PIR Opens Applications For Its Advisory Council

If you’ve ever thought you’re an ideal candidate to advise Public Interest Registry in its stewardship of the .org TLD, along with the other TLDs it manages, now is the time. PIR announced Thursday it is accepting applications for up to five seats on its Advisory Council, which is composed of leaders and activists from a broad spectrum of mission-driven organisations around the world.

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PIR Found To Respect Human Rights As First gTLD Registry To Undergo Assessment

Public Interest Registry (PIR) has become the first gTLD registry to undergo a human rights assessment with ARTICLE 19 and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) collaborating to guide the .org registry in its human rights efforts. The report was largely positive, finding PIR’s “policies and operational procedures respected human rights so they cause few negative impacts.”

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PIR Moves Ahead To Focus On Future

It’s been an interesting year for Public Interest Registry, the .org operator. For months following the announcement of the proposed takeover by Ethos Capital there was intense debate as to whether it should go ahead. After many months of deliberations, ICANN rejected the takeover and PIR is back to where it was before Ethos made its bid: intent on becoming an even better registry, focussing on quality registrations and growing in its global markets in a more meaningful way.

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“Solid” 2018 Sees PIR Reorganising and Boosting Revenues and Renewals in Challenging Times

Public Interest Registry published their 2018 annual report Thursday, highlighting what for them was a “solid year for .org, from exceeding financial goals to continuing to grow a strong user base with high renewal rates. These results are a direct reflection of PIR’s commitment to promoting quality domains in the .org base.” For 2019, the .org registry is ‘putting an even greater focus on combating abuse and making significant investments in education and outreach initiatives.’

It was a year that saw domain names under management for .org drop to 10.3 million at the end of 2018 from 10.4 million at the end of 2017. Renewals though increased by 100,000 from 6.7m to 6.8m while the renewal percentage increased from 75.7% to 77.4%.

But .org wasn’t the only top-level domain in the top 10 by registration numbers to drop with .de and .uk also dropping by around 100,000 according to Verisign’s Domain Name Industry Brief, but .net (500,000) and .ru (400,000) dropped even further while .info dropped from being the eighth largest TLD with 6.4 million registrations to sliding out of the top 10 meaning their registration count was somewhere below 4.8 million registrations which is what the tenth largest TLD (.tw) had at the end of 2018.

As the annual report notes, they are challenging times with there now being 1,250 gTLDs including PIR’s .ong and .ngo and 4 others, currently with just shy of 8,000 registrations, compared to the 6 when .org was created in 1984.

Financially 2018 was a year in which PIR note they exceeded their financial goals with net bookings growing $1.1m to 93.0m and operating income jumping $7.0m to $45.9m. For 2018 mid-year PIR made some “bold” business decisions, that led to a strong financial performance, and results specifically reflecting an ongoing commitment to high ethical standards. Mid-year also saw a realignment of marketing incentives a renewed focus on the quality (not just the quantity) of .org registrations. The .org Community grew as the result of this change. There were more quality registrations and more users. This led to significant contributions toward Internet Society’s work for an open, globally-connected, secure and trustworthy Internet for everyone.

Other achievements in 2018 highlighted in the report were reorganising the management structure to align with strategic priorities, sharpening efforts to further improve the quality of the .org base, maintaining the robust .org renewal rates, and producing strong financial results in support of the Internet Society and their work to keep the Internet free and open for all. The report also details PIR’s plans for 2019, which include initiatives aligned with PIR’s mission to help educate those who are making a difference in their communities through the power of .org.

In 2019, PIR is building upon these efforts through the launch of the Quality Performance Index (QPI) initiative, which helps reward those registrars who are growing and maintaining trust in the .org domain while identifying areas of improvement for registrars when it comes to online trust.

The Report also details PIR’s robust anti-abuse program, its policy and privacy initiatives, and expanding education and outreach efforts. For 2019, PIR is putting an even greater focus on combating abuse online and making significant investments in education and outreach initiatives. PIR also is establishing a .ORG Impact Awards program to recognise the incredible work of organisations across the globe, and creating a PIR Grants Program to connect PIR with highly motivated individuals and groups with mutual aspirations to help them further their missions.

“PIR achieved the ambitious goals we set for ourselves in 2018, thanks in no small part to the inspiring work of the .org community. It’s the people and organisations using .org to make a positive impact on the world who motivate us to remain diligent in our stewardship of the .org domain,” said Jon Nevett, who was appointed President and CEO of Public Interest Registry in December 2018.

“This year, we are in the midst of a number of exciting initiatives aimed at providing even more support for the broad .org community and our domain industry partners. These include maintaining .org as the most trusted domain extension, amplifying our education and outreach efforts, and continuing to expand our already robust anti-abuse program.”

To download the 2018 Annual Report in full, go to: https://pir.org/pir-2018-annual-report/

PIR Announces Jonathon Nevett As New CEO

Public Interest Registry has announced Jonathon Nevett will commence as their new CEO on 17 December, replacing Brian Cute who resigned in May. Nevett, a Donuts co-founder, himself recently stepped down from his role at Donuts as executive vice president of corporate affairs but remained for a short time as a close advisor to the company.

Public Interest Registry has announced Jonathon Nevett will commence as their new CEO on 17 December, replacing Brian Cute who resigned in May. Nevett, a Donuts co-founder, himself recently stepped down from his role at Donuts as executive vice president of corporate affairs but remained for a short time as a close advisor to the company. Continue reading “PIR Announces Jonathon Nevett As New CEO”

PIR Calls For Board Nominations

Public Interest Registry logoThe Public Interest Registry (PIR), who operates a number of gTLDs including .org, ngo and .ong and associated internationalised domain names, has begun accepting nominations for their Board of Directors

Public Interest Registry logoThe Public Interest Registry (PIR), who operates a number of gTLDs including .org, ngo and .ong and associated internationalised domain names, has begun accepting nominations for their Board of Directors.

In 2019 there are three positions opening on the PIR Board. The three directors will serve a 3-year term that begins mid-year 2019 and expires mid-year 2022. PIR says prior board experience is preferred. All directors must be able to read and understand a balance sheet, as well as read and communicate effectively in the English language.

There are approximately 15 full days per year for face-to-face meetings (not including travel time), regular conference calls (generally monthly), and daily email correspondence. Directors that participate in all meetings are eligible to accept compensation up to US$12,000 per year

The deadline for nominations is 15:00 UTC on February 4, 2019. Interested candidates should submit this form. More information is available here.

PIR Announces CEO/President Brian Cute Resigns

Brian Cute, CEO and President of the Public Interest Registry, has resigned after 7 years at the helm, the registry best known for .org has announced. While there is nothing to indicate anything untoward, the resignation and announcement seem to have been rather sudden

Brian Cute, CEO and President of the Public Interest Registry, has resigned after 7 years at the helm, the registry best known for .org has announced. While there is nothing to indicate anything untoward, the resignation and announcement seem to have been rather sudden.

Cute resigned on 7 May according to the PIR statement released Thursday. During his time as president and CEO, Cute helped advance Public Interest Registry’s mission through the headwinds of today’s complex and diversified online marketplace, according to the statement. Public Interest Registry say they appreciated the leadership Cute has shown the organisation and the many contributions he made during his tenure. Public Interest Registry wishes him great success in his future endeavours.

The Public Interest Registry Board of Directors will soon commence a recruitment process to fill the CEO position, according to the statement. Jay Daley is serving as interim CEO. Daley knows the registry industry extraordinarily well, having served in various leadership roles within the industry since 2002. Daley is a recent addition to the Public Interest Registry Board and has indicated to the Board that he will continue in that role after the interim period. He will not be pursuing the full-time CEO position.

“We at Public Interest Registry remain steadfast in our mission. Public Interest Registry has enabled countless non-commercial organisations across the globe to utilise the internet’s enormous potential to make the world a better place. And we’ll continue to do our part and provide them with tools they need to advance their initiatives online,” said Roberto Gaetano, Chair of Public Interest Registry’s Board of Directors.

Public Interest Registry is a non-profit organisation that operates the .org top-level domain – the world’s third-largest generic top-level domain with more than 10.4 million domain names registered worldwide – and the .ngo and .ong gTLDs and OnGood community website. Public Interest Registry also operates 4 Internationalised Domain Names to support and encourage local language use of the internet.

NGOs Getting Online With Two-Thirds Globally Using .ORG, But Wide Disparity Among Regional TLD Choices

Over two-thirds (68.3%) of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) around the world use a .org domain name to get online compared to the less than one in 10 (9.2%) that use a .com, according to the “2017 Global NGO Online Technology Report” published by the Public Interest Registry (PIR) this week. The report found 2.2% used the .ngo gTLD, 1.8% used .net and 18.5% used other TLDs, predominately ccTLDs.

Over two-thirds (68.3%) of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) around the world use a .org domain name to get online compared to the less than one in 10 (9.2%) that use a .com, according to the 2017 Global NGO Online Technology Report published by the Public Interest Registry (PIR) this week. The report found 2.2% used the .ngo gTLD, 1.8% used .net and 18.5% used other TLDs, predominately country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs).The report is the second from the registry operator for the .org, .ngo and .ong (generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) and surveyed nearly double the number of survey respondents from 2016 – 4,908 for 2017 compared to 2,780 for 2016 – and the findings make for a solid foundation to assert benchmarks for success.The report seeks to gain a better understanding of how NGOs worldwide use online technology to engage their supporters and donors but also provides interesting research into TLD usage around the world.Among top level domains, there is a wide variation between the world’s regions on which one they choose. In Asia 66% use .org, 5% use .ngo. 10% use .com and 19% use other TLDs, predominately ccTLDs.In Australia and Oceania, 45% use .org domain, 2% use .ngo, 11% use .com and 42% use other domains, again predominately ccTLDs.Within Europe, 47% use .org, 2% use .ngo, 7% use .com and 44% use other domains, predominately ccTLDs, the highest of any region.In North America, 77% use .org domain, 1% use .ngo, 9% use .com and 13% use other domains, predominately ccTLDs with it likely the vast majority of these being Canadian NGOs using .ca as well as some using .us.Within South America, 68% use .org, 11% use .com, 29% use other domains, predominately ccTLDs. And finally, within Africa 66% use .org, 3% use .ngo, 12% use .com and 22% use other domains, predominately again ccTLDs.It’s not unexpected, but it appears to be developed western countries outside the United States are much more likely to use their own ccTLD than the US or developing countries. Part of this comes down to trust. For example, the Nigerian internet Registration Association (NiRA) is working hard to promote their .ng ccTLD within Nigeria. But they face a battle to develop awareness and trust. In an interview with Nigeria’s Guardian newspaper, Reverend Sunday Folayan, the President, Executive Board of Directors of NiRA said “Nigerians [hardly] consume local goods because they believe there is a level of inferiority attached to it.”The report is available for download from:
techreport.ngo

Public Interest Registry Enters the Final Phase in Organisation’s Back-End Registry Services Procurement

Public Interest Registry logo[news release] Public Interest Registry, the nonprofit operator of the .org, .ngo and .ong domains, today issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the management of its back-end registry services, concluding the Request for Information (RFI) phase of its procurement. Accordingly, all RFI participants — more than 20 in total, representing 15 countries — have been notified about their RFI submission status

Public Interest Registry logo[news release] Public Interest Registry, the nonprofit operator of the .org, .ngo and .ong domains, today issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the management of its back-end registry services, concluding the Request for Information (RFI) phase of its procurement. Accordingly, all RFI participants — more than 20 in total, representing 15 countries — have been notified about their RFI submission status.

Completion of the RFP phase and subsequent contract award is targeted for the end of 2016. It is further anticipated that the selected service provider will commence operations under the new contractual agreement on January 1, 2018. Should a transition of back-end registry services be required to a new service provider, Public Interest Registry anticipates that such a transition would be concluded by mid to late 2017.

Since its inception in 2003, Public Interest Registry has built a reputation as being an exemplary organisation focused on the empowerment of the global noncommercial community to use the Internet more effectively. The organisation desires to contract with a qualified back-end registry services provider that shares a similar reputation and holds itself to the highest operational and ethical standards. The selected back-end registry service provider should be a “valued business partner” – an organisation that combines outstanding qualifications in service delivery with the ability to engage Public Interest Registry in a business relationship that seeks strategic and innovative approaches to enhance the capability and efficiency of service delivery.

Public Interest Registry is committed to conducting a fair and transparent procurement process focused on achieving a “best value” solution based on the requirements and the criteria set forth in the procurement process. Additionally, Public Interest Registry is equally focused on protecting the proprietary and confidential nature of its operations, as well as those of all organisations participating in the back-end registry services procurement process. Public Interest Registry does not anticipate making further details regarding the procurement process or the identity of participating organisations available to the public.

About Public Interest Registry
Public Interest Registry is a nonprofit organization that operates the .org top-level domain — the world’s third largest “generic” top-level domain with more than 10.5 million domain names registered worldwide – and the newly launched .ngo and .ong domains and OnGood community website. As an advocate for collaboration, safety and security on the Internet, Public Interest Registry’s mission is to empower the global noncommercial community to use the Internet more effectively, and to take a leadership position among Internet stakeholders on policy and other issues relating to the domain naming system. Public Interest Registry was founded by the Internet Society (internetsociety.org) in 2002 and is based in Reston, Virginia, USA.

This PIR news release was sourced from:
http://pir.org/public-interest-registry-enters-the-final-phase-in-organisations-back-end-registry-services-procurement/

Public Interest Registry Partners with GlobalGiving and Network for Good to Increase Donations for NGOs

Public Interest Registry logo[news release] Public Interest Registry, the nonprofit operator of the .org, .ngo and .ong domains, today announced partnerships with GlobalGiving and Network for Good to create new donation opportunities for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Upon registering for a validated .ngo and .ong domain, NGOs can create a profile page on OnGood—an online community that gives NGOs a place to raise awareness, funds and support for their missions—and display GlobalGiving and Network for Good Widgets that seamlessly link to partner services and easily facilitate donations

Public Interest Registry logo[news release] Public Interest Registry, the nonprofit operator of the .org, .ngo and .ong domains, today announced partnerships with GlobalGiving and Network for Good to create new donation opportunities for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Upon registering for a validated .ngo and .ong domain, NGOs can create a profile page on OnGood—an online community that gives NGOs a place to raise awareness, funds and support for their missions—and display GlobalGiving and Network for Good Widgets that seamlessly link to partner services and easily facilitate donations.

“Working with mission-aligned partners who foster the growth of the global NGO community is a cornerstone of the OnGood mission,” said Brian Cute, CEO, Public Interest Registry. “By partnering with organizations like GlobalGiving and Network for Good, we strengthen our alliance of organizations dedicated to serving the public interest, while providing thousands of NGOs access to tools that enable them to collect funds and more effectively tell their stories to the nonprofit community.”

GlobalGiving and Network for Good join ammado as OnGood donation partners. With a combined total of more than 1.7 million NGOs currently using their platforms, ammado, GlobalGiving and Network for Good will help expand the capabilities of OnGood and empower NGOs through both donation facilitation and resource sharing. Each organization’s Giving Widgets are compatible with international currencies, languages and payment tools, and NGOs can display Giving Widgets on their OnGood profiles with just a few simple steps at no additional cost.

“Receiving and managing donations lies at the heart of every nonprofit’s success, so it should be possible for donors to give to any charity, anywhere, anytime,” said Bill Strathmann, CEO of Network for Good. “We are pleased to partner with Public Interest Registry to further help nonprofits maximize their impact by becoming better, smarter fundraisers.”

Additionally, validated NGOs that choose to leverage the GlobalGiving and Network for Good Giving Widgets will benefit from access to their extensive nonprofit and donor networks, as well as additional resources that help nonprofits better communicate their stories to audiences that share their mission.

“We are excited about the opportunity to work with Public Interest Registry to give validated nonprofits easier access to the information, tools and donors they need to be effective and make our world a better place,” said John Hecklinger, Chief Program Officer, GlobalGiving. “This partnership extends our reach, allowing us to more easily identify organizations that are poised to solve societal problems and help them increase their impact.”

For more information on Public Interest Registry and the validated .ngo and .ong domains, please visit our website.

About Public Interest Registry
Public Interest Registry is a nonprofit organization that operates the .org top-level domain — the world’s third largest “generic” top-level domain with more than 10.5 million domain names registered worldwide – and the newly launched .ngo and .ong domains and OnGood community website. As an advocate for collaboration, safety and security on the Internet, Public Interest Registry’s mission is to empower the global noncommercial community to use the Internet more effectively, and to take a leadership position among Internet stakeholders on policy and other issues relating to the domain naming system. Public Interest Registry was founded by the Internet Society (internetsociety.org) in 2002 and is based in Reston, Virginia, USA.

This PIR news release was sourced from:
http://pir.org/public-interest-registry-partners-with-globalgiving-and-network-for-good-to-increase-donations-for-ngos/