ICANN Seeks Community Help in Outreach to Next Round Support CandidatesChristopher Mondini

We are happy to report that outreach and engagement efforts to support the New Generic Top-Level Domains Program: Next Round are in full swing. One of our major goals for the next round is to facilitate gTLD applications from new communities and voices representing a variety of languages and scripts, geographic and ethnic diversity. We intend to accomplish this, in part, through the Applicant Support Program (ASP).

The ASP is aimed at making the New gTLD Program more attainable to applicants that want to apply for a new gTLD but are unable to because of financial constraints and lack of other resources. The current phase of awareness-raising focuses on opportunities for community members to collaborate with ICANN org in identifying potential ASP applicants.

ICANN's regional vice presidents are contacting a number of community members to share plans and ask advice. Working together, we will inform potential applicants in each region of the ways a gTLD might be useful for their organizations, and how they can apply for support.

The ASP provides a range of financial and nonfinancial assistance for qualified applicants including access to pro bono professional services, training, other resources, and reductions in evaluation fees. More information can be found in the final draft of the ASP Handbook, which is pending Board approval.

Seeking Next Round Champions

While our initial effort is predominantly in places that may lack presence in ICANN, or a well-developed Domain Name System sector, our focus will expand to reach all the parts of the world where demand for enhanced online identities or services may exist. In addition to direct collaboration, ICANN has produced a toolkit for gTLD program "champions" who would like to volunteer to share information among their existing networks, specifically reaching beyond the ICANN community.

The champion's toolkit includes Next Round and ASP slide presentations and fact sheets (to be made available in the ICANN languages), a speaker request form, and more. Additional ASP resources include FAQs and recordings of two well-attended webinars in late July 2024 aimed at involving the ICANN community in raising awareness about the ASP.

If you already have ideas for organizations to contact or ways to target ASP-eligible entities please send them to [email protected]with the subject "ASP Leads / Ideas". To stay up to date on the New gTLD Program: Next Round and the ASP, join the mailing list by sending an email to [email protected].

Community participation is critical to the success of the New gTLD Program: Next Round, which seeks to foster diversity, encourage innovation, and enhance the utility of the Domain Name System. I look forward to seeing many champions on the mailing list and thank you for your continuing efforts to make the next round a success.