Black Women Photographers x Nikon Grants

The 2026 Black Women Photographers x Nikon Grant Program is a year-long initiative designed to support creators through four quarterly grant opportunities. Each grant recipient will receive:

  • (1) $2,500 USD cash grant

  • (1) Nikon Z6III 24-70mm f/4 lens kit

Applications for the second quarter grant are now closed and being reviewed.

Meet Our Fifth Class

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“While receiving the Z6II and lenses was significant, the opportunities that followed through Black Women Photographers truly changed the trajectory of my career.

Months after receiving the grant, I was hired by the Clinton Foundation through the BWP database to photograph the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting. This opportunity opened doors I had been working toward for a long time.

I am deeply grateful for the ecosystem BWP has built and continues to steward so intentionally.”

— Andriana Ortiz, a BWP x Nikon 2024 grant recipient.

Meet Our Fourth Class

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#BWPxNikon 🖤💛

  • "Winning this grant is a nod to keep going and an assurance that when you take big scary steps towards your dreams, your dreams will take even bigger steps towards you. First, I'll be able to replace my stolen camera and create again. It truly feels surreal that my life and my work is in alignment. Alignment, imagination, authenticity, change and community are values that guide my work. I’m humbled and grateful to tell stories that matter. Thank you for your recognition and your investment."

    Dayana Chege

    A smiling woman with dreadlocks, wearing large sunglasses and a colorful tie-dye shirt.
  • "Being selected for the Black Women Photographers x Nikon grant means everything to me. This past year, I faced some of the darkest moments of my life, navigating depression, anxiety, and the unique challenges of raising my daughter, who has autism. Through it all, photography remained my dream, even when I had to sell my camera just to stay afloat. This grant is more than support; it's a lifeline and a reminder that my creativity matters. With it, I can focus on building my gallery - celebrating families like mine through photography. As a Black woman and a special needs mom, this recognition fuels my passion to create space where we're seen, valued, and represented. Thank you for helping me keep going and for helping me show my daughter what's possible."

    Morgan Payne

    Close-up of a woman with natural curly hair, wearing large hoop earrings and a black tank top, looking directly at the camera.
  • "Receiving the Black Women Photographers × Nikon Grant means I can keep building work that is not traditional and is shaped by each individual person I photograph, instead of pushing us toward sameness. This is a portrait series in which all the subjects are Black classical musicians who have each carved out a path that did not necessarily exist before they walked it. I'd like to thank Black Women Photographers and Nikon for supporting this work. I'm beyond excited to continue adding layers as this project grows, and I look forward to continuing to meet more Black musicians who deserve to be documented with intention and pride."

    Titilayo Ayangade

    A woman with glasses and short curly hair smiling while sitting on a brown leather sofa, with a large plant behind her.

Meet Our Third Class

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Meet Our Second Class

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Meet Our First Class

#BWPxNikon

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#BWPxNikon 🖤💛