship – The Sunday Times Award for Achievement
1st prize:  £3,500 + Canon equipment + nominee for Joop Swart Masterclass in Amsterdam
Submission deadline: early July
www.ianparry.org/scholarship

The Ian Parry Scholarship – The Canon Award of Potential
1st prize:  £3,500 + Canon equipment + year-long mentorship + opportunity to take part in the Transmissions Programme at Visa pour L’image 
Submission deadline: early July
www.ianparry.org/scholarship


The Imagely Fund
1st prize:  $5,000
Submission deadline: late July
www.imagely.com/fund


International Photo Grant
1st prize: $1,000
Submission deadline: July 31st, 2020
www.internationalphotogrant.com


AUGUST


Firecracker Photographic Grant for Female Photographers
1st prize: £2,000 + credit of professional printing, mounting and framing services
Submission deadline: early August
www.fire-cracker.org/grant


Lucie Foundation Photo Taken Emerging Scholarship

1st prize: $1,000
Submission deadline: mid August
www.luciefoundation.org/programs/scholarship


SEPTEMBER


IAFOR Documentary Photography Award
1st prize: £1,000 + more
Submission deadline: mid September
www.iaforphotoaward.org 


OCTOBER


Carmignac Photojournalism Award
1st prize: 50 000€ to accomplish a reportage 
Submission deadline: mid October
www.fondationcarmignac.com


FotoEvidence Book Award
1st prize: published book + exhibited in 2020 World Press Photo Exhibition 
Submission deadline: mid October 


HIPA Awards
1st prize: $120,000  
Submission deadline: late October 
www.hipa.ae


Silver Eye International Fellowship
1st prize: $3,000 + solo exhibition
Submission deadline: late October
www.silvereye.org


NOVEMBER


Prix HSBC pour la Photographie 
1st prize: Organization/creation of travelling exhibition at cultural venues worldwide + publication of first monograph
Submission deadline: early November


Gomma Photography Grant
1st prize: €1,000
Submission deadline: early November
www.gommagrant.com


Monochrome Awards / Photojournalism
1st prize: $2,000 / $1,000
Submission deadline: November 15th, 2020
www.monoawards.com


DECEMBER


Travel Photographer of the Year Awards – Faces, People and Cultures category
1st prize: variable cash prize, Fujifilm gear & prints
Submission deadline: mid December
www.tpoty.com


Thomson Reuters Photojournalism Grant
1st prize: $8,000
Submission deadline: end of December
www.reuters.com

Cover photo: A female boxer trains inside a makeshift gym in Katanga, Kampala, Uganda © Edward Echwalu on Everyday Africa

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