Description
The At-Large Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group (OFBWG) is an At-Large Working Group within the Operations section of the At-Large Organisation, tasked with preparing statements and requests related to ICANN finance and budget, strategy, and operational initiatives. The Chair of the OFBWG has been delegated by the ALAC Chair who is in charge of At-Large Operations.
The Operations Finance and Budget Working Group (OFBWG) arose out of a noticeable increase in the weekly workload of the Consolidated Policy Working Group (CPWG). The CPWG recommended that any ICANN Operating Initiative (non-policy) public comments should be considered by another group. The Finance and Budget Subcommittee within the Operations section of the At-Large Organisation was the logical place, as ICANN's Operating Initiatives are coordinated by ICANN's Finance section .
However, the role of the Finance and Budget Subcommittee (FBSC) is quite specific. It coordinates the annual additional budget requests from the ALAC and RALOs to go into the yearly ICANN budget. Because of this specific task on behalf of the ALAC, the membership of the FBSC consists of one ALAC member and one community member from each of the five RALOs to vote on any financial matters relating mainly to Additional Budget Requests (ABRs). While most decisions by the FBSC are by consensus, should a vote be required, this vote is coordinated by the ALAC Chair. The FBSC committee and its purpose will continue.
The Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group (OFBWG) is a separate and open membership group that will consist of Participants from the geographically diverse At-Large community, who will contribute to the decision-making of the FBSC, public comments and other matters related to ICANN's Operating Budget and any Operating Initiatives that impact on the At-Large community. The focus document of the OFBWG is ICANN's Strategic Plan 2021-2025, ICANN Org's F22-FY26 Operating and Financial Plan (and the current FY22 Operating Plan and Budget which is included in it.
The objectives of the group are:
Prioritisation: To study the operating initiatives of the five priority areas identified by the OFBWG at the beginning of FY22 which were:
- Strengthen MSM - facilitate diverse and inclusive participation
- Strengthen ICANN Community’s Decision making processes
- Universal Acceptance (tied with 2)
- Planning at ICANN
- Monitor legislation, etc that may impact on ICANN’s mission
At Working group level: To identify within each of the operating initiatives
- a lead group for each initiative to investigate what ICANN Org is focusing on within that initiative and within the FY22 timeframe
- what areas within the operating initiative specifically impact At-Large
- provide a statement that may comment on these impacts for consideration by the specific section of ICANN Org (bring staff in to discuss these issues)
- and develop a plan of action for At-Large that will support that initiative across the At-Large community, for example,
- how we as a community can support the Org's MSM, community decision-making, UA, planning or legislative initiatives
- how can we help to strengthen each of these initiatives within our regional communities
- what ABR support might we need to request to help us implement these initiatives at the grassroots level
At Task level: Tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Contributing to the coordination of annual Additional Budget Requests from the ALAC and RALOs, to go into the yearly ICANN budget
- Drafting any statement related to the ICANN strategic plan and processes
- Drafting any statement regarding ICANN's operational initiatives
- Drafting any statement related to the ICANN budget process
Contact
Staff Support Lead: Silvia Vivanco and Heidi Ullrich
Main mailing list: ofb-wg@icann.org
For Member votes: finance-sc@atlarge-lists.icann.org
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At-Large Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group Action Items
Prioritization Activities:
OFB-WG Recommendation Prioritization Sub-Group
Upcoming OFB WG Activities 2023
TOPIC | Activity | OFB WG call |
Topic: Holistic Review TORs | Public Comment will to be published - end of September. | Next OFB call: October 5- focus on Holistic Review Terms of Reference (TOR) |
Topic: FY25 Strategic Trends | Planning team to present Webinar ““Planning and Finance Update” Oct 10 (ICANN 78 prep week) The consolidated community results will be published first, likely in November. | Mid Nov call – date TBC |
Draft FY 25-29 OF & FP and FY25 0P&B | Public comment proceeding – PC open from 12 Dec 2023- 12 Feb 2024 | December: WG call focused on FY 25-29 OF & FP and FY25 0P&B public comment |
FY25 (Timeline and Activities during 2024-2025):
Activity | ICANN Launch | Deadline for Community Comment | OFB-WG Lead | Penholder(s) | Draft Comment (Deadline) | Final Comment (Deadline) | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FY25 Strategic Trends Outlook Session | OFB-WG Co-chairs (ALT Plus) | ||||||
FY25 IANA Operating Plan and Budget | Mid-October | OFB-WG | |||||
FY25 ICANN Operating Plan and Budget | Mid-December | OFB-WG | |||||
FY25 Additional Budget Requests | Late November | FBSC | |||||
At-Large Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group Past Fiscal Year Activities
Members
The participants of the Operations, Finance and Budget Working (OFBWG), organized by regional affiliation, are noted below.
Region | Name | Members* |
Holly Raiche | Chair | |
Ricardo Holmquist | Vice Chair | |
Jonathan Zuck |
Advisor | |
AFRALO/RALO | Aziz Hilali | Member |
AFRALO/ALAC | Dave Kissoondoyal | Member |
APRALO/RALO | Satish Babu | Member |
APRALO/ALAC | Maureen Hilyard | Member |
EURALO/RALO | Sebastien Bachollet | Member |
EURALO/ALAC | Matthias Hudobnik | Member |
LACRALO/RALO | Harold Arcos | Member |
LACRALO/ALAC | Carlos Raul Gutierrez | Member |
NARALO/RALO | Judith Hellerstein | Member |
NARALO | ||
Region | Name | Participants |
APRALO | Sivasubramanian Muthusamy | Participant |
APRALO | Gunela Astbrink | Participant |
NARALO | Denise Hochbaum | Participant |
LACRALO | Laura Margolis | Participant |
Region | Name | Members* |
Holly Raiche | Chair | |
Ricardo Holmquist | Vice Chair | |
Maureen Hilyard | Advisor | |
AFRALO/RALO | Aziz Hilali | Member |
AFRALO/ALAC | Dave Kissoondoyal | Member |
APRALO/RALO | Satish Babu | Member |
APRALO/ALAC | Justine Chew | Member |
EURALO/RALO | Sébastien Bachollet | Member |
EURALO/ALAC | Matthias Hudobnik | Member |
LACRALO/RALO | Harold Arcos | Member |
LACRALO/ALAC | Carlos Raúl Gutiérrez | Member |
NARALO/RALO | Judith Hellerstein | Member |
NARALO | Marita Moll | Member |
Region | Name | Participants |
AFRALO | Abdeldjalil Bachar Bong | Participant |
AFRALO | Sarata Omane | Participant |
AFRALO | Bukola Oronti | Participant |
AFRALO | Joan Katambi | Participant |
AFRALO | Raymond Mamattah | Participant |
AFRALO | Sarah Kiden | Participant |
AFRALO | Sonigitu Ekpe | Participant |
AFRALO | Michel Tchonang Linze | Participant |
AFRALO | Patricia Esther Akello | Participant |
APRALO | Fouad Bajwa | Participant |
APRALO | Nadira AlAraj | Participant |
EURALO | Clément Genty | Participant |
EURALO | Joanna Kulesza | Participant |
LACRALO | Kerry Kerr | Participant |
LACRALO | Vanda Scartezini | Participant |
*Please note that the RALO appointed Members have voting rights only for the annual ICANN Additional Budget Request (ABR) process. All other OFBWG Activities will aim to work by consensus of both Member and Participants.
Meetings
Next Call: 05 October 2023
Last Call: 07 September 2023
Policy Advice and Comments Workspaces
OFB-WG Recommendation Prioritization Sub-Group
References
ALAC Subcommittee on Finance and Budget
The ALAC Subcommittee on Finance and Budget (FSBC) coordinates the annual additional budget requests from the ALAC and RALOs to go into the yearly ICANN budget.
Because of this specific task on behalf of the ALAC, the membership of the FBSC consists of one ALAC member and one community member from each of the five RALOs to vote on any financial matters relating mainly to Additional Budget Requests (ABRs).
While most decisions by the FBSC are by consensus, should a vote be required, this vote is coordinated by the ALAC Chair. The FBSC committee and its purpose will continue. The FSBC is a diverse group geographically, which requires at least one member from the ALAC representing an Regional At-Large Organisation (RALO), and at least two At-Large members from each RALO. However, all FBSC calls are open to observers.
The FBSC is supported in its work by the Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group (OFBWG), an open membership group from within the At-Large Community who register as participants in the discussions about Operational Finance and Budget matters related to At-Large and the drafting of public comments relating to ICANN's Operating Initiatives.