TAFF: Trans Atlantic Fan Fund.
In most alternating years -- excepting when funds are low and/or some
other need to reschedule is perceived -- a European fan (usually but not
always from the UK) is chosen to attend a convention in North America,
usually the Worldcon (the NASFIC would be a possibility in years when
the Worldcon was being held out of the country but not in Europe). When
the Worldcon IS being held in Europe, in practice one of the races is
usually slowed down or speeded up so that a North American fan will
go to any European Worldcon, otherwise in those alternating years a NA
fan is chosen to attend a European convention (usually the Eastercon in
the UK). To run, two or more fans from one side of the Atlantic get two
nominators from their side and three nominators from the other side of the
Atlantic to be listed on the TAFF ballot. The ballots are distributed with
fanzines or handed out at conventions and require a minimum donation to
vote; some conventions also hold benefit auctions for the Fund. Winners
usually attend the convention as a guest, spend some time before and after
the con getting to know fans better in the host country. They are generally
expected to write a trip report but it's not an iron clad requirement. The
winners do spend the next two years acting as TAFF administrators, one
for the next TAFF race for fans going to their country and one for the
following race for fans going back the other way. (RB)
GUFF:
GUFF was dreamed up by Chris Priest in 1977 to complete the
triangle of fan funds and bring a first Down Under fan to
Britain for the 1979 Worldcon. (DUFF makes the exchange
between Australia/New Zealand and North America, while TAFF
does the deed between NA and Europe [although generally the
UK]). Without the tiresome business of actually having a
free trip anywhere, Dave Langford (UK) and Leigh Edmonds (in
Australia) were the first administrators. John Foyster was
the first winner, and it seemed rather a nice idea to
continue. The name DUFF being already taken, Chris imagined
GUFF as standing for the Get Up-and-over Fan Fund, which
didn’t sound so brilliant when time came to do a southward
trip, but as Don Marquis (who never stood for the fund
either) so aptly put it, you can’t have everything. [This
description provided by Dave Langford with the admonition
that I should mark it *Copyright (c) Astral Leauge 1979 - do
not impinge copyright or the Leauge will take MEASURES.*)
(RH)