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Dear NCSG,</div>
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The new gTLD program has commenced in earnest and the SPIRT Team is ready to deliver on its mandate and contribute its success. Kindly find forwarded (and attached) from the ASP team, an issue for consideration by the SPIRT.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I invite the NCSG to review the issue and provide its views on
<b>the classification of this matter as a non-policy issue; </b>a non-minor operational change request that can be implemented in alignment with existing policy recommendations and will have material impact on applicants and/or including whether the rationale
for such classification is sufficient. </span></p>
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The issue concerns <b>ICANN’s</b> <b>proposed update to the interpretation of the ASP Financial Need eligibility criteria</b>.</p>
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ICANN proposes to provide additional indicators to the SARP on how to interpret the Financial Need criteria.</p>
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ICANN proposes an allowance of up to 15% above the USD $5 million financial threshold to account for 'variations in funding environments, currency exchange fluctuations, and inflation', effectively modifying how the Support Applicant Review Panel (SARP) evaluates
financial need.</div>
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Resultantly, <b>applicants that may have exceeded the USD$5 million threshold</b> in the previous two years based on financial documentation submitted but are still within the 15% buffer
<b>would be eligible to qualify</b> for support in the case that they Pass all other ASP criteria categories.</div>
<p class="elementToProof" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kindly provide your views also on a potential
resolution to this matter, especially whether the proposed flexibility is a consistent interpretation of existing policy recommendations.</span></p>
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Kindly provide your views on if any safeguards are required to preserve fairness, predictability, and transparency, or if alternative approaches should be considered for addressing 'funding environments, currency exchange rates, and inflation'-related issues
in ASP assessments.</p>
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Given the potential implications for the process and the program, <b>your timely feedback will be important</b> in guiding our engagement on this matter within SPIRT and greatly appreciated.</div>
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Kind Regards,</div>
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<b>Christabel Mebaghandu, MIEEE MNCS fNSIG fWASIG.</b></div>
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<b>Chief Technology Officer</b></div>
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Civil Center for Peace Justice and Development</div>
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Floor 2, Senator Samuel Plaza<br>
Opp. Customary Court of Appeal, Rumuogba, Port Harcourt</div>
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Rivers State, Nigeria.</div>
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+234-816-127-8131 </div>
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<a href="mailto: christabel.mebaghandu@ccpjd.org" id="OWA954500f2-d971-135e-2672-3ec2f996eaba" class="x_x_OWAAutoLink" title="mailto: christabel.mebaghandu@ccpjd.org" style="margin: 0px;">christabel.mebaghandu@ccpjd.org</a></div>
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<b>From:</b> Jared Erwin via Gnso-spirt <gnso-spirt@icann.org><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, May 04, 2026 19:29<br>
<b>To:</b> gnso-spirt@icann.org <gnso-spirt@icann.org><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Kristy Buckley <kristy.buckley@icann.org>; Samantha Mancia <samantha.mancia@icann.org><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Gnso-spirt] SPIRT Notification re ASP Financial Need Eligibility Criteria
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Dear SPIRT Members,</div>
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On behalf of the Applicant Support Program (ASP) team, please find attached a notification for a proposed solution regarding the ASP Financial Need Eligibility Criteria. </div>
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<div class="elementToProof" style="direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As requested in the paper, please</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px;"> provide
guidance within 7 calendar days, including whether the SPIRT believes additional time is needed to come to an agreement on the proposed solution. </span></div>
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ICANN requests that the SPIRT provide any feedback on list by 11 May 2026. </div>
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Thank you,</div>
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Jared</div>
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—</div>
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Jared Erwin</div>
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Senior Director, New gTLD Program</div>
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ICANN</div>
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jared.erwin@icann.org </div>
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