The final version of the Applicant Support Program (ASP) Handbook is available:
The ASP is intended to make the New Generic Top-Level Domains (New gTLD) Program: Next Round accessible to applicants who want to apply for a new gTLD or operate a registry, but would be otherwise unable due to financial and resource constraints. The ASP Handbook provides a guide to applying for support for entities that plan to apply to operate a gLTD and require support to do so. The ASP Handbook includes information on application deadlines, criteria, processes, and evaluation.
The ICANN organization developed the ASP Handbook in collaboration with the Subsequent Procedures (SubPro) Implementation Review Team, to ensure that the community's recommendations and implementation guidance related to applicant support (see Final Report, Topic 17) are carried out. The program has broad support from the ICANN community as well as the ICANN Board.
Because the New gTLD Program: Next Round will be in development during the ASP application submission period, applicants are encouraged to review previously published resources in the interim. This will allow potential gTLD applicants to better understand and anticipate the requirements of the new gTLD application process, which is separate from the ASP process.
Archived Versions:
Draft ASP Handbook – version dated 10 June 2024 (based on public comments received)
Draft ASP Handbook – version dated 12 February 2024 (underwent Public Comment from 12 February 2024 to 2 April 2024)
Support Applicant Review Panel (SARP) ASP Evaluation Guide
As a complementary document to the ASP Handbook ICANN has drafted an Evaluation Guide intended for ASP evaluation panelists. This guide will help to ensure consistent, objective evaluations across multiple panelists and applications–using the criteria and indicators from the ASP Handbook.
The draft Evaluation Guide provides a side-by-side view of what was asked to the ASP applicant and guidance on how the SARP panelists can assess each application in a consistent manner. ICANN is publishing the draft guide for transparency purposes. If updates are made to this document they will be posted here for transparency.
SARP ASP Evaluation Guide - version dated (28 February 2025)