[NCUC-EC] NCUC Finances and Budget Requests to ICANN

[William Drake]

Hi folks

I’m just back in Geneva after an exceptionally dense period and am looking at my to do lists. I note that Fast Track budget requests for FY 15 are conveniently due this Friday 7 March.  https://community.icann.org/display/projfinadhocws/FY15+Special+Budget+Process    

As mentioned previously (below), last year I submitted two of these, for print materials and IGF travel.  The print material allocation we’ve not used much of, just the brochures Milton and I wrote and now (hopefully) the conference program.  I don’t see the point of asking again for stuff we didn’t manage to expend last time, and doubt they’d green light it.

IGF is different, and I’d think we have a good shot here.  Last time I did one for the chairs of NCSG, NCUC, and NPOC to do a NCSG-led/NCUC-cosponsored workshop, plus a supplemental to get a slot for one more NCUCer (turned out to be Avri) to speak in a  NCUC-led workshop (I also submitted to the MAG a third, universityZurich-led/NCUC-cosponsored workshop…all were approved and went well).

Two things are different this year:

1) I at least feel less compelled to write proposals to get NPOC travel funding in light of the experienced response.

2) The new MAG is likely to put in place a rule that MAG members cannot submit workshop proposals, although their institutions can.  I think it’s daft, but some people seem to think it addresses some sort of conflict of interest problem (in the past we just didn’t rate our own proposals, but apparently if our names’ are on proposals the whole system is corrupt…even though numerous MAG members had workshop proposals turned down).

Which means:

a) I can work on a budget submission and workshop proposal to the MAG, but someone else will have to set up an account on the IGF site and submit the proposal for NCUC when the time comes.  Actually, for MAG insurance purposes, it might not be a bad idea to submit two proposals, perhaps with different multistakeholder sponsors.

b) If NCSG wants to have a workshop again, I can help but will not write or submit the proposal, and Rafik can decide who he wants to involve in what capacity.

So in the next couple days, NCUC needs to submit something.  The rationale being outreach, normally the chair should be one of the slots (and if we want to be consistent with what other constituencies and RALOs etc. usually submit) we can ask for one other slot.  To run a workshop, it’s hard to say we need three people.  On the other hand, if we submit two proposals, then maybe we can get away with asking for a third slot.

I have several ideas about ICANN-related outreachy workshop topics, e.g. globalization of the AoC, the role of the GAC from a CS perspective, etc.  Don’t need fully formed WS proposals to submit budget requests.

Please have a look at the URL above at the budget request form and and let me know if you’d like to help out with this in the next couple days.  Any ideas on topics or other aspects most welcome of course. If you have additional ideas for things we could ask for, I’m open minded…I note that so far the only GNSO submission is the registries asking for four (!) extra travel slots for ICANN meetings.  Makes me wonder if we shouldn’t ask for one, although Finance has routinely turned these down as a matter of policy…

Bill


On Dec 27, 2013, at 11:46 AM, William Drake <wjdrake at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> ICANN Budget Requests 
> 
> 
>  These are done in two stages for the fiscal year beginning July 1, namely a preliminary or fast track app for funds to be allocated soon and then a regular request.  Last year I filed a half dozen, all successfully, although it seems we may not get our acts together to expend them all, e.g. print materials, which might not help in future requests.  My appeals for help last year yielded no volunteers to help write stuff; maybe this can change in the coming months, we’ll see. 
> 
> For an overview of FY 14 allocations, see https://community.icann.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=38045777.  For what we got, see the old message below.
> 
> One thing that would probably help is if we had more consistent participation in the budgetary processes the accounting dept. has set up.  I can’t make all the calls held by Xavier Calvez and his team, and as Woody Allen says, 80% of life is just showing up.  They want people to be participating or at least showing interest, and those who do may be in a better position to make requests.  Again, if we had an engaged Treasurer or watchamacallit, that person could help maintain the channel to the finance folks.  
> 
> If anyone might be willing to help with financial stuff do let me know. 
> 
> The deadline for preliminary requests for FY 15 is 7 March 2014.  
> 
> Best,
> 
> Bill
> 
> On Sep 8, 2013, at 11:10 AM, William Drake <wjdrake at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hi
>> 
>> A few comments on budget allocations further to the conversation I mentioned with Rob Hoggarth.
>> 
>> As a general matter, we should consider that the amounts I asked for in the proposals or that the staff inserted are not precise.  That is, what will actually be provided for any given activity is whatever is needed to pull it off, rather than the precise figure listed in the approval.  So for example, we're told that $11,100 is allocated for a policy conference in Singapore, but it may be that ICANN's actual costs—the room, equipment, staffing, etc—will come in under or over $11,000.  Similarly, NCUC may get it together to produce written materials that ICANN would publish in a nicely formatted manner, i.e. the proposed issue briefs or 'newsletter' per meeting, and in the process run up a $8,000 tab per the allocation.  Or centrifugal forces and bandwidth exhaustion could result in us not getting it together to make full use of the allocation, in which case we spend less (or, gulp, nothing) and it's not like there'll be a pot of leftover cash sitting there with our name on it that can be repurposed.  Bottom line, don't focus on the numbers, but assume the approved activities will be supported.
>> 
>> A few specifics:
>> 
>> On Aug 28, 2013, at 6:33 PM, William Drake <wjdrake at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hello
>>> 
>>> So this year past we decided to depart from our past asceticism and submit no less than six requests to ICANN for budgetary support.  This included two "fast track" applications for this fiscal year and four regular cycle requests for the next fiscal year.  I'm very happy to report that the board has approved the budget along with the staff's recommended support for our applications.  (Have a look at budget-requests-fy14-22aug13-en.pdf  …we did better than some other, more demanding constituencies, no names…)  These included:
>>> 
>>> I.  Fast Track 
>>> 
>>> FY14-A04-01
>>> 5-NCUC - Print Materials Fast Track
>>> Deferred to Regular Track Review 
>>> 
>>> => funds were made available from extant money pools to print our brochures, and more funds will be available for other print materials going forward, below.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> FY14-A04-02
>>> 6-NCUC - Workshops & Related Outreach at IGF 2013 Fast Track
>>> $12,000 Approved
>>> 
>>> => These funds provide travel support to the chairs of NCSG, NCUC, and NPOC to participate in the IGF Bali workshop, http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/wks2013/workshop_2013_accomplish_list_view.php?xpsltipq_je=249
>>> 
>>> 
>>> II.  Regular Requests
>>> 
>>> 
>>> FY14-B05-01 
>>> 39-NCUC FY14 Regular Budget Request (Policy Conference) Regular Track
>>> $11,100  Approved, but staff comment is, "Staff needs to confirm schedule/space availability for Friday meeting pre-London."  
>>> 
>>> => That is a mistake; I revised the request to move the policy conference to Singapore, so as not to conflict with ALAC's ATLAS II summit.  Have followed up, will again.  Count on Singapore 21 March.  When we are over the hump of the bylaws revision we should start planning the Singpore meeting and the Jan/Feb. civil society roundtable with Fadi.
>> 
>> So we are on for a big one day event, and will need to solicit member ideas and reconstitute the events team, probably after Buenos Aires.  Should be fun.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> FY14-B05-03 
>>> 41-NCUC FY14 Regular Budget Request (New EC Retreat) Regular Track
>>> $6,950  Approved, staff comment is, "Combining community leadership strategy sessions with an ICANN meeting can be a cost-effective way to leverage the gathering of ICANN community members. Granted for a pre-meeting prior to the ICANN Public Meeting in Singapore."
>>> 
>>> => So the new EC we elect in the coming cycle will need to get to Singapore several days early to do this retreat, which will probably be Thursday 30th, followed by the policy conference.
>> 
>> This will happen in Singapore on 20 March.  The 2014 EC will have to decide what can be done about travel support beyond the 3 ICANN provided slots.  NB, of relevance here is something I'll mention in a separate message in a few minutes, the staff's proposed new regional outreach funding, which could allow us to bring the Asian EC member to Singapore on that ICANN budget line.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> FY14-B05-02 
>>> 40-NCUC FY14 Regular Budget Request (Print Materials) Regular Track
>>> $8,000  Approved, staff comment is, "Based on positive experiences and feedback in FY13, ICANN staff has made accommodations to continue to provide GNSO non-contract community members with publication support in the form of production and printing resources. The Communications Team has established a process for this resource and will coordinate with the NCUC and other interested non-contract communities. To manage costs, the staff will work with ICANN vendors and suppliers on behalf of the community."
>>> 
>>> => So if we wanted to get serious about disseminating noncommercial views we could for example produce prior to each ICANN meeting a shiny doc with nice formatting summarizing our positions on the issues that will be taken up at the meeting, etc.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> FY14-B05-04 
>>> 42-NCUC FY14 Regular Budget Request (IGF Bali supplemental) Regular Track
>>> $8,000  Approved, staff comment is "This request was granted as part of the Fast Track process and has been revised to reflect a two additional NCUC travel slots for the IGF meeting."
>>> 
>>> => We have inquired whether the funds could also be used more flexibly if need be, e.g split up differently and allocated in a manner to bring more people with partial support, TBD.
>> 
>> Please see separate message sent today.
>> 
>> Any questions or comments, let me know.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> 
>> Bill
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Anyway who wants to read the proposals that were submitted is free to do so on https://community.icann.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=38045777
>>> 
>>> Best
>>> 
>>> Bill
>>> 
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>>> 
>>> **********************************************************
>>> William J. Drake
>>> International Fellow & Lecturer
>>>   Media Change & Innovation Division, IPMZ
>>>   University of Zurich, Switzerland
>>> Chair, Noncommercial Users Constituency, 
>>>   ICANN, www.ncuc.org
>>> william.drake at uzh.ch (w), wjdrake at gmail.com (h),
>>>   www.williamdrake.org
>>> ***********************************************************
>>> 
>> 
>> **********************************************************
>> William J. Drake
>> International Fellow & Lecturer
>>   Media Change & Innovation Division, IPMZ
>>   University of Zurich, Switzerland
>> Chair, Noncommercial Users Constituency, 
>>   ICANN, www.ncuc.org
>> william.drake at uzh.ch (w), wjdrake at gmail.com (h),
>>   www.williamdrake.org
>> ***********************************************************
>> 
> 
> **********************************************************
> William J. Drake
> International Fellow & Lecturer
>   Media Change & Innovation Division, IPMZ
>   University of Zurich, Switzerland
> Chair, Noncommercial Users Constituency, 
>   ICANN, www.ncuc.org
> william.drake at uzh.ch (w), wjdrake at gmail.com (h),
>   www.williamdrake.org
> ***********************************************************
> 

***********************************************
William J. Drake
International Fellow & Lecturer
  Media Change & Innovation Division, IPMZ
  University of Zurich, Switzerland
Chair, Noncommercial Users Constituency, 
  ICANN, www.ncuc.org
william.drake at uzh.ch (direct), wjdrake at gmail.com (lists),
  www.williamdrake.org
***********************************************

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