Description
Background
The At-Large Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group (OFB-WG) is an At-Large Working Group within the Operations section of the At-Large Organization, tasked with preparing statements and requests related to ICANN finance and budget, strategy, and operational initiatives, including the At-Large Funding Requests.
Additionally, the OFB-WG is tasked with preparing statements related to organizational reviews and Continuous Improvement. The co- Chairs of the OFB-WG have been delegated by the ALAC Chair who is in charge of At-Large Operations.
Finally, the OFB-WG facilitates the participation of At-Large community volunteers in ICANN workgroups, whose focus are operational, budgetary or financial concerns, through consensus development, consultation and support.
The OFB-WG is an open membership group that will consist of Participants from the geographically diverse At-Large community. Membership in the OFB-WG is mandatory for the 15 Members of the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC).
The objectives of the group are:
Prioritisation: To study the operating initiatives of the three priority areas identified by the OFB-WG at the beginning of FY 25 which are:
- Evolve and strengthen the multistakeholder model to facilitate diverse and inclusive participation in policy making.
- Promote and evolve the DNS through open and transparent processes that enable competition and open entry in the Internet related markets while insuring the stability, security and resiliency of the DNS.
- Evolve and strengthen the ICANN community’s decision making processes to ensure efficient and effective policymaking.
At Working group level: To identify within each of the operating initiatives
- One lead for each initiative will be identified or volunteered to shepherd that initiative within the OFB/At-Large.
- Provide a statement that may comment on these impacts for consideration by the specific section of ICANN Org
- 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
- At-Large Funding Requests are needed to help meet the ALAC’s strategic priorities
At Task level: Tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Providing input to, and drafting any statement related to, the ICANN strategic plan and processes
- Providing input to, and drafting any statement related to, ICANN's operational initiatives
- Providing input to, and drafting any statement related to, the ICANN and IANA/PTI budget process
- Providing input to, and drafting any statement related to, Organizational Reviews and Continuous Improvement.
- Reviewing any Fiscal Year At-Large Funding Requests for inclusion into the ALAC’s statement on ICANN’s annual budget and operating plan.
- Establishing consensus positions and decision frameworks for volunteers engaged in OFB focused community workgroups.
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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
Meetings
Next Call: 25 April 2024
Last Call: 18 April 2024
Action Items : At-Large Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group
.
FY25 (Timeline and Activities during 2024-2025):
At-Large Top 3 FY25 ICANN Operating Plan and Budget Priorities
| Ranking | Priority Number | Strategic Priority | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Evolve and strengthen the multistakeholder model to facilitate diverse and inclusive participation in policymaking. | |
| 2 | 6 | Promote and evolve the DNS through open and transparent processes that enable competition and open entry in Internet-related markets while ensuring the stability, security, and resiliency of the DNS. | |
| 3 | 4 | Evolve and strengthen the ICANN community’s decision-making processes to ensure efficient and effective policymaking |
The At-Large Top 3 Priorities were identified via Survey sent to ALAC Members and RALO leaders in December 18 2023.
At-Large FY25 Funding Requests
See: FY25 At-Large Funding Request Workspace
Upcoming OFB WG Activities 2023 and 2024
TOPIC | Activity | OFB WG call |
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 |
At-Large Funding Requests | ||
Continuous Improvement | See: At-Large Continuous Improvements Program Community Group (CIP-CCG) Workspace |
Activity | 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 | ||||||
| FY25 IANA Operating Plan and Budget |
| OFB-WG | Ricardo Holmquist | ||||
| FY25 ICANN Operating Plan and Budget |
| OFB-WG | Ricardo Holmquist | ||||
| FY25 At-Large Funding Requests |
|
| OFB-WG | Claire Craig | |||
At-Large Operations, Finance and Budget Working Group Past Fiscal Year Activities
Prioritization Activities:
New! FY 25 Planning team update at ICANN 78
OFB-WG Recommendation Prioritization Sub-Group
Members
The participants of the Operations, Finance and Budget Working (OFBWG), organized by regional affiliation, are noted below.
| Region | Name | ALAC Members* |
| Claire Craig |
Co-Chair | |
| Ricardo Holmquist | ||
| Jonathan Zuck |
Advisor | |
| AFRALO/ALAC | Aziz Hilali | |
| AFRALO/ALAC | Bukola Oronti | |
| AFRALO/ALAC | Raïhanath Gbadamassi | |
| APRALO/ALAC | Justine Chew | |
| APRALO/ALAC | Satish Babu | |
| APRALO/ALAC | Shah Zahidur Rahman | |
| EURALO/ALAC | Joanna Kulesza | |
| EURALO/ALAC | Pari Esfandiari | |
| EURALO/ALAC | Tommi Karttaavi | |
| LACRALO/ALAC | Lilian Ivette De Luque Bruges | |
| LACRALO/ALAC | Marcelo Rodriguez | |
| NARALO/ALAC | Bill Jouris | |
| NARALO/ALAC | Eduardo Diaz | |
| Region | Name | |
| AFRALO | Raymond Mamattah | |
| AFRALO | Bram Fudzulani | |
| AFRALO | Hadia Elminiawi | |
| AFRALO | Adebunmi Adeola Akinbo | |
| AFRALO | Emmanuel Mfitumukiza | |
| AFRALO | Michel Tchonang Linze | |
| AFRALO | Imrane Ahmat Souleymane | |
| AFRALO | Stephen Dakyi | |
| AFRALO | Fatou Sarr | |
| AFRALO | Lavish Mawuena Mensah | |
| AFRALO | Thokozile (Thoko) Miya |
|
| AFRALO | Moses Serugo |
|
| APRALO | Maureen Hilyard | |
| APRALO | Nazmul Hasan Majumder | |
| APRALO | Barkha Manral | |
| APRALO | Faheem Soomro | |
| APRALO | Vahan Hovsepyan | |
| APRALO | Cheryl Langdon-Orr | |
| APRALO | Naureen Amjad | |
| APRALO | Ali AlMeshal | |
| APRALO | Sivasubramanian Muthusamy | |
| EURALO | Sébastien Bachollet | |
| LACRALO | Sergio Salinas Porto | |
| LACRALO | Sandra Rodriguez | |
| LACRALO | Lance Hinds | |
| NARALO | Marita Moll | |
| NARALO | Judith Hellerstein | |
| NARALO | Avri Doria |
| 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 |
* OFBWG Activities will aim to work by consensus of both Member and Participants.
Meetings
Next Call: 08 February 2024
Last Call: 01 February 2024
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.
