FY23 ISPC Outreach Strategic Plan

INTRODUCTION

Overview

Internet Service Providers and Connectivity Providers (ISPCP) operate Internet backbone networks and/or provide access to the Internet and related services to End Users. They are critical players in the Internet and have an essential role in its stability and development. Consequently, the ISPCP as a Constituency contributes toward fulfilling the aims and goals of ICANN. Since the creation of ICANN, these actors have continuously contributed their specific and unique expertise to the organization and multi-stakeholder community.

Mission

The ISPCP seeks to ensure the views and opinions of ISPs and Connectivity Providers across the globe are actively aware of and contribute toward fulfilling the aims and goals of ICANN as an organization.

Among the numerous topics where the ISPCP expresses the views of their community, one could mention:

• Domain registration data policies,

• New gTLDs and their impact on the network,

• IP addressing,

• Institutional evolution of ICANN

• IANA Naming Function

• Universal Access

• Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs)

Role within ICANN

Within ICANN, the ISPs and Connectivity Providers Constituency forms an integral part of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) assigned, according to ICANN Bylaws as a representative member of the Commercial Stakeholders Group (CSG) in the Non-Contracted Parties House. However, the role of the ISPCP Constituency goes beyond this GNSO participation: it takes an active part in many Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, Task Forces,  and Working Groups within ICANN’s diverse structure.

To summarize, the Constituency ensures that the views of Internet Service Providers and Connectivity Providers contribute toward fulfilling the aims and goals of ICANN. The ISPCP actively participates in the work of ICANN to ensure that policy development guarantees and enhances the operational stability of the Internet and the needs and interests of ISP and connectivity providers. The Constituency also cares about safeguarding the interests and concerns of the ISP and connectivity industry. The Constituency fulfills its roles and responsibilities while adhering to the relevant ICANN bylaws and Operating Procedures.

OUTREACH STRATEGY & OBJECTIVES

The enclosed FY23 Outreach Strategy is premised on fulfilling the ISPCP mission as contained in its Charter and Bylaws.  Through the ISPCP’s participation in CROP, the Fellowship program, and other opportunities as presented, the Constituency aims to further its outreach within the multistakeholder community and beyond.

Governance Framework

ISPCP Outreach strategy is administered by the ISPCP Outreach Committee with the support of its Executive Committee, the ISPCP Secretariat, and ICANN staff. Events and travel support requests are considered and approved by the Outreach Committee.

Objectives

The following outreach objectives seek to fulfill the ISPCP’s mission and outreach strategy:

1. To create awareness about the ISPCP, how it works, and ICANN, particularly in low membership regions and industry sectors

2. To realize this mission by growing the ISPCP membership base, thereby enriching its long-term policy development efforts and, at the same time, addressing the volunteer burn-out phenomenon

3. To advance the bottom-up multi-stakeholder model of ICANN by creating meaningful opportunities for input from a broad cross-section of businesses and promoting newcomers’ direct participation in the ISPCP constituency activities and ICANN policy-making in general.

Implementation Strategy

To achieve the objectives, the ISPCP is implementing its Outreach Strategy in relation to ICANN FY23 support based on its established Outreach funding criteria.

The ISPCP appreciates the opportunity to participate in several ICANN outreach programs such as CROP, Business Engagement, and the Fellowship programs, which have helped generate interest in the ISPCP and provided the Constituency with new members.

With this in mind, the ISPCP plans to seek, organize, and participate in various Outreach opportunities over the next year via the following planned activities:

Presentations

• Present information about ICANN at the ISP and NOG-related events around the globe, particularly in low-membership regions. In the last decade, the ISPCP participated in various regional activities (in addition to the ICANN Public Meetings) within the regions of Latin America, EMEA, Asia, and North America.  The ISPCP has actually seen relatively low participation from North America in recent years and hopes to take advantage of ICANN77 being in North America to address this.

Activities

• Hold special events to inform the business community about ICANN and the ISPCP.

• To this end, the ISPCP seeks to host outreach sessions between ISPCP Outreach Committee members and invited guests alongside the ICANN77 meeting in Washington, D.C.. We will engage local and regional ISPs and ISP associations. These invited ISPs and ISP associations will be invited to both the ISPCP Public Meeting at ICANN77, as well as to one-on-one meetups with ISPCP Outreach Committee members, designed to bring invited guests into active membership roles.

• To aid in this outreach, we seek to have all three travel slots able to be allotted to the ISPCP to be made available to us for ICANN77. These will be offered to ISPCP members and firm prospective members to allow them to attend these one-on-one membership focused meetups.

CROP Participation & Travel Support

• Via CROP, request travel support for ISPCP members to attend relevant activities at sponsored ICANN meetings through participation in CROP. The ISPCP has revised its outreach plan for FY23 based on the new CROP funding requirements.

• The ISPCP has three (3) travel slots for FY23

• Provide financial support for ISPCP members to attend outreach and recruitment events related to ICANN-sponsored meetings on behalf of the ISPCP that they would not otherwise attend.

Mentorship

• We will use this time during ICANN77 to provide mentorship and informal support to ISP representatives attending ICANN or ISPCP meetings for the first time.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Through Outreach efforts, including the abovementioned activities, the ISPCP expects to

• Reach an in-person audience of 8-12 potential members through attendance at ICANN77 and one-on-ones meeting alongside it.

• Attract 8-12 new members by the end of FY2023. In FY22, thirteen new applications were received, and seven new members joined.

• Attract close to 200 webpage views through leads from news channels across the world.

CONCLUSION

The ISPCP values the continued opportunity to collaborate with ICANN for outreach events and opportunities. The Constituency looks forward to a continued partnership in FY23.