The W. Eugene Smith Grant 2025 is one of documentary photography’s most-watched calls, and this year’s edition puts $30,000 on the table for a project that speaks to the human condition. Entries close on October 5, 2025, with recipients announced in December. If you track the best photography competitions to enter, this grant stands out for its focus on sustained, socially engaged visual storytelling.
The Smith Grant supports a photographer whose work advances the tradition of long-form photo essays addressing themes such as social change, humanitarian concern, conflict, culture, science, environment and related issues. Applicants submit a concise project description, a detailed proposal explaining use of funds, a short biography, and up to 40 images that represent the proposed or related work. The application fee is $50, with a limited number of fee waivers available through partner organizations before September 23, 2025. This is an international call for applicants aged 18 and older, the student track is handled separately via the Smith Student Grant. In short, this is a focused path for documentary and photojournalistic practice with clear cash prizes and a defined production timeline.
Contents
The W. Eugene Smith Grant 2025 Prizes
The grant package is straightforward and tied to production milestones.
- Grant Recipient: $30,000 total. $24,000 paid at award; $6,000 upon delivery of 12 digital images and 12 prints within 18 months.
- Two Finalist Grants: $10,000 each. $8,000 paid at award; $2,000 upon delivery of 12 digital images within 18 months.
- All deliverables enter the W. Eugene Smith Legacy Collection at ICP (nonexclusive license for noncommercial institutional uses).
For entrants comparing awards, this program aligns with significant cash prizes aimed at enabling substantive documentary projects.
Related Photo Contests
The Categories of the The W. Eugene Smith Grant 2025
There are no formal categories in this W. Eugene Smith Grant 2025. The brief targets documentary and photojournalistic projects that examine the human condition across social, cultural, environmental, scientific and political contexts. In practice, work often overlaps documentary photography contests, photojournalism photography competitions and environmental photography awards.
The W. Eugene Smith Grant 2025 Dates and Entry Fees
Key dates are set to keep projects moving.
| Call opens | July 1, 2025 |
| Fee waiver request deadline | September 23, 2025 |
| Submission deadline | October 5, 2025 |
| Recipients announced | December 9, 2025 |
| Annual Grant Ceremony | TBD |
Application fee: $50 per entry.
Limited waivers available through partner organizations prior to the waiver deadline.
How to Enter:
Apply online through the grant’s submission portal. Prepare a biography (up to 1,500 characters), an optional CV (up to 2,000 characters or upload as PDF), a project description (up to 2,000 characters), a project proposal (up to 3,000 characters) and up to 40 JPG images at 72 dpi, long side at least 1,500 px, sRGB.
About the Jury
The Smith Fund’s Board of Trustees convenes a three-member international jury. The jury meets twice, first to review applications and select finalists, then to evaluate finalists’ refined proposals and choose the grant recipient and two finalists.
Why Enter The W. Eugene Smith Grant 2025?
This is a production grant designed to launch or complete significant work, not a showcase-only award. It offers staged funding tied to deliverables and placement of work within a recognized institutional collection. For photographers mapping out the year’s photography contest deadlines, it provides a clear schedule, international eligibility, and an editorial focus that aligns with documentary photography competitions and photojournalism awards.
Rules and Copyright
This section about the rules and image rights of the The W. Eugene Smith Grant 2025 has been generated automatically. If you are interested in participating in this contest we suggest you review the complete rules provided by the contest.
Rules
Applicants must be 18 or older. International applications are welcome. Students should apply to the separate student grant. One proposal per applicant. Up to 40 images may be submitted. Technical specs: JPG, 72 dpi, long side at least 1,500 px, sRGB. No AI or ML generated imagery. Finalists may be asked to refine proposals and respond to jury questions.
Copyright and Image Usage
Grant recipients retain copyright. Deliverables (digital images and, for the main grant, prints) join the W. Eugene Smith Legacy Collection at the International Center of Photography under a nonexclusive, worldwide license for noncommercial institutional uses, including exhibitions and reproductions related to the Fund and ICP. Progress reports are required to receive final payments.
For more information and to participate in the contest, visit: the official website.
