Doug Pensinger Sports Photography Grants

The 2024 Sports Photography Grants are founded by the Doug Pensinger Photography Fund based in USA.

To enter the competition, you must submit 20 sports photographs (action and portrait both accepted).

Submissions can only be made through the application process on Picter.
The competition is free to enter.

ENTRY TIMELINE & PROCESS

• The 2024 application process will be open from March 15 – May 1, 2024.
• Submissions will be hosted on Picter
• Entries must be submitted by midnight PDT on May 1.
• Winners will be announced by July 1.

ELIGIBILITY

The Doug Pensinger Photography Fund supports emerging and early-career sports photographers.

Photographers with more than 3 years cumulative paid professional sports photography experience are considered beyond the scope of the DPPF’s programs. Previous DPPF grant recipients are not eligible to apply.

The DPPF is committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity and to providing free merit-based access to its programs.

The application process is not limited to U.S. citizens, although international candidates should be aware that the DPPF is not able to provide support that is prohibited under U.S. law.

APPLICATION COMPONENTS

• Resume
  • A resume is required for consideration. Please note that in addition to demonstrating that you are a serious aspiring sports photographer, the CV is also the tool that the DPPF uses to determine that your level of experience does not exceed the limits of eligibility (see above).
• Short Bio (max 2,000 characters)
• Portfolio
  • Quantity: 20 sports photographs (action and portrait both accepted)
  • File: jpg only, minimum 1,500 px on the long edge
  • Timeframe (metadata for each image must include the date it was taken):
    • A minimum of 15 of the required 20 images must be current and taken on or after 1/1/2022.
    • The remaining 5 required images must be taken on or after 1/1/2020.
• Optional Mentorship Essay: Candidates applying for an optional mentorship opportunity must submit a short (1,500-character maximum) essay describing how they would benefit from a mentorship with members of the DPPF’s Advisory Board.

JUDGING

Submissions will be judged on the basis of merit and overall quality. Only complete submissions will be considered, and all decisions by the judges are binding.

Submissions will be judged by members of the DPPF Advisory Board.

GRANTS

7 photographers will each receive

• A $5,000 grant, to be spent on career development
• Expenses-paid trip to the 2024 DPPF Sports Photography Gathering (scheduled for September 2024; see details below.)

In addition to the main grants program, the DPPF also awards Development Grants supporting sports photographers of great potential whose current portfolio quality may be affected by severe economic and/or geographic or cultural limitations. After the seven winners of the $5,000 grants are chosen, the panel will select deserving candidates from the remaining pool of applicants as recipients of Development Grants.

OPTIONAL MENTORSHIPS

Up to 3 of the 7 grant winners will be chosen to receive a year-long mentorship opportunity with leading industry professionals on the  DPPF Advisory Board.

• Mentorship recipients will be chosen based on current profiles and mentorship essay.
• Applying for a mentorship is not required in order to compete for a DPPF grant.

Website link: https://dougpensingerphotographyfund.org/grants/