With the addition of the three new top-level domains (TLDs) acquired from Donuts, now Identity Digital, the PIR portfolio now includes .org, .ngo, .ong, Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs or .ORG in other languages/character sets), .charity, .foundation and .gives. Together, these TLDs make up PIR’s .org family of domains. .GIVING, a separate acquisition, will also be officially added to PIR’s growing family of domains later this year.

The addition of the TLDs will add around 28,700 domain names (according to nTLDstats registration figures) to the total number of domain names under PIR management, in addition to the 9,500 registrations for the existing new gTLDs managed by PIR and 10.6 million .org domain names.

For PIR, the expansion marks a step forward in their strategic plan fulfilling their commitment to serving the public interest online and empowering mission-driven organisations to engage with their communities and advance positive change in the world.

“Options are good. We want mission-driven organisations 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,” said Jon Nevett, CEO of Public Interest Registry. “If your organisation 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 organisations large and small. Our .ORG family of domains is for everyone working to make a positive impact in the world.”

Along with the trustworthiness and security of the .org domain, PIR say .charity, .foundation and .gives provide a multitude of benefits for mission-driven organisations:

• 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 organisation’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 organisation.
• Secure a Desired Domain Name: When a mission-driven organisation 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, start-up 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.

.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.