Skip to main content
  • Agentic AI communications: Identifying the standards we need

    When it comes to standards work around agentic AI, we’re at an exciting threshold. As more tools emerge, we’re seeing the amazing things it can accomplish. Now, we’re trying to figure out what parts of it need to be standardized.

    22 Jan 2026
  • IETF@40

    Forty years ago today, 21 people gathered in San Diego, California for the first meeting of what became the Internet Engineering Task Force.

    16 Jan 2026
  • Launch of the IETF Community Survey 2025

    The IETF Community survey is our major annual survey of the whole of the IETF community and is used to inform the actions of IETF leadership throughout the year. The 2025 IETF Community Survey is live and we want to hear from you!

    23 Dec 2025
  • IETF Administration LLC 2026 Draft Budget

    The IETF Administration LLC has prepared its draft budget for 2026 and now seeks community feedback.

    19 Dec 2025
  • Net zero update for 2025

    As 2025 comes to a close, we want to provide an update on the IETF’s carbon footprint for this year and share information about further steps we took to increase IETF operations’ sustainability.

    17 Dec 2025

Filter by topic and date

Filter by topic and date

IETF Administration LLC 2026 Budget

28 Jan 2026

The IETF Administration LLC has finalised its budget for 2026.

The IETF Administration LLC 2026 Final Budget is made up of the following:

  1. Budget
  2. Meetings budget
  3. Chart of accounts

Community consultation

A draft budget was shared for community consultation and no changes were made as a result, though other changes were incorporated that are sufficiently immaterial to not require a further consultation.

Key assumptions

  • ISOC contribution as per our agreement
  • IETF 126 & IETF 127 meetings will have a slightly increased fee structure.
  • The additional communications support employee agreed in 2025 is included
  • Investments rate of return is 2.7% over the year, as confirmed with our investment advisors
  • Up to 3.0% inflation reflected in staff and for some contract costs

Summary

Summary of 2026 budget and comparison to 2025
2026 Draft Budget 2025 Budget Variance
Non-Meeting Revenue $ 9,455,661 $ 9,149,340 $ 306,321
Meeting Revenue $ 4,551,753 $ 4,474,293 $ 77,460
REVENUE $ 14,007,414 $ 13,623,633 $ 383,781
Operating Expenses $ 7,828,973 $ 7,071,604 $ (757,369)
Meeting Expenses $ 5,612,544 $ 4,978,805 $ (633,739)
EXPENSES $ 13,441,517 $ 12,050,409 $ (1,391,108)
Net Income $ 565,897 $ 1,573,224 $ (1,007,327)

Key changes from draft budget

Budget changes:

  • ($38,600) Additional Site Visit Costs due to delay in 2025 visits
  • ($26,250) Increase in NOC costs due to inflation
  • ($6,005) Adjusting CPI for employees from 2.5% to 3.0%
  • ($400) Removing remote registration revenue rounding to match the registration system

Total changes are a decrease to net income of ($71,255).

Key changes from 2025 budget

Budget changes:

  • Investments
    • The budget for Investment income is higher due to using 2.7% vs. 2.2%, as advised by our investment advisers.  This is an increase of $232,320
  • Other Income Items
    • ISOC endowment matching has decreased as 2025 included the $1m ARIN donation match and donations in 2025 were lower
    • ICANN grant revenue released as the conditions of the grant are met
    • Interest income has increased due to investing our working capital in a money market vs a bank savings account.
  • Meetings:
    • Sponsorship revenue budgeted decreased slightly due to lower Diversity/Inclusivity and Sustainability sponsorships expected. 
    • Meeting venue costs are significantly higher, but travel costs have decreased.
    • Secretariat costs increased due to the re-allocation of the contract costs between cost centers.
  • Administration:
    • Inflationary increase in all wages at a maximum of 3%.
    • Additional communications support personnel added
    • Legal services increased due to subpoena support costs
  • IETF Trust/IPMC:
    • Request for budget funds from the IPMC increased 11% from the prior year
  • Tools:
    • No additional staff budgeted for 2026 but increase in costs due to market comparison exercise and one change from part-time to full-time.
    • Additional contractor costs for the ICANN grant work in H1 2026.
  • Depreciation increase budgeted in 2026 reflects the depreciation on the Cisco donated equipment, which is $306,168 per year.

Presentation changes:

  • Capex is no longer shown as a separate summary line in the table above. This can be found as the "capitalisation adjustment" line in the detailed budget.

Share this page