News

11 Jan Photo prints needed for upcoming Passion Projects grant fundraiser

Grants go to support unfunded projects by Washington state visual storytellers

At a glance

• • Deadline to submit photos: Feb. 28, 2022
  • How to submit photo donations online
  • Online photo auction date: March 18 – 20, 2022

Now entering its seventh year, the SPJ Western Washington Passion Projects grant program aims to provide financial support to Washington state visual journalists who want to pursue projects that have not yet received funding from traditional sources. 

Due to a lack of applications for our grants last year, we rolled over the money fundraised to the grants this year. As a result we will be adding two additional grants for students and increasing the size of our standard grants. In 2020 we awarded a total of $5,000 for story idea grants to photographers and videographers in the region, with support from our annual Passion Projects print auction and fundraiser event.

Since 2019 we have also been partnering with Northwest Journalists of Color to provide specific support for BIPOC visual storytellers. We’re incredibly grateful for their organizational support; fundraising for this year’s grant program will also be included in the fund to help support that work as well. 

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new Omicron variant, we will not be hosting an in-person event this year due to public health restrictions, and have opted to host our fundraising efforts solely online again. Our online print auction will go live March 18 – 20. The auction website will be shared once print submissions have closed.

We need your help! Please submit a print of your choice as an auction item via the SPJ Passion Projects Print Auction Submission Form and help spread the word about the grant and print auction via social media. 

Do you have a photo book that you’d like to donate as an item for the auction? We would love that as well! 

Deadline for prints and other auction item submissions is Feb. 28, 2022. 

Tax-deductible monetary donations can be made separately by contacting us at spjprintauction@gmail.com.