Email from ICANN Monday, 15 June 2026 ICANN Community Digest Click here to learn more about the New gTLD Program 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook 2026 Round Vendor Sourcing Timeline The ICANN organization Policy Development Support function publishes this twice-weekly digest to help ICANN community groups track requests and follow updates. Do you have any ideas for improving the ICANN Community Digest? Write to us at policyinfo@icann.org! Table of Contents Information Sharing NEW: ICANN Announces US$ 1 Million Contribution to Support the Internet Governance Forum NEW: ICANN Ombuds Office Releases FY25 Annual Report NEW: gTLD Integrations with Alternative Naming Systems Technical Study Group Underway NEW: Universal Acceptance Policy Brief Marks Next Step in ICANN-UNESCO Collaboration 2026 Round NEW: ICANN Introduces Payment Testing for 2026 Round Applicants ICANN Opens Second Application Period for the 2026 Round RSP Evaluation Program ICANN 2026 Round Application System User Guide, Support Model Available 🚨 Action Items 🚨 ICANNWiki Seeking Volunteers Public Comment ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW: Additional Reference Label Generation Rules and Related Updates Events These events occur in June 2026. Information Sharing NEW: ICANN Announces US$ 1 Million Contribution to Support the Internet Governance Forum The one-time contribution will support the work of the IGF Secretariat, including efforts to strengthen administrative stability, facilitate impactful global conversations, further capacity development, and engage developing country governments. Read more. NEW: ICANN Ombuds Office Releases FY25 Annual Report The value of the Ombuds Office extends beyond handling complaints and spotting problems; it also has a role to play in surfacing community wisdom to identify solutions and improvements. Read more. NEW: gTLD Integrations with Alternative Naming Systems Technical Study Group Underway The new TSG is intentionally small to facilitate an expeditious, yet rigorous and thorough evaluation. TSG members will participate in weekly meetings, as well as two multi-day workshops, in order to deliver a report that is going to be published for Public Comment by mid-August. Read more. NEW: Universal Acceptance Policy Brief Marks Next Step in ICANN-UNESCO Collaboration We hope this policy brief will serve as a useful resource for stakeholders, especially the public sector, working to build a more inclusive Internet and encourage further engagement with UA implementation efforts around the world. Read more. 2026 Round NEW: ICANN Introduces Payment Testing for 2026 Round Applicants Payment transfers take varying amounts of time, depending on the applicant's bank and geographic location. Because of this, applicants are encouraged to test their payment method to ensure a smooth payment process in advance of submitting their application. Read more. ICANN Opens Second Application Period for the 2026 Round RSP Evaluation Program The second application period for the RSP Evaluation Program runs from 30 April to 12 August 2026. Read more. ICANN 2026 Round Application System User Guide, Support Model Available ICANN has made several resources available to help prospective applicants familiarize themselves with ICANN's TLD Application Management System (TAMS). This online system will be used by all applicants, evaluation panelists, and ICANN staff to submit, manage, and process new gTLD applications. These resources are available to help prospective applicants prepare for the application completion and submission process through TAMS: System user guide Frequently Asked Questions Demo videos Q&A webinar recordings Read more. Action Items ICANNWiki Seeking Volunteers ICANNWiki is seeking volunteers to assist with creating and editing articles and content for the site. Do you want to help? Getting started is as simple as requesting an account. Then, make sure to read the short content guide to get a feel for what belongs in the wiki. Also, feel free to take a look at some data source suggestions on where to find reliable data. Happy editing! Public Comment ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW: Additional Reference Label Generation Rules and Related Updates Submissions Opening Date: Tuesday, 12 May 2026 Submissions Closing Date: Tuesday, 23 June 2026 See upcoming proceedings. See other public consultations. Events These events occur in June 2026. To learn more, please visit our community engagement calendar. ADNDRC Practice Development Workshop 2026 North America Space: Finding Your Path in ICANN: From First Steps to Community Leadership IT Law Training Program - Hacettepe University NOG-FI Meeting Volume 8, Issue 40 | Archive | Next Issue: Thursday, 18 June 2026 STAY INFORMED: Subscribe here ICANN | 12025 Waterfront Drive Suite 300 | Los Angeles, CA 90094-2536 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice