Vital Impacts
Applications are open for the Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Fellowships and Mentorships 2027, an international opportunity supporting photographers and visual storytellers documenting environmental challenges, conservation efforts, and communities working to protect the natural world. Organized by Vital Impacts, the programme provides financial support, professional mentorship, and opportunities to share documentary photography with wider audiences.
The programme is designed to help photographers develop long term visual storytelling projects that go beyond documenting environmental problems. It encourages applicants to highlight practical solutions, local conservation initiatives, biodiversity protection, and the people working to build a more sustainable future. Through photography, participants can bring attention to environmental issues while strengthening connections between communities, conservation practitioners, and the public.
For the 2027 edition, Vital Impacts will award one fellowship worth US$20,000 to an established environmental photographer and six fellowships worth US$5,000 each to emerging photographers. In addition, ten emerging photographers will be selected for a mentorship programme offering professional guidance and opportunities to strengthen their documentary storytelling skills.
Vital Impacts is an organization dedicated to supporting visual storytellers who document environmental issues and the work of communities protecting people, wildlife, and natural habitats. Its Environmental Photography Fellowships and Mentorships help photographers develop substantial bodies of documentary work that can contribute to public understanding and environmental action.
The programme supports projects addressing conservation challenges while emphasizing the people and initiatives responding to them. Rather than focusing exclusively on environmental damage, applicants are encouraged to tell stories about resilience, innovation, restoration, and locally led solutions.
Selected fellowship recipients will have approximately twelve months to develop their proposed projects. During this period, they will receive professional guidance and be expected to make meaningful progress on their work. The resulting photography should be suitable for publication, exhibitions, or other forms of public engagement.
The programme also includes mentorship opportunities for emerging photographers whose work demonstrates potential and would benefit from additional professional development. Previous applicants and former fellowship or mentorship recipients are welcome to apply again.
• One US$20,000 fellowship for an established environmental photographer.
• Six US$5,000 fellowships for emerging photographers.
• Ten mentorship placements for emerging visual storytellers.
• Professional guidance from experienced photographers, editors, and other industry specialists.
• Approximately twelve months to develop a documentary photography project.
• Opportunities to strengthen visual storytelling, project development, and professional presentation skills.
• Potential support from Vital Impacts in promoting projects through publications, exhibitions, and media opportunities.
• An additional exhibition opportunity for one fellowship recipient at the 2027 Festival of Ethical Photography in Lodi, Italy. The festival will cover exhibition production and installation, international travel, and accommodation for the selected photographer.
• Access to the Vital Impacts online speaker series, which offers insights and guidance to interested visual storytellers.
The fellowships provide project funding rather than a general salary. Applicants should review the official fellowship agreement for payment schedules, project expectations, and reporting requirements.
1. Dr. Jane Goodall Environmental Photography Fellowship
This US$20,000 fellowship honours Dr. Jane Goodall and her contribution to wildlife research and conservation. It supports an established photographer developing a compelling environmental story that reflects the importance of protecting wildlife, ecosystems, and the relationship between people and nature.
2. E.O. Wilson Environmental Photography Fellowships
The programme also honours the legacy of biologist E.O. Wilson, whose work advanced biodiversity research and conservation. The fellowship opportunities support photographers documenting environmental challenges and initiatives aimed at protecting and restoring ecosystems.
3. Emerging Photographer Fellowships
Six photographers will receive US$5,000 each to develop environmental and conservation projects. These opportunities are intended for emerging visual storytellers with promising documentary work and a clear plan for advancing their proposed stories.
4. Environmental Photography Mentorships
Ten emerging photographers will receive mentorship designed to strengthen their craft and professional development. Participants will have opportunities for individual guidance and engagement with experienced professionals.
Applicants should meet the following expectations:
• Be a photographer or visual storyteller working on an environmental or conservation related story.
• Have a meaningful connection to the community, location, people, or issue they propose to document.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the environmental challenge and the people or organizations involved.
• Present a clear project concept with the potential to produce a substantial body of documentary photography.
• Show commitment to long term storytelling rather than short term access to a subject.
• Demonstrate an ethical and responsible approach to documenting people, communities, wildlife, and environmental issues.
• Be prepared to develop the proposed project over the fellowship period.
• Agree to follow the Vital Impacts Code of Ethics.
• Agree to sign the applicable Environmental Fellowship or Mentorship Agreement if selected.
Applicants should prepare the following materials:
• Up to 20 JPEG photographs representing one or two bodies of work or documentary photo stories.
• A project synopsis of 25 words.
• A project statement of approximately 500 words describing the proposed story, environmental issue, personal connection, and intended impact.
• A biography of up to 1,500 characters.
• Requested social media information.
• A clear explanation of the applicant’s relationship with the community, people, or environmental issue being documented.
• Agreement to comply with the Vital Impacts Code of Ethics.
• Agreement to sign the relevant fellowship or mentorship agreement if selected.
Applications should demonstrate the strength and relevance of the proposed environmental story, the applicant’s photographic ability, and the potential for meaningful documentary work.
Vital Impacts places particular value on established relationships with local communities, sustained engagement with environmental issues, ethical storytelling, and the ability to explore both challenges and potential solutions. Applicants should explain why they are well positioned to tell their proposed story and what they hope the project will communicate or change.
A strong application will present a clear project direction, demonstrate knowledge of the subject, and show how the resulting photography could contribute to public understanding, conservation efforts, or community engagement.
Vital Impacts
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