Support the W. Eugene Smith Fund’s 2023 Grants

Dear Friends,

For more than four decades, the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund has awarded more than $1.2 million to many of the best documentary photographers in the world. As there is no endowment, we must raise these funds every year in order to support concerned, empathetic, and socially conscious work that continues the legacy of our organization’s namesake.

Winners of the Smith Grant have made a difference in ways that words can’t. With Deepfake and AI the work of the fund becomes even more essential.

“Many doors opened for me after being awarded the Eugene Smith Grant. My voice as a photographer continues to find its place in this world to tell stories with humanitarian approaches.” -- Mariceu Erthal, 2020 W. Eugene Smith Grant Recipient

Since 1980, Smith Fund grantees and fellows have produced some of the most critical and incisive work to come out of our field: from Darcy Padilla’s 18-year intimate story of the life and death of Julie Baird from AIDS to Eli Reed's thoughtful portrayal of race in America to Maxim Dondyuk's coverage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. For many of our past grantees, the Smith Fund Grant launched their careers.

“The Eugene Smith Grant provided me the opportunity and resources to travel the country for a whole year to finish my project on white nationalism. Steidl will be publishing a book this fall using many of the images I made while being funded by the Smith Grant.” -- Mark Peterson, 2019 W. Eugene Smith Grant Recipient.

Now, we’re asking for your help. Continuing to fund a small nonprofit like ours during this economic downturn has been extremely challenging, and we find ourselves turning to you. We are determined to continue the Fund’s work but can only do that with your financial assistance. Please help us to share this campaign far and wide and donate if you can.

A great photo doesn’t just show you what is happening but helps you understand.

We’re so grateful to everyone who helps us continue our vital mission.

The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund Board of Trustees

Scott Thode, Marcia Allert, Michelle Dunn Marsh, Elizabeth Krist, Phillip S. Block, Lou Desiderio, John Fleetwood, Aidan Sullivan, Lauren Wendle, and Daniella Zalcman

Photo Credit:

Matt Black, 2015 W. Eugene Smith Grant Recipient