Gen Con Participation Grants are back for 2023 and application submission is now open! Participation Grants are awarded to help gaming enthusiasts from historically underrepresented communities attend Gen Con Indy. Participation Grants include complimentary 4-Day badges and stipends ranging from $450 to $1000 for people who would like to attend the convention in Indianapolis but find the cost prohibitive.

Help make The Best Four Days in Gaming™ even better by bringing your perspective and passion for tabletop gaming to Gen Con Indy and learn about the latest games and trends to share with your gaming community back home or online.

We want to bring awesome folks to Gen Con Indy for whom attending will have a material impact on their career, their ambitions, or their community of fellow gamers. Participation Grants are awarded based on a submitted application and a review process. To apply, fill out the application and tell us why you want to come to Gen Con Indy!

Key Dates:

• March 3 - April 7 - Application submission
• May 3 - Recipients will be contacted either way

Eligibility for Participation Grants includes being an active member of a tabletop gaming community and/or involved in gamer-adjacent/geek-culture communities that would benefit or learn from your participation at Gen Con Indy.

Examples of gaming or gaming-adjacent communities broadly include (but are not limited to):

• Activities at your local game store
• Business interest: Aspiring game designer, publisher, game store owner, or other industry aspirant
• Social media reach, active streamer, TikTok, Twitch
• Gaming group (online or offline): local, school, place of worship, club, community center, etc.
• Other groups: Cosplay, video games, LARPs, etc.

Black, Indigenous, and other people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Grant recipients will be expected to participate in Gen Con Indy 2023, held August 3-6, 2023, in Indianapolis, IN.

By applying for a Gen Con Participation Grant, you have read and agreed to the Terms of Service.

Other things to know when applying:

• Grant recipients will be expected to participate in Gen Con Indy and may be asked to complete a post-show survey.
• You must of a Gen Con account in order to apply.
• Gen Con is a for-profit company, therefore grant recipients will need to fill out a W-9 form and may need to claim winnings with the IRS.
• Must be 18 years of age or older to apply.
• Grants are non-transferable and must be used in the year in which they are awarded.
• Gen Con will make all reasonable attempts to provide grant recipients with the grant stipends. If, after two attempts and/or by the end of the current year, the grant recipient doesn’t sign up for direct deposit or cash the cash the check(s), Gen Con will consider the matter closed.
• Grant stipends are expected to be used for expenses related to attending Gen Con Indy.
• Grant recipients are responsible for making their own arrangements (i.e. travel, housing) to attend Gen Con Indy.
• Grant eligibility excludes the following: companies, gaming groups, and individuals contracted in any way with Gen Con, LLC (i.e. Event Team members, contracted EOs, etc.)

Submit your application for a Gen Con 2023 Participation Grant!

Questions regarding this program can be found here or by using the yellow help bubble at the bottom of each of our website pages. You can also email Customer Service.