Month: December 2016

2017 Nominations now open

by downunderfanfund

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN FOR THE 2017 DUFF RACE! The North American Down Under Fan Fund will send one lucky fan to Australia to attend Continuum 13, the Australian National Convention, being held in Melbourne 9-12 June, 2017. We are looking for fun, outgoing fans to participate in this 44 year old fannish cultural exchange by visiting Australia (and New Zealand if possible), meeting lots of people, attending cons, and returning home to run the fan fund for the next two years. Are you that fan? Know of anyone who is? Send your nomination to Lucy Huntzinger at downunderfanfund@gmail.com by January 22nd, 2017.

Here are the rules for eligibility:
Each candidate posts a bond ($5 US/AU/NZ) promising to travel (if elected) to a major convention on the other side of the Pacific, and provides nominations from five nominators (three from North America, two from Australia or New Zealand); it used to be we had to have their signatures, but I am okay with them sending me an email stating that they are nominating [candidate’s name] for the 2017 race. If they are wholly unknown to me, I may ask the candidate who they are and what their fannish background is.
Here are the rules for after you win:
You administer the fund until you are replaced.
Up for the challenge? Ready to have fun? Go!

Year End Statement 2016

by downunderfanfund

DUFF North America began the year with $8,247.27 and ends with $5,964.27.

The fund took in $1,455 in donations, $1,400 of which was raised during the fan fund auction at the Worldcon. Thank you, fandom!

The fund paid out $3,738 for Clare McDonald-Sim’s five week visit to the USA as delegate. This is a higher amount than normal due to DUFF being unable to secure her much in the way of accommodations with fans as she traveled; she was obliged to stay in hotels instead. I hope we can do better next time as half the fun of traveling as a delegate is staying with fans. Clare did an amazing job on her trip and created a lot of goodwill between our fandoms.

Thank you to everyone who donated time, energy and money to DUFF NA in 2016.

Lucy Huntzinger