The Fandom Fund

[highd.livejournal.com]

This has been on my mind since Across the Pond needed donations a few months ago.

I have been thinking about starting a Fandom Fund. An organization that would be there with not only funds but information to help fans that run sites dedicated to their chosen fandom. I am thinking about using our fandom as a pilot program, then spreading out as people find out about the fund.

Over the last few years a few of the QAF fan fic sites have had to reach out to the fans for help to keep our archives alive. It's been awesome seeing us come together in this way. I was also thinking about other fandoms and if they had these issues sometimes, and that we all could benefit by having an organization to go for help. So I was wondering if anyone would be interested in helping with this project.

I don't think a lot of help will be needed at first, but let me be honest help is always good to have. Knowing it's a fandom effort would make it an even stronger force for help. I can generate the Pay Pal link myself and create the community, some graphic help would be great. I am concerned about some issues such as the law behind donations, taxes and how to distribute the money, even though I am just starting out with QAF donations philosophy needs to be taken seriously.

If someone is donating from the Buffy fandom do we make sure those funds go to specific Buffy projects? Do we do the same if someone from the QAF community donates? Or do I set up the fund to collect donations into a big pile and divvy it up as requests come in? Those two paths are very different, and I would want to get that question answered first.

I love Queer as Folk and it's fandom so much.  I also know that people in our fandom fan other things just as hard, if that is possible :)  If you would like to help or think that this is a good idea please comment here.

If you have suggestions or would like to contact me through PM feel free.

I would like to thank the mods of this site for allowing this post! Thanks guys.

Comments

[highd.livejournal.com]

That is why I posted this. I wouldn't start this without having the money question answered. I was talking to a few friends last night and my husband and they told me that most likely people wouldn't want to cross contribute.

I tried to use my new Canadian attitude with them thinking that there would be people that wouldn't mind knowing that their help was going to other fandoms in the spirit of fandom but I had napkins thrown at me and quotes from Wall Street quoted to me, and they reminded me I wasn't a socialist but a Democrat from Pittsburgh Pa.

Again this is just a feeler post and input like this is great.

[eileen-donovan.livejournal.com]

:):):) I think people need motivation to give money and the more concrete it is, the better. Even "the archive is going to close" might not be enough until they belatedly go there and find it gone. You may want to consider marathons like they do on PBS or similar to the things they've done here on LJ with disaster relief. People pledging money for personalized fics or graphics work.

Speaking of graphics, you definitely need some top notch graphics people, because the look of your comm will also motivate people.

This is my way of saying I support you 100% and would be glad to write/research/pimp whatever you spearhead. I love QAF and it's the only fandom that's ever taken such a huge chunk of me! New people come into this fandom all the time and they are heartbroken when they can't find a fic they've heard about in so many places. With a little work, it doesn't need to be that way. ♥