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Applicant Support Program

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The Applicant Support Program (ASP) is an ICANN initiative within the New gTLD Program to lower barriers for entities that want to apply for and operate a new Generic Top-Level Domain but lack resources. It combines financial relief with capacity-building and pro bono assistance, and runs as a pre-application process ahead of upcoming application windows.[1]

ASP Providers in 2025[edit | edit source]

ICANNWiki is a collaborator in the ASP initiative, and serves as a repository for providers and their services. Each provider below has a section describing their qualifications and services offered.

Background[edit | edit source]

The ASP originated with community policy work by the Joint Applicant Support Working Group, which recommended providing both financial and non-financial assistance to eligible applicants.[2] In the 2012 round, qualified applicants could pay a reduced evaluation fee of US$47,000 instead of US$185,000; applications were reviewed by a Support Applicant Review Panel (SARP), and ICANN earmarked US$2 million as seed funding.[3][4]

Next Round (2024–2026)[edit | edit source]

For the New gTLD Program: Next Round, the ASP's window is from 19 November 2024 to 19 November 2025, ahead of the projected gTLD application window opening in April 2026. The ASP remains a separate, earlier process; qualifying for support does not itself approve a gTLD application.[5][6]

Support now includes:

  • An ASP training program
  • Access to pro bono (volunteer) service providers
  • Resources and information to understand the New gTLD Program and what it means to operate a gTLD
  • Access to Applicant Counselors
  • A 75–85% reduction in New gTLD Program evaluation fees
  • A bid credit applied to supported applicants participating in contention resolution procedures established in the Next Round Applicant Guidebook
  • Reduced base Registry Operator fees if the supported applicant proceeds to contracting and delegation[7]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Applicant Support Program (Next Round) — ICANN. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  2. Final Report of the Joint SO/AC New gTLD Applicant Support Working Group (13 Sep 2011). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  3. 2012 Applicant Support Program page — ICANN (historical). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  4. New gTLD Financial Assistance Handbook (11 Jan 2012). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  5. Applicant Support Program (Next Round) — ICANN. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  6. New gTLD Program: Next Round — ICANN. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  7. Applicant Support Program Handbook (9 Aug 2024). Retrieved 2 August 2025.