About
The W. Eugene Smith Grant is designed to encourage and support visual storytellers whose photographic work renews the tradition of W. Eugene Smith’s dedicated compassion as evidenced during his 45-year career as a photographic essayist. Special consideration will be given to work that promotes social change, that embraces new technologies and image distribution, and that seeks to integrate the tradition of photography and social change with contemporary practice. The judges will be looking for a photographer and project that seem most likely to use exemplary and compelling photojournalism and documentary photography (possibly supplemented by or incorporating multi-media) to address an issue of import and impact related to the human condition: social change, humanitarian concern, armed conflict, or other topics of interpersonal, psychological, cultural, social, environmental, scientific, medical and/or political significance, ideally expressing an underlying acknowledgement of our common humanity.
Requirements
A biography up to 1500 characters (spaces included). A CV, up to 2000 characters (spaces included), is optional and can instead be submitted as a PDF of unlimited length.
The project description is a concise synopsis or summary of the project. This outline should be brief but comprehensive. Ideally, the project will be journalistically realizable, visually translatable, and humanistically driven. The description should not exceed 2000 characters (spaces included).
The project proposal should go into greater detail, describing the practical aspects of the applicant's plan. It should explain how the applicant will use the Smith Grant funds to launch or complete the project. The proposal should not exceed 3000 characters (spaces included).
IMAGES: Applicants can submit up to 40 images total. These should consist of representative images from the project being proposed to the W. Eugene Smith Fund. Or, if a new project, the applicant can include in their submission past work clearly marked as such, that represents the candidate's vision and their ability to execute the project being proposed to the fund. No AI generated imagery is allowed.
You must be 18years of age to apply for this grant.
Entrance Fee
$50 USD.
Application Fee Waiver: Through partnerships with the African Photojournalism Database, African Women in Photography, the Authority Collective, Black Women Photographers, Diversify Photo, the Everyday Projects, Foto Féminas, Indigenous Photograph, the Magnum Foundation, and Women Photograph, Center for Photography Ethiopia, MATCA, Market Photo Workshop, and the UCAB PhotoContact Project, the Smith Fund will be making a select number of application fee waivers available to photographers seeking to apply to the Eugene Smith Grant, and the Eugene Smith Student Grant. Photographers who cannot afford the submission fee should request a fee waiver from one of the following organizations before September 24, 2024. Please note: You must fit the demographic makeup of the individual organization from whom you are requesting the waiver.
African Photojournalism Database: apjd@worldpressphoto.org
African Women in Photography: sarah@africanwomeninphotography.org
Authority Collective: authoritycollective@gmail.com
Black Women Photographers: polly@blackwomenphotographers.com
Diversify Photo: info@diversify.photo
Everyday Projects: peter@everydayprojects.org
Foto Féminas: foto.feminas@gmail.com
Indigenous Photograph: hello@nativesphotograph.com
Magnum Foundation: tif@magnumfoundation.org
Women Photograph: daniella@womenphotograph.com
Center for Photography Ethiopia: mahederhaile@gmail.com
MATCA: info@lin-pham.com
Market Photo Workshop: Khonad@marketphotoworkshop.co.za
UCAB PhotoContact Project: jperezda@ucab.edu.ve
VII Foundation: info@theviifoundation.org
Nuku Studio: info@nukustudio.org
Pathshala South Asian Media Institute: pathshala.hod.photo@gmail.com
Judging Information
The Fund’s Board of Trustees impanels a three-member international jury. The jury meets twice. At the first session the jury reviews the required materials: applications, proposals, and photographs. They select finalists based on the substantive and intellectual merits of their projects. Finalists will be given the opportunity over a short period of time to refine their proposals and to answer specific questions from the jury about their project. At the second session the jury will review all new material and select the W. Eugene Smith Grant recipient, the W. Eugene Smith Grant Fellowship recipient, and the W. Eugene Smith Grant Finalist.
Terms of Receiving the Grant:
For 2024, the amount of the W. Eugene Smith Grant is $30,000. In addition, two $10,000 Finalist Grants will be awarded. Applicant also understands and agrees that if applicant is the recipient of the Grant, $24,000 will be paid upon receipt of the Grant, and $6000 will be paid upon receipt of twelve (12) digital images and twelve (12) prints within eighteen (18) months after receipt of the Grant. The Finalist Grants will pay $8,000 upon receipt of the grant and $2,000 will be paid upon receipt of twelve (12) digital images within eighteen (18) months after receipt of the Grant. Recipients must submit a final report detailing how the grant was used and how the money contributed to the success of the project.
The images shall become part of the W. Eugene Smith Legacy Collection at the International Center of Photography in New York. Applicant also agrees that as part of the unrestricted gift, the Smith Fund may exhibit the images and use them on a non-exclusive licensing basis to promote the activities of the Fund.
The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, independently administers the grant program that provides photographers with the financial freedom to carry out or complete a major photographic essay.