The Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Fellowships & Mentorships 2027 are now open for applications from photographers and visual storytellers worldwide. Organized by Vital Impacts, this prestigious international program provides financial support and year-long mentorship to photographers documenting environmental and conservation stories centered on communities creating meaningful solutions.
For the 2027 edition, Vital Impacts will award one $20,000 fellowship, six $5,000 fellowships for emerging photographers, and ten mentorships for talented visual storytellers seeking professional guidance. One fellowship recipient will also receive the opportunity to exhibit their work at the 2027 Festival of Ethical Photography in Italy with fully funded travel and exhibition costs.
The fellowship supports long-term documentary projects rather than short-term assignments, empowering photographers to produce impactful bodies of work that can contribute to publication, exhibitions, and public engagement.
About Vital Impacts
Vital Impacts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to using visual storytelling and journalism to amplify the work of people and communities protecting wildlife, ecosystems, and habitats across the globe.
The organization believes that environmental storytelling should move beyond documenting crises to highlighting resilience, innovation, and community-led conservation efforts. Through fellowships, mentorships, grants, and educational initiatives, Vital Impacts supports photographers committed to ethical, collaborative, and solutions-oriented documentary practice.
Fellowship Awards and Funding
The 2027 programme offers multiple opportunities for photographers at different stages of their careers.
Funding includes:
| Award | Support |
|---|---|
| Established Environmental Fellowship | $20,000 |
| Emerging Photographer Fellowships | 6 awards of $5,000 each |
| Photography Mentorships | 10 mentorship places |
Each fellowship supports one photographer and one documentary project over a 12-month development period, providing both financial resources and continuous mentorship from internationally recognized photographers and editors.
New International Exhibition Opportunity
A major addition to the 2027 programme is a partnership with the Festival of Ethical Photography in Lodi, Italy.
One of the seven fellowship recipients will later be selected to exhibit their completed project during the 2027 Festival of Ethical Photography, one of Europe’s leading documentary photography festivals.
The selected fellow will receive:
- Fully funded exhibition production and installation
- International return travel to Italy
- Accommodation during the festival
- Opportunity to present their work publicly
- Networking with editors, photographers, conservationists, and international audiences
This exhibition provides significant international visibility for an emerging or established environmental photographer.
Who Should Apply?
Vital Impacts welcomes applications from photographers around the world who have developed meaningful relationships with the communities and environmental issues they wish to document.
The programme strongly encourages local photographers documenting stories within their own communities, recognizing that long-term trust and cultural understanding often produce deeper and more authentic visual narratives.
However, applicants do not need to permanently live in the featured location. Photographers may also apply if they can demonstrate sustained engagement through long-term collaboration, recurring fieldwork, academic research, or professional involvement with the community or conservation initiative.
Applicants should clearly explain why they are uniquely positioned to tell their proposed story and how their relationships will enable responsible and nuanced storytelling.
Eligible Documentary Projects
Vital Impacts seeks projects exploring environmental and conservation challenges while emphasizing people working toward solutions.
Competitive proposals should demonstrate:
- A sustained relationship with the featured community or issue
- Strong understanding of the environmental challenge
- A realistic 12-month project plan
- Existing trust and access where appropriate
- Ethical and responsible documentary practices
- A distinctive visual storytelling approach
- Potential to increase public understanding of conservation issues
Importantly, prior publication experience is not required, making the programme accessible to both emerging and established photographers.
Mentorship and Professional Development
Beyond financial support, the fellowship places significant emphasis on mentorship. Throughout the fellowship period, recipients receive ongoing guidance from experienced members of the Vital Impacts mentorship community, helping photographers strengthen narrative development, editing, project strategy, and long-term career growth.
By the end of the programme, fellows and mentees are expected to have developed a substantial documentary body of work suitable for publication, exhibition, or other forms of public engagement.
Ethical Storytelling Requirements
All recipients must comply with the Vital Impacts Code of Ethics throughout the application, production, and delivery of their projects.
Ethical compliance extends beyond a signed declaration and may include review of submitted photographs, project statements, community relationships, captions, metadata, mentor feedback, and any concerns raised during the fellowship. Vital Impacts reserves the right to investigate credible allegations of ethical misconduct and take appropriate action where necessary.
Application Process
Photographers should prepare a compelling documentary project proposal that demonstrates their connection to the community, environmental issue, and long-term storytelling approach. Applications are submitted through the official Vital Impacts submission platform.
Successful applicants will join a global community of photographers dedicated to creating powerful visual narratives that inspire conservation action and elevate the voices of communities protecting the planet.
