Public Interest Registry (PIR), the non-profit organization that administers the  .ORG top level domain - and leading provider of mission-driven domains - today announced the addition of the .CHARITY, .FOUNDATION and .GIVES TLDs to the .ORG family of domains. The three newcomers are all available through PIR authorized domain registrars. 

With the addition of these TLDs, the PIR portfolio now includes .ORG, .NGO, .ONG, Internationalized Domain Names (IDN version of .ORG in other languages/character sets),  .CHARITY, .FOUNDATION, and .GIVES. PIR announced that .GIVING will also be officially added to PIR’s growing family later this year. 

The new additions represent a step forward in PIR’s strategic plan to fulfill its commitment to serving the public interest online and empowering mission-driven organizations to engage with their communities and advance positive change in the world. 

Jon Nevett, CEO of Public Interest Registry, said' "Options are good. We want mission-driven organizations to have more tools in their toolboxes to connect with each of their specific audiences with the important work they’re doing to power meaningful progress in their communities. If your organization aims to do good, you’re a fit for the .ORG family of domains—from corporations launching a corporate social responsibility initiative, to mission-driven social enterprises, to non-profit organizations large and small. Our .ORG family of domains is for everyone working to make a positive impact in the world.”

PIR expects the trustworthiness and security of the .ORG domain and its fellow domain family members to provide a multitude of benefits for mission-driven organizations and detailed those in a news release today: 

•      Create Dedicated Websites for Specific Campaigns and Initiatives:  Mission-driven entities can leverage .CHARITY, .FOUNDATION, and .GIVES to establish a standalone website for a specific campaign or project, serving as a complement to their primary website. Dedicated websites and microsites can help streamline communication and navigation, as well as signal to an audience that an initiative is an area of focus. For example, a for-profit entity could create a microsite using .GIVES or .FOUNDATION for their charitable arm or a corporate social responsibility initiative—conveying a commitment to doing good. 

•       Clearly Signal a Purpose: Choosing a TLD such as .CHARITY, .FOUNDATION, and .GIVES as an organization’s primary online home can help send a clear signal about its specific purpose. For example, .FOUNDATION can be used by philanthropic entities to immediately and easily communicate their identity and purpose. Additionally, in countries such as the United Kingdom, where people refer to non-profits as charities, .CHARITY would immediately signal that a website belongs to a non-profit organization.

•       Secure a Desired Domain Name: When a mission-driven organization aims to launch its website or e-mail address, they may find that their desired name is already taken on some of the larger top level domains, such as .ORG. PIR’s newly expanded .ORG family of domains offers more opportunities to secure a website name that might be taken on legacy top level domains like .ORG. For example, smaller, startup non-profits may want to use .CHARITY, .FOUNDATION or .GIVES as their main domain from the outset, especially if they cannot secure their preferred name on .ORG.

Mission-driven organizations can purchase .CHARITY, .FOUNDATION and .GIVES—and any of the other members of the .ORG family of domains—through accredited registrars listed on PIR’s website. .GIVING—which can be used to create a dedicated space for specific fundraising efforts by social enterprises, corporations with a commitment to CSR, and non-profits of all sizes—will launch in 2022 and be available to all in 2023.

(Posted July 12, 2022)  

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