.NGO will be the exclusive domain for local and global non-governmental organizations looking to advance their missions or to inspire their communities.For the past decade, PIR has long stood as an advocate for higher Internet standards, working tirelessly to serve the best interest of over 9 million .ORG registrants. The core of our mission is to inspire and empower your community by helping organizations, individuals and companies alike to do more with their domain name extension and by providing a safe, trusted venue that brings those communities together.

Now, as the Internet stands on the cusp of a major sea-change with the introduction of new gTLDs, we have the opportunity to broaden and deepen our mission by applying for a domain extension specifically aimed at the needs of the global NGO community.

In 2012, PIR will formally submit its application for the proposed .NGO domain extension while continuing to manage the .ORG domain. .NGO will be an exclusive domain address for self-identified NGOs worldwide who are looking for a unique online signature to be immediately recognized and to broaden opportunities for public participation, funding and contributions. The closed domain will serve as a complementary venue to .ORG, enabling millions of NGOs worldwide to broaden their audiences and make an even stronger societal impact in any way they can.

Why is PIR pursuing the .NGO application? The answer is quite simple: Whom better to serve the NGO community than a not-for-profit registry that shares their values. Since our founding in 2002, PIR has been serving the public interest and not-for-profit organizations, including those in the underserved markets. We understand the needs and wants of the NGO community and have a longstanding track record of running a stable, trusted registry that empowers non-profit organizations to build a community around a shared interest, value or passion. The pursuit of .NGO is a natural next step in our steadfast commitment to serving in the public’s interest.

As always, we will keep our registrants and supporters apprised of our application as the process evolves. If you would like to learn more about .NGO and our plans for the domain extension, I encourage you to go to www.ngotld.org. In the meanwhile, on behalf of all of us at PIR, we look forward to taking this critical step alongside you.