The Game Manufacturer's Association (GAMA) has opened applications for its annual diversity drive. Officially called the GAMA Horizons Fellowship, the program will provide grants and support to tabletop publishers and retailers from marginalized groups.
The 2024 GAMA Horizons Fellowship program
According to a report by Board Game Wire, the GAMA Horizons Fellowship is an eight-month accelerator program. It will offer $1,000 grants and support to creators and retailers from historically sidelined demographics, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and ability.
The program is open to new or prospective US and Canada-based board game publishers. The companies must be at least 51% owned or operated by people from the above-mentioned demographics.
Successful GAMA Horizons Fellowship program applicants will get more than just money. Those select few will receive mentoring and peer coaching, a one-year complementary GAMA membership, free admission, and booth opps at GAMA Expo and Origins 2025 with travel and lodging included, and access to virtual classes from industry veterans.
For those wishing to get their foot in the door of the tabletop industry, GAMA is one of the biggest organizations in the business. In addition to hosting two major board game conventions, they assist publishers and retailers in all assets of development and marketing. This organization can make or break one's career in the tabletop space.
The report ends with testimonials of earlier GAMA Horizons Fellowship program applicants. Golden Lasso Games' Kimi Hughes stated it "opened up a whole new world of knowledge and connections."
PlayForge's Jesse Stommel provided a similar anecdote. He mentions the difficulty of management during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as his struggles being queer and disabled and how the program let him find invaluable people that were in his corner.
Further details on how to apply to the GAMA Horizons Fellowship program can be found here.
