Bizarre 2 – Forum

being page 3 of the Fanzine “Bizarre”, Issue 2. Bizarre was the fanzine of the 29th Australian National S. F. Convention, Danse Macabre.


Fan Funds

by Jean Weber

What Is A Fan Fund?

FAN Funds provide contacts between fans in various parts of the world by bringing well-known and popular fans from one area to attend conventions in the other, with the host areas alternating.

The three funds which operate in Australia are:

  • GUFF (the Going Under Fan Fund — known alternately as the Get Up-and-over Fan Fund) with Europe;
  • DUFF (the Down Under Fan fund) with North America;
  • FFANZ (the Fan Fund of Australia and New Zealand

Australians may also vote in, and donate money to, other fan funds around the world.

Where Do Fan Funds Get Their Money?

Fan Funds exist solely through the support of fandom, in the form of donations, and sales and auctions of books and other materials.

Who May Vote?

the candidates are voted for by interested fen all over the world. Voting is open to anyone who has been active in fandom (fanzines, conventions, clubs, etc) prior to a date specified on each fund’s ballot, and who contributes a minimum sum to the fund in question.

Who May Be A Candidate?

The only formal rules governing candidates’ eligiblity are the same as for eligibility to vote, but several informal criteria also apply. Candidates should be well-known in their own country and preferably in the host country as well. They should have made significant contributions to fandom over a period of years, for example through publishing or contributing to fanzines, organising or contributing to conventions, participating in a club, and so on.

Many fans (the writer included) think that fan fund trips are an honour that should be bestowed on the lucky winners by their friends, rather than a source of a ‘free trip’ that one seeks for oneself. This is not, however, a rule.

Some fans think that candidates for fan fund trips should not be able to afford the trip themselves (that is, the money should go to those who need it), and/or should not have already travelled in the host country. Again, these are not rules. Anyone eligible may stand, and the voters can decide whether the candidates are ‘qualified’, on whatever criteria the voters prefer.

How To Become A Candidate

Each intending candidate must supply the fund administrators (see below) with a platform (statement of why voters should choose them), a sum of money as a bond, several signed nominations from both the home and host fandoms, and a promise to attend a specific convention should they win. Contact the fund administrators for details.

Duties of a Fan Fund Winner

Fund winners don’t just get a pile of money for a trip and a holiday overseas. They have duties to perform in exchange.

The primary obligation of a winner is to administer the fund until the next winner is selected from their home fandom. This involves keeping records of income and expenses and providing accounts of same, raising money in whatever way they can, providing information to interested fans, calling for nominations for the next two races, verifying and counting the votes (and keeping the results secret), turning over the money to the next winner, and helping a visiting winner with accomodation and travel.

Winners are also expected to produce and make available a (preferably written) report of their trip; however the majority of winners have failed to fulfil this expectation. Some have produced alternate trip reports in the form of slide shows.

Who To Contact

For details on requirements, deadlines, and son on, contact:

GUFF: Irwin Hirsch [address redacted]. This fund usually holds a race every second year. [Roelof Goudriaan of Holland won the ’89 trip; appropriate, as the next race will probably be from Australia to the 1990 Worldcon — in Holland. GRH]

DUFF: Terry Dowling [address redacted] This fund provides a trip every year. The ’89 trip was won by John Berry. The next race will be to be the ’90 North American Natcon, since Holland has the Worldcon that year. GRH]

FFANZ: Terry Frost [address redacted]. This fund is intended to be annual but has been a bit irregular in its early years. [Brian Howell won the ’89 trip.GRH]


[This year the three winners mentioned above will be at Swancon 14. Why not look ’em up? GRH]


Editorial comment

[Fan Funds are a perennial topic of fannish controversy, and are an especially timely topic right now–because not only have all three funds brought visitors to Australia this year, but all three will be looking around for eligible Australian candidates to send the other way in 1990 or 1991 (preferably the former). GUFF will presumably send someone to Confiction, the Worldcon to be held in the Netherlands; DUFF will look to the NASFiC; and FFANZ will try to contact the NZ Natcon.

All three need your support if they are to continue. Do you know a fan whom you think deserves a subsidised visit to foreign fandoms? Then why not nominate him or her and encourage your fannish friends to vote for him or her — and don’t forget to vote yourself. GRH.]

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