How ICANN Will Spend $67 Million of Your Money

ICANN expects to spend $67 million in the year starting July 1. That’s if the new gTLD program doesn’t kick off.

Since you, the readers of this blog, ultimately provide ICANN’s funding, it’s important to know how your money is being spent. So you should take some time to look through and comment on the FY12 Operating Plan and Budget (pdf). FY 2012 starts July 1, 2011.

ICANN plans to spend $69.7 million in FY 2012 (including depreciation and bad debt expenses), up $7.7 million from FY 2011’s budget. That’s a 12.4% annual increase. It expects revenues of $69.758 million.

The expense increase can be attributed as follows:

1. $3 million increase in compensation including 4% merit increases, more staff for Global Engagement and Increasing International Participation, and more compliance resources.

2. $1.9 million increase in travel, including paying airfare, lodging, meals, and other expenses for 20 selected community members (more on that later).

3. $2.1 million increase in professional services.

Oh, wait. There’s one thing I forgot to mention. These numbers assume the new gTLD program doesn’t get off the ground in FY 2012.

If it does, and 500 applications are received, ICANN’s revenue is expected to be nearly $154 million. Its expenses will soar, too, but it expects a healthy operating income.

Here are some other interesting new allocations planned for FY 2012:

– $30,000 for two members of the intellectual property constituency to travel to three meetings. So $5,000 per member per meeting.

– $210,000 additional money so the Governmental Advisory Committee can provide travel support to ICANN meetings to 20 of its members instead of the current 6.

– $1,000 for the At-Large Advisory Committee to produce an outreach video for YouTube

– $80,000 for a Security and Stability Advisory Committee retreat

You can read more and comment here.