How to Find Grants for Photographers

Lenses can cost hundreds of dollars, making photography grants important to photographers at all stages of their career.

Whether you are going all digital or still develop your prints in a home dark room, photography is an expensive profession. Because of the cost associated with lenses, developing and fixing chemicals, new camera, matting, framing, and paper costs, there are many organizations that offer artist grants to photographers at all professional levels to offset these costs of doing business. However, finding this photography grant information can be tricky unless you know where to look.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Contact your local and state council on the arts. They may offer specific photography grants, or grant money for photographers under the more general umbrella of visual arts. State-sponsored small business grants can also be used to help fund your photography business.

2. Subscribe to trade publications such as Popular Photography or Digital Photography magazine. This will keep you abreast of any new grant programs, and existing grants may also be advertised in their pages.

3. Join a photography club in your area. A directory of such clubs can be found at http://www.photocritter.net/club/clubs.php, and is searchable by country or city. Other club members may be able to advise you about the best grants for your needs, as well as their personal experience with specific grant programs.

4. Investigate fellowships in photography at colleges or universities in your area. Fellowships, like grants, offer money to photographic artists, but may also include a residency or teaching requirement. Contact the art department at a college in your area to learn more.

5. Visit the website of the PPA (Professional Photographers of America.) It is updated daily with photography news and updates on approaching deadlines for grant programs.

Tips & Warnings

• Start early.

• Communicate with potential funders.

References

• Dun & Bradstreet: FIVE SMALL BUSINESS GRANT RESOURCES
• Photocritter: Photography Club Finder
• Yoranch Adventure: How to Find Grants for Photographers
• PPA: Grants Search Results

Resources

• Popular Photography Magazine
• Digital Photo Magazine
• Photophilanthropy: Find Photography Grants