[Chapter-delegates] [Internet Policy] Action Plan 2021 - Fwd: Our Commitment to the Internet / Notre engagement en matière d’Internet / Nuestro Compromiso con Internet

[Andrew Sullivan]

Hi,

On Tue, Dec 08, 2020 at 05:36:15PM +0000, Christian de Larrinaga via Chapter-delegates wrote:

>It is good to see the education program continuing to grow in 
>ambition. I am wondering though that as the numbers being reached is 
>still in the low hundreds for 2021.

There is more than one program, but I agree the numbers in each case are modest.  I will note that several of the programs are intended to be "train the trainer" efforts so that the scaling effect I think you're suggesting can be greater.

>Would it be something to consider for 2022 and beyond whether ISOC 
>might pivot to develop its training materials to be repurposed within 
>training materials by the thousands of training organisations around 
>the world?

Some people have repurposed some of our materials already in this way.  What we find sometimes, however, is that some organizations who want to do such training are actually not able to do it, which is part of why we're working so hard to re-boot our own training efforts to be more effective.

>CNs are at the "thin end of the lollipop" to misapply Marylin Monroe. 

Sure.

>If they are to be taken seriously as a solution  to Internet access

They're obviously not the solution everywhere.  But they're a solution in places where standard commercial ISPs are just not interested or likely to act.  Another important element, for our purposes, is that these are networks developed by the affected community, for their own purposes and to meet their own needs.  That's important because it's foundational for the Internet.

>which I am not convinced they are - then some approach to co-existence 
>with "commercial" ISPs

Many of the projects we have supported are _working_ with commercial ISPs.  I don't think there's a conflict there.  There are definitely some CNs that are opposed to profit as such, but that's a feature of the community in question, not the style of networking.

>The Web foundation has also made a point about extending Internet 
>access. I don't know the current politics between ISOC and the WF but 
>having very compatible ambitions would suggest deduplication and 
>co-ordination might offer a multiplier effect?

We're actually working with them on some efforts.

>I am very unclear about how the funding is now working with the 
>emergence of the ISOC Foundation. I didn't see a mention of the ISOC 
>Foundation in the plan.

The ISOC Foundation has its own plan for 2021.  https://www.isocfoundation.org/action-plan/action-plan-2021/  The general principle (this is not completely realized yet in practice, please note) is that direct funding to some other entity to pursue that entity's plan should really be provided by the Foundation according to the goals in the Foundation's plan, whereas funding to another entity in the furtherance of ISOC's own plans should come from ISOC.  So, for instance, the Foundation makes grants to other organizations that are aiming to undertake training or research or whatever themselves, whereas ISOC supports the training or research related to a community network in a target location aligned with the CN project's aims in the current fiscal period.

>The plan does not make a split with the Foundation or explain how PIR 
>revenues are now being allocated between PIR needs, ISOC and 
>Foundation and where the funding for these programs fits with that 
>flow. That might not be needed in an outward facing report. But for 
>this community it might be very helpful in communicating to those who 
>are being encouraged to participate within the tent.

In order to lay that out in the way you're suggesting, I think I need to talk to PIR about what information we can and can't release in the current period.  I will have to get back to you about this topic.

>I note that Chapters get 11 mentions I think, but I don't see any 
>explicit  financial support mentioned in the plan so Chapters can 
>prepare and develop the items mentioned. Is the community breakdown 
>including for chapters SIGs etc going to be broken down?

I don't think I really understand this question.  Chapters continue to be eligible for the administration funds as ever, according to the traditional formula.  The Beyond the Net grants remain a feature of the Foundation, and are included in their plan.

>The biggest item in the financials are for staff/ operations at 
>$29.36m leaving around $10m for activities by the community. It is not 
>clear to me how much of the operations/ staff budget is directly being 
>used for programs.

Historically, that was pretty poorly tracked at ISOC.  This was the first year we've done a reasonable job with it, and the report on how we did is coming soon.  I agree that this has been a notable historic weakness in how we've reported things, and it's been one of my preoccupations (as many staff will tell you, I bet!) since 2018.  But please keep your eyes peeled for coming reporting on it.

Thanks very much for the mail,

A

-- 
Andrew Sullivan
President & CEO, Internet Society
sullivan at isoc.org
+1 416 731 1261