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 tasks of the OFBWG include, but are not limited to:
Staff Support Lead: Heidi Ullrich
Main mailing list: ofb-wg@icann.org
For Member votes: finance-sc@atlarge-lists.icann.org
Activity (2021-2022) | ICANN Launch | Deadline for Community Comment | OFB-WG Lead | Draft Comment | Final Comment | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Proposed Supplemental Fund for Implementation of Community Recommendations | ||||||
| FY21 Strategic Outlook | ||||||
| FY23 IANA Operating Plan and Budget | Mid-October | Mid-November | ||||
| FY23 ICANN Operating Plan and Budget | Mid-December | End of January | ||||
| Additional Budget Requests | Late November | End of January | FBSC | |||
Priority Initiatives:
# | Initiative | High (B) | Med (R) | Low (Y) | Top Priorities | End User Interests | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Support Evolution of the Root Server system | 36.4 | 54.5 | 9.1 | |||
2 | Facilitate DNS Ecosystem Improvements | 36.4 | 54.5 | 9.1 | |||
3 | Strengthen MSM - facilitate diverse and inclusive participation | 90.9 | 9.1 |
| 1 | The ability to ensure that input in ICANN's policy is globally representative. | Marita Moll |
4 | Strengthen ICANN Community’s Decision making processes | 63.6 | 36.4 |
| 2 (tied) | Maureen Hilyard, Vanda Scartezini | |
5 | Develop Internal and External Ethics Policies | 10 | 50 | 40 | |||
6 | Promote & sustain a competition environment in the DNS | 20 | 40 | 40 | |||
7 | Universal Acceptance | 63.6 | 36.4 |
| 2 (tied) | UA promotes greater choice and broader access for end users. | Satish Babu, Vanda Scartezini |
8 | Root zone management | 30 | 50 | 20 | |||
9 | Evaluate, Align and Facilitate Improved Engagement | 30 | 60 | 10 | |||
10 | Improve Governmental and IGO engagement & participation | 27.3 | 54.5 | 18.2 | |||
11 | Monitor legislation, etc that may impact on ICANN’s mission | 36.4 | 63.3 |
| 5 | Providing educational information to governments. | Holly Raiche |
12 | Formalise ICANN Org Funding Model & improve understanding of long term DN Market drivers | 30 | 60 | 10 | |||
13 | Implement new gTLD Auction Proceeds Recommendations | 30 | 40 | 30 | |||
14 | Planning at ICANN | 45.5 | 45.5 | 9 | 4 | Ricardo Holmquist, Dave Kissoondoyal | |
15 | ICANN reserves | 18.2 | 27.3 | 54.5 |
The 2019-2020 participants of the Operations, Finance and Budget Working (OFBWG), organized by regional affiliation, are noted below.
| Region | Name | Members* |
| Holly Raiche | Interim 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 | Javier Rúa-Jovet | 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 |
| APRALO | Holly Raiche | Participant |
| EURALO | Clément Genty | Participant |
| EURALO | Joanna Kulesza | Participant |
| EURALO | Ricardo Holmquist | |
| EURALO | Matthias Hudobnik | Participant |
| LACRALO | Kerry Kerr | Participant |
| LACRALO | Vanda Scartezini | Participant |
| NARALO | Marita Moll | 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.
Next Call: 12 August 2021
Last Call: 29 July 2021
AFRALO-APRALO Statement: Middle East and Adjoining Countries (MEAC) Strategy 2021-2025