This document provides advice for building a community organization like Dames Making Games in Toronto. It discusses starting with a core group to gauge interest, partnering with a consistent meeting space, establishing goals and values, and providing opportunities for members to develop leadership skills over time. The document emphasizes talking to potential members to understand their needs, maintaining accessibility for both new and established participants, and developing sustainable funding and workloads that avoid burnout.

1. We built a community
So can you

3. Dames Making Games
We are a Toronto-based
community organization
dedicated to supporting
women interested in making,
playing, and changing games.

4. What we do
Monthly speaker socials
Game jams and skill-building
workshops
Discussion salons
Long programs for first-time
game-makers

5. Community vs. Social Group
Why meeting up for beers might not be enough

6. You don’t all have to be friends

7. What I mean by “Community”
Built to serve common
interests/goals
Consistency and continuity
over time
Individuals come and go, but
the community remains

8. If it stops at meeting up for beers...
Dependent on a few key
people
Difficult for new people to
join
The people you want to
have beers with might not
be who can best support
you
“Networking” doesn’t
happen on its own

9. From less structure to more
Ad-hoc meetups
Regular meetups at a
consistent time and place
Regular meetups plus
activity (talk, workshop,
game jam)
Membership structure,
multiple streams of
programming, expansion

10. What you gain
More new people
More activity
A story to tell
A framework for
accomplishing goals

11. How we did it
Plus some advice

12. We started with a core group
We had evidence that our
initiative would be popular
The interest didn’t always
come from where we
expected

13. Before you do anything else: Talk to
people!
Every city and context is
different
Find out who your people
are and ask them what they
want and need
Consider an “info session”
before starting your
programming

14. We Partnered with A Fantastic
Space

15. Space is crucial
Having a good, consistent
space to meet will:
alleviate logistical and
planning headaches
contribute to a sense of
safety and comfort
help build relationships

16. We settled on some goals and
values
We are focused on
supporting our local
community
We want long-term
engagement from members
Women-led, but not womenonly
Make, play, change

17. Know what you’re about
Defining a concrete set of
goals and values early on
will help you make decisions
and manage conflicts
Revisit them as you progress
and make sure they still
make sense

18. We made room for our members to
grow
“Make your first game with
us” is a compelling message,
but only for so long
Gave members opportunities
to promote their work, lead
workshops, deepen their
network

20. Think about new people as well as
“Old-timers”
New people want to know:
“Am I welcome here? Will I
fit in?”
More established people
want to know: “Will this be
useful? Will I be bored?”
Solicit feedback frequently

21. Paying for it all
DMG is funded primarily by
membership dues and inkind donations
We’ve also received projectspecific grants from
academic sources

22. Sustainability
It’s not just about money,
it’s also about time and
labour
Don’t try to do it all yourself
Make sure people are
rewarded for the energy and
time they put in
Build your own support
network

23. Questions?
DMG Toronto
@DMGToronto
dmg.to
info@dmg.to
Cecily Carver
@cecilycarver
cecilycarver.com
cecily@dmg.to