Initiatives

Vital Impacts is deeply committed to actively seek ways to foster and support the next generation of photographers and humanitarians. We work to illuminate personal stories about individuals who are making profound changes in their communities. We also mentor and create grant opportunities for these individuals.

workshops

Storytelling

Vital Impacts created a year-long visual storytelling mentorship program for 40 Kenyan conservationists who are working to protect endangered wildlife and their threatened terrestrial and ocean habitats in Kenya.

Mentoring

We are currently working with 40 Kenyan conservationists who are working to protect endangered wildlife and threatened habitats in Kenya.

Amplification

We share the work of our collaborators on our platforms and in global media. We connect those who are closest to critical conservation with funding and media opportunities.

Inclusion

Which stories are included, what is emphasized and what is ignored depend on the narrators themselves.We believe that a diversity of voices is critical to developing a nuanced understanding of our world. 

FILMS

Shaba

Shaba, a film by Vital Impacts founder Ami Vitale, tells the story of Reteti, an extraordinary community in the mountains of Kenya who have built a sanctuary for orphaned elephants to rehabilitate them back to the wild.

Watch the Film

Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is the very first indigenous owned and operated elephant sanctuary in all of Africa. The project is not just changing attitudes about elephants, it’s changing attitudes about women too; the secret to the Reteti’s success is the special bond between the keepers and one special elephant named Shaba.

Through ticket sales and direct donations, the film helped raised over $250,000 in a time of great need. At $10/bottle, these funds could feed all of the orphaned baby elephants 8 times/day for 125 days for a total of 25,000 feedings.

$250,000 Raised

Shaba raised over a quarter million dollars for Reteti Elephant Sanctuary.

$10 Per Bottle

At $10 per bottle, 8 times per day for each baby elephant. That's a lot of mouths to feed!

25,000 Feedings

Through ticket sales and donations, Shaba raised enough money to provide baby elephants with 25,000 feedings!

Fundraisers

Prints for Sale

Vital Impacts has raised $1,500,000 through the sale of fine art prints. We passed these profits onto unique conservation and humanitarian efforts.

Photo by Evgenia Arbugaeva

Vital Impacts combines the sale of fine art prints with powerful visual storytelling to fund conservation efforts around the globe.

We carefully curate and offer a selection of fine-art photographic images by photographers who are renowned for their tireless dedication to safeguarding our world. Our goal is twofold: help communities find solutions to protect the planet, while supporting photographers

Prints Sold

Vital Impacts has sold more than 4500 fine art prints to lovers of photography and those passionate about creating a better world.

Funds Raised

Through prints sales of works by leading photographers, Vital Impacts has raised more than $1.5 million.

Nonprofits Supported

Funds raised have provided generous grants to Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots program, Big Life Foundation, Great Plains Conservation's Project Ranger, Sea Legacy and Direct Relief.