The U.S. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has been a major supporter of photography since 1968. When I couldn't find a simple list of who received their early grants, I compiled this report. It lists almost all of the grants, fellowships, and other support given to photographers, scholars, photographic organizations, and museums from 1968 to 2018.
Click on the report cover at the left to download the document as a free PDF.
The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation awarded its first fellowship to a photographer in 1937, and it has continued to provide significant support for photographers ever since. The amounts of the awards vary, and the average grant amount is now about $45,000. The foundation does not publish the specific amounts of the awards.
The MacArthur Foundation began giving its "genius grants" to individuals in a wide range of fields in 1981, and it awarded its first photography fellowship in 1986. The first awards averaged $150,000, and the amount has increased substantially over the years. Currently, $625,000 is awarded to each individual over five years.
Click on the report cover at the left to download the document as a free PDF.