Organization Reports > Action Plan 2019

Action Plan 2019

Our mission and vision tell us to ensure the Internet is open, globally-connected, secure, and trustworthy for everyone.

This is our enduring goal—it is our “why”—and it serves as the organizing principle for not only what we do, but also how we work. That goal determines what we must do in 2019.

The 2019 Action Plan builds on what we did in 2018. It takes for granted that the basic aims of 2018, which were in keeping with the Internet Society’s goals throughout its history, are broadly correct. But this plan applies the lessons from 2018. To begin with, this plan makes a distinction between what we do and how we do it. Second, it refines the campaign-led approach, which helped break down internal barriers, by defining the criteria for success or completion. Finally, this plan contemplates some changes to the organization of the Internet Society to address functional gaps that became clear in 2018.

What we do will see us continue to focus on connecting the world, on improving the technical security foundations of the Internet, and on building trust in those core Internet functions. These interrelated areas encompass the most important issues of access and trust facing the Internet today, and they provide the framework for organizing our work. Of course we must anticipate upcoming challenges and opportunities, so we also will work to understand and thereby be prepared to shape the Internet’s future.

How we approach our work is just as important as what we do. We seek collaboration with all who share our central goal; we also support and build our community, so that we work together to extend our influence and reach around the world. And we will continue to invest in strengthening our global voice so that we speak consistently, clearly, and courageously on the issues that are most important to us.

We believe an open, globally-connected, secure, and trustworthy Internet produces a positive impact in the lives of people.

It is already an important part of the lives of more than 3.5 billion people around the world, but a nearly equal number remain unconnected. This gap denies people opportunity and fails to develop a large amount of human potential. This plan serves as our roadmap for our work in the year ahead to close this gap between the world of today and our vision for the future.

A graph with different elements of Action plan 2019

What We Do

The section below describes key priorities for what we will do across our four focus areas in 2019. Each area includes specific activities for these priorities. Each area also includes details about the ways by which we will assess how well we are progressing against our objectives for the year.

How We Work

How we work is as important to our shared success as what we do. The section below outlines the approaches we intend to take to our work in the year ahead. As with the section above, specifics of how we will embody these approaches, including measures for how well they are being realized, are outlined below.

Other Organizational Developments

Beyond setting out what we will do and how we do it, there are several organization-level developments that influence our work in 2019.

Financial Plan

Our 2019 Action Plan is supported by a Financial Plan that ensures the Internet Society remains fiscally strong and operates in the most effective manner as a charitable not-for-profit entity. The Financial Plan ensures that available resources are dedicated to achieving the greatest impact while the Action Plan tells us how to cause that impact. This year we have organized our financial plan based on the strategic focus areas and operational approaches that define what we will do and how we will approach our work in 2019.

2019 Budget

Summary Statement of Activities 2019
Unrestricted Internet Society Revenues(amounts in US$000s)
Memberships, Sponsorships & Registrations$1,940
Grants & Contributions$2,638
Public Interest Registry Contribution$34,154
Total Unrestricted Internet Society Revenues$38,732
Internet Society Expenses2019
Strategic Focus Areas
  Connecting the World$2,313
  Improving Technical Security$1,175
  Building Trust$1,528
  Shaping the Internet’s Future$850
Strategic Operations
  Fostering a Collaborative Approach$956
  Building our Community$3,170
  Strengthening our Global Voice$1,725
Organization & Operating Costs$26,715
Board Governance$300
Total Internet Society Expenses$38,732
Net Surplus$0
Interest and Currency$500
Net Unrestricted Surplus$500

2019 Revenue Plan

Our 2019 Revenue Plan totals US$38.7 million with the annual contribution from Public Interest Registry (PIR) decreasing in 2019 to US$34.2 million. Internet Society-generated (non-PIR) revenues of US$4.6 million are based on readily identifiable sources from members, sponsors, contributors, grantors, and meeting registrations. During 2019, our revenue generation will focus on building of Organization and Individual Members.

Projected Revenue By Source

2019 Revenue Plan
(amounts in US$000s)
Organization Membership & Individual Donors$1,330
Event Sponsorship$280
Event Registration$330
Grants & Contributions$2,638
Total ISOC Generated Revenue$4,578
Public Interest Registry Contribution$34,154
Total Revenue by Source$38,732
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Conclusion

Guided by the Internet Society’s Mission and Vision, we approach the coming year with a strong sense of purpose and direction. We have organized what we will do to tackle the key challenges to the Internet’s continued growth and evolution, and prioritized activities that will make the greatest difference. We will work to connect the world, to improve the technical security foundations of the Internet, and to build trust in those core Internet functions—while endeavoring to understand upcoming challenges and opportunities. We will extend the reach and effectiveness of our work by seeking collaboration, supporting and building our community, and continuing to invest in strengthening our global voice.

Of course our plans for 2019 are built on, and learn from, our past work—including our 25-year legacy and more recent significant accomplishments. We have refined our campaign-led approach. We are evolving our organization to be more effective and to address functional gaps that became clear in 2018. Our plans include evaluating our efforts in several areas to understand how we can be even more effective. And, by putting clear measures for our work in place, we will know how well we are advancing our vision.

In summary, we have a firm foundation and a clear plan for the year ahead to work towards an open, globally-connected, secure, and trustworthy Internet that produces a positive impact in the lives of people.

Image copyright:
© Tim Foster on Unsplash, © Internet Society / Nyani Quarmyne / Panos Pictures, © Internet Society / Nyani Quarmyne / Panos Pictures, © Lance Asper on Unsplash