closed Draft ICANN Strategic Plan and Operating Plan Framework for FY26-30

Outcome

The ICANN organization (org) received 10 Public Comment submissions, reflecting the community's valuable insights and engagement with the draft plans. The ICANN Board of Directors thoroughly reviewed and discussed each comment received, recognizing the community's commitment to ICANN's strategic direction. As a result of this input, the Board identified and recommended revisions to the draft Strategic Plan, ensuring that it reflects a diverse range of perspectives and addresses shared priorities. Some of the comments received will be incorporated into the draft ICANN Five-Year (FY26-30) Operating and Financial Plan and the Annual (FY26) Operating Plan and Budget (scheduled to be published for Public Comment in December 2024). For those comments that did not result in changes to the draft plan, the rationale is provided transparently in the Public Comment Summary Report.

ICANN deeply appreciates the time, expertise, and thoughtfulness the community invested in this process, as it strengthens ICANN’s multistakeholder approach. The revised draft Strategic Plan will be presented to the ICANN Board, with planned adoption no later than March 2025.

ICANN org will evolve its strategic outlook program to improve the mechanism of the annual strategy review, to ensure that the Strategic Plan is on track and remains relevant, and to evaluate if any adjustments are necessary.

Adopted Plans:

The Board adopted the ICANN Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2026-2030 on 13 March 2025.

What We Received Input On

As the ICANN Board finalizes the draft Strategic Plan for FY26–30, your insights are crucial to ensuring its success and alignment with community needs. The Board and org need your feedback on the clarity and relevance of our vision, the appropriateness of the strategic objectives, and the detailed goals and strategies designed to achieve them. Additionally, we seek your input on the proposed progress indicators and identified strategic risks. Furthermore, your input on the key activities identified in the five-year Operating Plan Framework to achieve each draft strategy is also appreciated. Your comments will help the Board and org to refine and enhance the plan to better serve our community through our strategic objectives.

Background

The draft ICANN Strategic Plan outlines the specific strategic objectives, goals, and strategies for fiscal years 2026–2030, and it informs the draft Operating Plan Framework. The draft Strategic Plan contains four strategic objectives, each accompanied by strategic goals to further these objectives. It then outlines specific strategies to achieve these goals. Additionally, the plan features progress indicators to define what will enable the ICANN community to assess the success in achieving those strategies, as well as strategic risks.

The five-year Operating Plan Framework is designed to outline the high-level activities necessary to effectively execute the five-year Strategic Plan. It details the key actions and initiatives that ICANN will undertake over the next five years to achieve its strategic objectives. The specific details of prioritization and resource allocation will be defined during the annual Operating Plan and Budget process. ICANN org will publish a detailed draft FY26–30 Operating and Financial Plan and an FY26 Operating Plan and Budget for Public Comment in December 2024.

Supporting Information