Giving Back: LSI Grants for Rising Photographers

LSI members believe in the power of photography, giving back to the larger photographic community, and amplifying the work of emerging photographers. Our focused efforts include the LSI Photography Grant and Women’s Photography Grant. To ensure the sustained longevity of our community support, we created the LSI Philanthropy Fund (2015) and a dedicated Philanthropy Fund Endowment (2022).

• LSI Photography Grant: Open to all photographers. Includes financial support to deserving, talented photographers, with a focus on those starting their careers or are in the process of completing a personal photographic project. The goal? To provide needed resources to help photographers and their work to have a larger impact and be seen by a broad audience. The application process is announced each summer; LSI awards the grant in the Fall at its annual meeting. Grant recipients are featured in LSI’s acclaimed Viewfinder quarterly journal, and have an opportunity to be featured in a Leica Gallery worldwide, and more.

• LSI Women in Photography Grant. Launched in 2022, the grant is open to all women photographers in any part of the world (where allowed by law). Funding is made possible through LSI and Leica U.S. Following a Spring call for applications, the recipient is announced mid-year, receiving $10,000 USD ($5,000 of which generously donated by Leica North America) to help complete an in-progress, personal project. In addition, the grant recipient will receive a new Leica camera and lens, courtesy of Leica North America.