Programs
WE PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MISSION IS
Programs designed to last longer than the moment that inspired them. We invest in the people, ideas, and infrastructure that make gaming communities safer, healthier, and more welcoming over the long term.
Microgrants
What We Are Looking For
We look for projects that confront antisemitism, identity-based hate, and extremism in gaming, and that widen who gets to belong: authentic representation, accessible ways to play, digital literacy and resilience, well-being through play, storytelling that builds empathy, and community-led work that keeps players safer.
DLC Leadership
Development. Leadership. Community.
Shine A Light Gaming supports DLC Leadership, the first evidence-based certification for moderators, community managers, and guild leaders who hold digital communities together. Self-paced, cohort-based, eight weeks, and free for community leaders.
Players have raised the bar. They expect protection, clear rules, and leaders who keep learning. But the people doing this work built their skills through experience alone, with little or no formal training.
77%
of players hold community leadership responsible for protecting them from harassment
75%
expect clear rules from leadership
67%
say ongoing training for community leaders is important
Source: Kowert, R. (2025).
Don't Tell Us What to Do (But Please Keep Us Safe): Player Expectations for Gaming Community Leadership.
Shine A Light Gaming.
Most community leaders have no formal training in the skills their roles require.
DLC was built to close that gap.
90%
of graduates rated themselves confident across every measured competency
85%
had already changed how they lead before the program ended
Led By
Founder & Director of Programming
Rachel Kowert, PhD
Research psychologist and Visiting Researcher at the University of Cambridge. An award-winning author, Rachel has spent more than 15 years leading data-driven research on mental health and trust and safety in digital games, informing policy and product development for agencies worldwide, with talks at the United Nations and the United States Congress.
Director of Learning and Community
Kelli Dunlap, PsyD, M.A.
Clinical psychologist, game designer, and mental health advocate working at the intersection of games, psychology, and community care. A Researcher-in-Residence at American University, Kelli leads the program's curriculum architecture, module design, and the frameworks that structure how content is taught and applied.
Graduates Represent
Partner Programs
We partner with organizations bringing specialized knowledge and resources to the gaming ecosystem. In partnership with Project Shema, we offer workplace training that helps gaming organizations understand and address contemporary antisemitism while strengthening inclusion, trust, and institutional culture.