New Photography Grants Launched for Women in Visual Journalism

Women Photograph, a database launched by photographer Daniella Zalcman to promote the representation of female photographers in the industry, has launched two grants to finance new or in-progress projects.

The main grant, supported by the Pulitzer Center and worth $5,000, is directed at mid-career, established women photographers, while three other grants worth $2,500 each and financed by the camera-bag company ONA will go to emerging visual journalists.

“These grants are meant to in some small way help elevate the voices of female (and non-binary) visual journalists,” Zalcman tells TIME. “The main grant is another tool to help women work on the stories that are most important to them — which is always an integral part of developing a voice as a photographer.”

She adds: “While the Women Photograph database is only open to photographers with five or more years of experience, I deeply believe in the need for more structured support for emerging female photographers, whether in the form of mentorship or funding for independent projects, so I hope the emerging photographer grants will help support a few young journalists who have the passion and the drive to go work on their own projects but maybe lack the institutional support.”

The new grants — applications for which open on April 1 — come at a time when the representation and treatment of women photographers in the industry is under intense debate.

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