NCSG Finance Committee: Update & Backgrounder

[Thato Mfikwe]

Thanks for sharing this Sam.

Thato Mfikwe.

On Mon, Aug 5, 2019 at 5:32 PM Sam Lanfranco <lanfran at yorku.ca> wrote:

>
>
> Dear NCSG Colleagues,
>
> As of the first of August, I am the NCSG Finance Committee Chair on an
> interim basis, until NCUC selects its FC member and the FC decides on a
> Chair.
>
> I would first like to thank Ayden Férdeline, the outgoing chair, for his
> able management of the chairpersonship. I will call on him for advice as we
> move forward.
>
> There are several things that NCSG members, especially relatively new NCSG
> members, should know about the Finance Committee.
>
>
>    1. Since the NCSG charter was adopted (2011) the Finance Committee has
>    only operated intermittently.
>    2. The Finance Committee has no money, no budget to manage, and no
>    treasurer role to carry out.
>    3. The Finance Committee carries out literally none of the tasks
>    sketched out in the NCSG Charter.
>    4. The Finance Committee is more-or-less a “workspace” to assist NCSG
>    through the NCSG Policy, and Executive Committees, in their work.
>
> When the NCSG Charter was adopted there was a much grander role foreseen
> for the Finance Committee. Literally (or virtually) none of that was ever
> undertaken. See (below) relevant Finance Committee text from the NCSG
> Charter.
>   To give you an idea of what the Finance Committee is currently doing
> here is the agenda for it last (July 23rd) online meeting:
>
> I. Updates to Statements of Interest
> II. Finalize Finance Committee Comment on Financial Assumptions for Formal
> Review by NCSG Policy Committee
> III. Continue Wordsmithing Operating Procedures and Discuss Next Steps
> IV. Finalize Code of Ethical Conduct Document for Review by NCSG Executive
> Committee
> V. Discuss Process for Appointing New Finance Committee Chair
> VI. Any Other Business
>
> Here is the wording of the remit of the Finance Committee as found in the
> 2011 NCSG Charter. (*formatting slightly off due to pdf copy*)
>
>
> https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/filefield_25801/ncsg-charter-05may11-en.pdf
>
> NCSG Finance Committee (NCSG-­‐FC):
>
> The NCSG Finance Committee is responsible for establishing a firm
> financial footing for the NCSG and administering NCSG funds within a
> defined framework that meets relevant legal requirements as well as
> requirements imposed by ICANN. The NCSG-­‐FC’s responsibilities include
> fund raising, setting voluntary contribution levels for members,
> determining procedures for the distribution of funds, and for monitoring
> the utilization of funds. The NCSG-­‐FC will also be responsible for the
> Treasurer function. Formation of the NCSG-­‐FC, its composition, and duties
> within the NCSG-­‐FC are set out in Section 2.6.
>
> *Here is the text of Section 2.6:*
>
> 2.6 The Financial Committee
>
> The NCSG Finance Committee is responsible for the following:
>
> •Elect a Chair who will also serve as NCSG Treasurer;
>
> •Determine rates for voluntary contributions from members;
>
> •Develop and deploy a fund-­‐raising plan for the NCSG;
>
> •Work with the ICANN staff to determine levels of support available to
> the NCSG;
>
> •Work with ICANN finance officers to insure the NCSG and its
> Constituencies receive fair and equivalent financial support from ICANN;
>
> •Accounting for any funds received by the NCSG from any source. This
> accounting will include the following:
>
>      *All funds raised by voluntary membership fees or otherwise must be
> held in a separate NCSG account.
>
>      *Proper controls must be implemented.
>
>      *Regarding Expenditures:
>
> •All expenditures under 500 Euro may be made on the authority of the NCSG
> Treasurer
>
> •All expenditures over 500 Euro must be approved by the NCSG-­‐FC
>
>      *Financial reports must be prepared annually and be made public.
>
> •Provide internal conflict resolution process regarding funds.
>
> •Provide the oversight of the Treasurer function.
>
> •Fulfill any other accounting, auditing or other prescribed financial
> requirements as set by the ICANN Board of Directors for organizations
> within the ICANN structure.
>
> •Document methods and procedures used for accounting, reporting and
> budget creation. Such documentation is subject to review by the NCSG-­‐EC
>
>  Comments, opinions, suggestions and questions are welcomed.
>
> Sam Lanfranco, interim Chair,
> NCSG Finance Committee
> Subject:
> NCSG Finance Committee: Update & Background
>
> From:
> Sam Lanfranco <sam at lanfranco.net>
>
> Date:
> 8/5/2019, 11:21 AM
>
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