GAMA Announces $30,000 Horizons Fellowship To Support Underrepresented Communities In The Industry

GAMA ANNOUNCES $30,000 HORIZONS FELLOWSHIP TO SUPPORT
UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN THE TABLETOP INDUSTRY

Columbus, OH (July 22, 2020) – GAMA announced the launch of the Horizons Fellowship, a six-month accelerator program for prospective and newly established tabletop game creators and retail store owners. It was created by GAMA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee to help address the needs of communities that have been historically underrepresented in the tabletop industry.

The Fellowship will connect participants with industry professionals who will serve as mentors and peer coaches and will provide access to grants and resources essential to developing and sustaining successful business relationships. The first cohort will launch in October 2021 and conclude at GAMA Expo 2022, which will be held from March 14 to 18, 2022, in Reno, NV.

“The entire Diversity and Inclusion Committee is incredibly excited for the launch of the GAMA Horizons Fellowship. We began our work as volunteers hoping to build programs—alongside GAMA's board and staff—that will begin to offer new opportunities for marginalized communities; the Horizons Fellowship is exactly the kind of program I hoped we would be able to put together, and I can't wait to meet the fellows who are selected for the program. Special thanks to Kimelia Weather (Brilliant or BS) for her work leading the New Pathways team that pioneered this initiative, and Andrew Chesney (Chip Theory Games) and John Stacy (GAMA) for their amazing financial and logistical support. None of this is possible without our joint work together!” – D&I Committee Chair Mark Truman, Magpie Games

ALL SELECTED FELLOWSHIP PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE:

• Monthly one-on-one coaching sessions with dedicated mentors and peer coaches to be scheduled at participants’ convenience as well as virtual group workshops.
• 1-year complimentary membership in GAMA valued at $300
• A $1,000 grant for business or operational expenses.
• Free admission to GAMA Expo 2022 with complimentary hotel stay.
• Complimentary exhibit hall space at GAMA Expo 2022 for publisher participants with access to hundreds of retailers from the US, Canada, and other countries.
• Complimentary retailer box following GAMA Expo 2022 for retailer participants.
• Reimbursement of up to $1,000 in travel related expenses for GAMA Expo 2022 (i.e., airline/train tickets, mileage reimbursement, taxi/ride share transfers, meals).

Additionally, upon completion of the Fellowship, one publisher and one retailer Fellow will be selected to each receive a $5,000 grant to help create, maintain, or grow their respective businesses. To be considered, Fellows will submit a personal statement explaining why their business is the ideal candidate for this additional investment and how they would utilize the funds.

Applications for the 2021-2022 cohort will open on July 26 and will close on August 13, with selected participants announced in September 2021. For full detail about the Fellowship, please visit https://www.gama.org/page/Horizons