Fan Funds

by Garth Spencer

From "Across the Fandomension" website, last updated April 13, 2026

NOTE: I am always looking for corrections, additions and updates; if you spot errors and omissions below, please contact me at [email protected] so that I can update this page. – G.S.

In pre-television, pre-Internet, print-oriented fandom, fans could be well-known outside their local fandom for their fanwriting, fanzines, or convention work; often, well-known outside their continent. Travel funds were instituted so that well-known fans could see and be seen by other fans at conventions. This made a lot of sense, when most fans read the same things (including the same fanzines), and shared the same activities – and especially, when intercontinental travel was usually out of the reach of average fans. The first such travel fund was set up so that the well-known Walt Willis, of fabulous Irish fandom, could visit fanzine fans in North America.

Since that time, several fan funds have been operating over transcontinental and intercontinental distances (viz.):

DUFF (the Down Under Fan Fund)

"DUFF, founded in 1972 and supported by donations from SF fans all over the world, sends a delegate from Australia/New Zealand to North America, and vice versa, in alternating years. The successful nominee, after voting has taken place will then become the DUFF delegate. Delegates are chosen as active members of the SF community that fans on the other side of the Pacific would like to meet. The delegate travels as much as possible, makes friends, radiates goodwill, and becomes the administrator until replaced by the next delegate.

"There is an expectation (not always fulfilled!) that delegates will write a trip report during or after their trip. Delegates’ trip reports are sold to support the Fund. Five nominators (3 Australian/New Zealand nominators and 2 North American nominators) are required for each nominee. A written platform of about 100 words should be submitted by the nominee providing some information about themselves in a fannish context. Nominees are also asked to provide a bond of at least 25 Australian or New Zealand dollars. DUFF voting is done by secret ballot, and is determined using the instant runoff method. For more information, see https://downunderfanfund.com/"

The European Fan Fund

"The EFF helps fellow European fans to participate in the Eurocons. We have five excellent candidates for your vote who should be the next EFF delegate, to visit Metropolcon 2026 in Berlin! [Candidates: Hephaestion Demetrios Christopoulos from, Greece, Marcel Gherman from Moldova, Paul Carroll from Ireland, George Kharaishvili from Georgia, Jan Vanek Jr. from the Czech Republic. Metropolcon 2026: July 2-5, 2026 at the silent green Kulturquartier, a former crematorium that has been transformed into a vibrant arena for culture, music, art, and events. See https://www.metropolcon.eu/en/2026-eng/.] ... Make your donation of €3 or more via PayPal - it is very easy and you can use your favorite methods of payment, even if you don't have an account. Your donation goes entirely towards the Fund and will enable sending delegates to the next cons. Then cast your vote by choosing your preferred candidate. In case of any issues, don't hesitate to contact us [at [email protected]]. Spread the word!" https://effund.github.io/

GUFF (the Get Under/Get-Up-and-Over Fan Fund)

"GUFF was created as The Get Up-and-over Fan Fund in 1978, to complete the triangle whose existing sides were TAFF (the TransAtlantic Fan Fund, which sends sf fans between Europe and North America) and DUFF (Down Under Fan Fund, running between North America and Australia). Of necessity, the name changes to Going Under Fan Fund for southbound trips. (See ballot for more.) This page is maintained, irregularly, by David Langford." https://taff.org.uk/guff.html

TAFF (the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund)

"The Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund was created in 1953 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular [science fiction] fans familiar to those on both sides of the ocean across the Atlantic. Since that time TAFF has regularly brought North American fans to European conventions and European fans to North American conventions. TAFF exists solely through the support of fandom. The candidates are voted on by interested fans all over the world, and each vote is accompanied by a donation [...] These votes, and the continued generosity of fandom, are what make TAFF possible." (TAFF ballot form; https://taff.org.uk/)

Some of the finest and most entertaining fanwriting is available for sale, to support each of these fan funds. I recommend examining the websites above, specifically the link on https://ansible.uk/.

Some fan funds have operated for years and then gone defunct. Examples include SEFF, the Sweden-Europe Fan Fund, and CUFF, the Canadian Unity Fan Fund.

There have been some joke funds, of course, such as the Mid-Atlantic Fan Fund, a hypothetical fund to send some infamous fans halfway across the Atlantic. I once mooted the CisLunar Fan Fund, with the purpose of sending Certain People halfway to the Moon.

There is a "FanFundAdmin" email group: [email protected].

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