GNSO Issues Call for SPIRT Volunteers — Extended Deadline & New Guidance

The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council has put out a renewed appeal for community members to volunteer for the Standing Predictability Implementation Review Team (SPIRT). This updated announcement builds on the prior call from 22 September 2025 by extending the application deadline and clarifying expectations for participants.

SPIRT is charged with advising the GNSO Council, ICANN Board, ICANN org, and the broader community on matters that may emerge within the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: Next Round. Its charter is aligned with the Applicant Guidebook and structured around the Predictability Framework.

Work Scope & Process

Working closely with the GNSO Council, SPIRT will engage with ICANN org to manage all non-minor changes under the New gTLD Program as defined by the Predictability Framework. The specifics of this role are laid out in both the SPIRT Charter and the underlying framework document.

Once convened, the team will meet on an as-needed basis, with a rotating 60-minute meeting slot. Key scheduling milestones include: the volunteer application deadline on 7 November 2025, the leadership application window from 10–14 November 2025, and the anticipated start of SPIRT work in mid-November 2025.

Eligibility & Membership Requirements

Interested individuals from across the ICANN community — including Supporting Organizations, Advisory Committees, and GNSO stakeholder groups — are encouraged to step forward. Volunteers must act in the best interests of the gTLD Program, propose constructive solutions, and abide by the Statement of Participation as defined in the SPIRT Charter. They are also bound by ICANN’s Community Participant Code of Conduct and the rules on statements of interest.

At least half of the inaugural members will serve three-year terms. The initial composition must include at least one representative from the original Policy Development Process (PDP) Working Group and one from the PDP Implementation Review Team.

How to Volunteer

To apply, candidates should send their interest to the GNSO Secretariat by Friday, 7 November 2025 at 23:59 UTC. Leadership nominations will follow shortly after.

SPIRT’s establishment reflects ICANN’s ongoing commitment to stable, predictable operations within the gTLD space — enabling technical and policy continuity as the Internet’s namespace evolves.