For over 30 years, The Alexia grants have supported student and professional visual communicators who produce projects that inspire change by addressing socially significant topics.
Grants are awarded to applicants who can produce significant projects that share in The Alexia’s mission and who demonstrate the ability to accomplish their projects.
Your submission must include a synopsis of your project, a proposal, your bio, a résumé/CV and a body of work. Stories may be in progress or planned. Entries are judged as much on the strength of the proposal as on the applicant’s visual skills. What storytellers address and what they say about life on the planet is more important than the approach chosen to address that topic.
All applicants will be considered for the traditional Alexia grants. In addition, during the application upload process, you will have the ability to indicate if your application should also be considered for any of this year’s pop-up grants.
All applicant work will be considered for inclusion in international exhibitions curated throughout the year.
The 2025 submission cycle is now closed. Live Judging is set for April 4–5 in Syracuse, New York. Please check back periodically for information about additional grants.
Professional grants enable established photographers and filmmakers to produce substantial bodies of work that align with The Alexia’s mission. The Alexia also encourages a diversity of creators, issues and approaches, and values work that elevates understanding and inspires meaningful change.
This year, The Alexia is offering several pop-up grants as well as its traditional Vision grants.
The Alexia Vision Grant (professional): $20,000 and a Sony camera/lens. The runner-up will receive $1000. For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that provide insight into issues around the world, foster cultural understanding and inspire meaningful change by addressing socially significant topics.
POP-UP: The Alexia Conservation Grant sponsored by The fStop Foundation: $5,000. For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that focus on positive aspects of conservation work in relation to human-wildlife conflict — how we can thrive living alongside wildlife that share our landscape.
POP-UP: The Alexia Faith Grant sponsored by Hendrick’s Chapel, Syracuse University: $5,000. For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that provide meaningful insight into issues related to faith.
The submission fee for professionals is $50.
These grants enable current college student photographers and filmmakers to produce bodies of work that align with The Alexia’s mission.
We also encourage a diversity of creators, issues and approaches, and value work that elevates understanding and inspires meaningful change.
Student applicants are encouraged to consider proposing projects located close to where they live because a successful body of work is more likely with easy and repeated access. Most student grant recipients are already working on their projects when they apply.
The Alexia Vision Grant (student): $2,000, a Sony camera/lens, acceptance to the Eddie Adams Workshop (other finalists will get priority consideration for acceptance), the tuition and fees to audit three courses during a semester at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in New York, and they will be considered for a paid position as research assistant to The Alexia chair. The runner-up for this award will receive $500.
For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that provide insight into issues around the world, foster cultural understanding and inspire meaningful change by addressing socially significant topics.
POP-UP: The Alexia Conservation Grant sponsored by The fStop Foundation: $1,000. For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that focus on positive aspects of conservation work in relation to human-wildlife conflict — how we can thrive living alongside wildlife that share our landscape. The fStop Foundation also is willing to provide guidance during production and publication.
POP-UP: The Alexia Faith Grant sponsored by Hendrick’s Chapel, Syracuse University: $1,000. For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that provide meaningful insight into issues related to faith.
POP-UP: The Alexia Human Rights Grant sponsored by CODE^SHIFT at Newhouse, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY: $1,000: For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that provide meaningful insight into human rights issues. Projects should explore themes such as social justice, equity and advocacy, with a focus on marginalized communities. CODE^SHIFT (Collaboratory for Data Equity, Social Healing, Inclusive Futures, and Transformation) will be available to provide mentorship and guidance during production and publication.
POP-UP: The Alexia Sports Grant sponsored by the Sports Media Center at Newhouse, Syracuse University: $1,000. For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that provide meaningful insight into issues related to sports.
POP-UP: The Alexia Public Diplomacy Grant sponsored by the Public Diplomacy and Global Communication at Newhouse, Syracuse University: $1,000. For this grant, we will be looking for strong projects that provide meaningful insight into issues related to public diplomacy, which is often (but not limited to) stories focused on history, culture and foreign policy.
The student grant application is free.
The Alexia Emerging Photographer Grant sponsored by the VII Foundation
The recipient of this grant will be selected from applicants to our student grants as well as professional applicants who have five years of experience or less. The VII Foundation believes truthful visual journalism is an essential tool for citizens and decision-makers as they confront humanity’s challenges and seek sustainable solutions. In response, the foundation empowers new voices, fosters critical debates and creates stories that advocate change.
GRANT DETAILS: Tuition to the next Level 3 course in VII’s Visual Journalism Program, plus accommodation and a per diem.
CURRICULUM: Level 3 of VII’s Visual Journalism Program offers a month-long immersive and interdisciplinary experience in Europe. This intensive program includes training in observation, interview techniques, public speaking, writing, constructing complex narratives, editing, improving technical skills and engaging in discourse and debate.
Level 3 classes are conducted in English and focus on teaching through practice and mentoring; they also include more theoretical concepts, integrating multi-disciplinary academic reading and research, writing, journaling, art disciplines, and workshops. After completing the course, students are skilled professionals ready to report on vital issues in their communities and understand their role in the context of contemporary journalism.
Tutors for past editions of Level 3 include Monica Allende, Philip Blenkinsop, Dr. David Campbell, Jacqueline Farmer, Ziyah Gafic, Gary Knight, Ilvy Njiokiktjien Fiona Turner and Yonola Viguerie.
The VII Foundation’s educational programs are run by VII Academy, which provides tuition-free courses in visual journalism to practitioners in the Majority World and underrepresented communities in G20 countries.
JURORS: The VII Foundation
The open judging weekend, April 4–5 in Syracuse, New York, is being sponsored by SONY.
All images submitted also will be considered for inclusion in national and international Alexia exhibitions and publications curated throughout the year and beyond. Photographers with selected images would be contacted for approval.
Live judging is set for April 4–5.