<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">The budget document is very well done, loaded with detail that helps me understand the issues being discussed.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">
<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">In particular, the data suggest a very large effort projected for what looks like very little in net grants. The gross fundraising income after the cost of everyone's fundraising effort is projected at ?14% of total revenues. The costs, including the development staff and the large investment of staff time required, seem to eat up most of that. That's even more true after subtracting the direct cost of "fulfillment" of the grants. </div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"> At first look, the organization would be better off cutting down the effort spent raising money and bringing expenses more in line with the very substantial funding from PIR. I doubt the small increase in available funds will do much to advance our mission. </div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"> Most money comes with strings, especially from corporations and governments, and it looks like the net proceeds here are so small they aren't worth the compromises required. But that's a first look; someone with better access to the data needs to confirm it. Remember that folks like the economist we hired were told in advance fundraising would be a big part of their job, as it is of the CEO and top staff. Adding their time to the cost of raising money is a necessary exercise. <br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Meanwhile, a few clarifications of the document, please. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">
<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Referring to North America I find this intriguing item:</div><div class="gmail_default"><div class="gmail_default"><font face="verdana, sans-serif">"Policy Outreach: in particular with the content community o</font><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">utside of the traditional policymaking process together </span></div>
<div class="gmail_default"><font face="verdana, sans-serif">with carriers and other stakeholders, as well as with US </font><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Government." </span></div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">
<br></div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">What are we planning here? The "content community" in the U.S. is not a natural friend of ISOC. </div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">
Also</div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">"</span><font face="verdana, sans-serif">Sponsorships or Grants for Internet economic research and publications, headed by our recently hired </font></div>
<div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">Chief Economist, provides enhanced funding opportunity for ISOC, starting with $240K in 2014" </font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">sounds like we have a large sponsorship we haven't announced. Who's providing the money? </font></div>
<div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">and</font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">What the heck do we mean by our "Open and Sustainable Internet Campaign" </font></div>
<div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">I don't think anyone other than a few carriers looking for government handouts and favors has serious doubt the Internet is "sustainable." Far too many companies are making far too much money to doubt that on the commercial side the Internet will survive and thrive. So what would ISOC be doing to make sure the net is "sustainable?<br>
</font><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">-----------</span><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br>
</font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">Somewhat deeper question that deserves an answer: </font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif">We're setting a key policy goal </font></div>
<div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><div>"Access and Development: Open and Smart Internet Development Policies: Advocating public policies that advance </div><div>rather than hinder economic development" </div>
<div><br></div><div> Do we seriously know what policies "advance rather than hinder economic development?" </div><div><br></div><div>Frankly, the folks speaking for ISOC in the past on economic development often made fundamental errors that were obviously to anyone working in broadband network expansion. For example, one very senior ISOC official suggested "more competition" as a solution for rural broadband even in poor countries. In rich countries, we have a hard time getting even a single provider in many rural areas; 5% of the U.S. isn't covered. Very few rural areas in poor countries will attract multiple providers. So if bringing broadband to exreme rural areas is important, some policy other than "promoting competition" is necessary. (Germany did it best; to get highly profitable LTE licenses for the major cities, the carriers first had to build to some of the "unserved" areas. Worked really well because Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone, spending their own money, are doing it efficiently.)</div>
<div><br></div><div> Competition is a great tool but doesn't work everywhere.</div><div><br></div><div> In the run up to WCIT, ISOC staffers made a slew of suggestions that were simply bad policy. The most dramatic was the assertion that Australia's NBN, Hamburg's City Network (considered Germany's best) and all U.S. muni networks were definitely mistakes. (The actual statements were that all networks should be private. I much prefer keeping government out of things when practical, but that doesn't mean government is never the right choice. But that was the plain reading of an official ISOC document, never retracted even after it was pointed out.</div>
<div><br></div><div> Another ISOC proposal, for African networks, would result in a 25-50% decrease in capacity for mobile broadband in an area starved for capacity. A very senior ISOC official so much preferred one of several ways to increase competition she wanted to seriously compromise the network. </div>
<div><br></div><div> We've now hired a single economist, who is a friend and a good economist. But we're not even close to having the resources to be certain we have the expertise to give clear answers in a tough area. For example, the best economists in the field are unsure about the economic effect of spending more on broadband. Good studies (that could be wrong) found it too small to measure. The ones that found a big effect were almost invariably bought and paid for by companies that would profit from more broadband spending. When you read them closely, they usually fall apart. </div>
<div><br></div><div> If we don't have real answers on the economic questions we shouldn't pretend we do.</div><div><br></div><div>db</div><div><br> </div></font></div><div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div>
<div><font face="verdana, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div></div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br></div>
</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Nov 12, 2013 at 10:24 PM, Ted Mooney <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mooney@isoc.org" target="_blank">mooney@isoc.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div style="font-size:14px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;word-wrap:break-word">
<div>
<div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">Dear Chapter Officers</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">Dear Organization Members</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">Attached for your review is the 2014 - 2016 Business Plan and Budget for the Internet Society that has been sent to the Board of Trustees for review at its Buenos Aries meeting, 22-23 November. This
document will be posted shortly along with the Board Agenda and other materials for the meeting (at <a href="http://www.internetsociety.org/who-we-are/board-trustees/meetings" target="_blank">http://www.internetsociety.org/who-we-are/board-trustees/meetings</a>).</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">To the Chapter officers our sincere thanks to each and every one of you for your inputs over the last year, whether it was responding to the Chapter survey (in which Chapter participation was
100%!), discussing issues in a Chapter workshop or engaging the debates held in many conferences and forums all over the world. All of that input informed the development this business plan. So that all Chapter leaders have the opportunity to read this document
with the fullest understanding, I will offer some additional context.</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">To our organization members we likewise offer our deep appreciation for your input at various conferences, meetings and through the Advisory Council, and for your continued support of this important
work.</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">This business plan builds towards a vision of the Internet Society in 2020 as "the foremost global voice and leader for the Internet" -- one that more deeply engages our community and stakeholders
to shape a better Internet globally, regionally and locally. It is also aligned with the Strategic Objectives set forth by our Board earlier this year.</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">As you all know, 2013 has been a challenging year. It has been complex due to many factors - security, privacy, trust and data management issues being thrust to forefront consideration by all
stakeholders; efforts by intergovernmental organizations and certain national administrations to exercise greater international control over the Internet and exert greater national controls; a successful IGF aimed at defining the multi-stakeholder model and
related principles for Internet governance plus the launch of new Internet governance activities focusing on 2014; anticipation of a new ISOC CEO; net neutrality; digital Intellectual property rights; a host of technology policy issues aimed at a healthy
and resilient Internet; further extension of the Internet to under- and un-served communities and real progress in expanding the use of IXP's and generating growth in local traffic; scaling out to regional and local new and future influencers the capacity
to carry forward the work of ensuring an open, global Internet; and the health and well-being of the Internet Society itself and the ISOC communities. These challenges will be amplified and likely accelerated in 2014. And challenges now looming will assert
themselves and vie for our attention. </div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">As we look to address these issues, we look forward to working with our community, as well as building our capacities to more deeply engage in 2014 and beyond. We will increasingly rely on and
support our members and chapters as resources to meet these challenges both proactively and in reaction to events. We fully expect projects and programmes just now beginning in 2013 or being launched in the 2014-2016 Business Plan to provide real benefits
to chapters and members in 2014 and, in turn, for the Internet worldwide.</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">Interestingly at this very time when we have built a business plan within a "steady state" 2014 budget, we will be trying to do more. You will see a shift of resources into the regions as part
of our effort to work more closely with chapters, members and local partners to become increasingly effective local and regional influencers of ISOC's principles and mission. For example, Regional Chapter Development Managers will report directly to the regional
bureau directors. Our membership support programs will also be reworked to support greater engagement between Org members and ISOC. We will be seeking greater value for our investments at every turn. </div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">Most important to this plan for the year ahead and beyond is our commitment to the principles and mission of the Internet Society. ISOC enjoys a reputation for encouraging all voices, taking
principled stands and bringing critical issues of access, technology, infrastructure and policy into the public debate. Our 2014-2016 business plan will continue this historic arc, leveraging resources from the broad communities of participation and fueling
the open and sustainable Internet on many fronts.</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">The Board of Trustees will review and potentially revise this plan and vote on the approval in their meeting in Buenos Aires on November 22 & 23. Once approved, we all look forward to working
with you to execute and inform the 2014 business plan implementation.</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">Best regards,</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px"><br>
</div>
<div style="font-family:Consolas,monospace;font-size:12px">
<div>Ted Mooney</div>
<div>Senior Director, Membership & Services</div>
<div>The Internet Society</div>
<div>1775 Wiehle Avenue</div>
<div>Reston, VA 20190 USA</div>
<div>Office: <a href="tel:%2B1%20703-439-2774" value="+17034392774" target="_blank">+1 703-439-2774</a></div>
<div>Cell: <a href="tel:%2B1%20301-980-6446" value="+13019806446" target="_blank">+1 301-980-6446</a></div>
<div>eMail: <a href="mailto:mooney@isoc.org" target="_blank">mooney@isoc.org</a></div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed<br>
to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society<br>
Chapter Portal (AMS): <a href="https://portal.isoc.org" target="_blank">https://portal.isoc.org</a><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr">Editor, Fast Net News, Net Policy News and A Wireless Cloud<br>
Author with Jennie Bourne DSL (Wiley, 2002) and Web Video: Making It Great, Getting It Noticed (Peachpit, 2008)</div>
</div>