Watch the latest .NGO video: .NGO Explained in 90 SecondsPublic Interest Registry (PIR)—the not-for-profit operator of the .ORG domain—has formally submitted its applications to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the .NGO and .ONG domain extensions. PIR applied for the creation and management of the new top-level domains (TLDs) as part of ICANN’s global Internet expansion initiative which would go into effect as early as 2013.

As the current manager of the .ORG domain—home to more than 9.8 million web addresses worldwide, PIR has served the interests of not-for-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) since its inception in 2002. Now, by applying to establish and operate the .NGO and .ONG domains, PIR is poised to continue and expand its position as an advocate for these communities by providing an exclusive domain extension for NGOs looking for immediate recognition online and broader opportunities for public engagement, funding and partnerships.

“The ‘NGO’ term holds great weight globally and sets these organizations apart from commercial or governmental entities,” said Brian Cute, CEO of Public Interest Registry. “After meeting with hundreds of organizations worldwide to learn more about their missions and to determine how we, as their current registry, could better serve their communities, we found that no matter the location, NGOs desired a definitive online presence to help manage members, strengthen fundraising campaigns and find potential partners and donors. Those key findings reinforced our mission and stand at the heart of our .NGO and .ONG applications.”

As part of PIR’s commitment to the NGO community, PIR will launch the NGO Community Program, which consists of a variety of activities all designed to help those in the NGO Community to more securely and effectively use the Internet to better accomplish their mission, with a special focus on those NGOs located in developing countries and technologically underserved areas of the world.

Added Mr. Cute: “The decision to invest in this community was a natural one. We don’t want to be viewed simply as a domain registry, but instead as a trusted and valuable partner to the NGO Community—one that can empower organizations to reach their full potential.”

PIR’s application for .NGO is accompanied by .ONG, which serves as a linguistic expression of “Non-Governmental Organization.” Linguistic expressions include French: “Organisation Non Gouvernementale,” Spanish: “Organizacion No Gubernamental,” and Portuguese: “Organizacao Nao Governamental.”

“.NGO and .ONG will provide global organizations with trusted venues to help engage their communities and broaden their reach, especially in a time when online philanthropy is just as influential and effective as an organization’s offline efforts,” said Osama Manzar, Founder & Director of the Digital Empowerment Foundation, a Delhi, India based not-for-profit organization. “The .NGO or .ONG stamp at the end of a web address will, in essence, provide instant credibility for legitimate organizations hoping to introduce or expand their online presences.”

ICANN plans to announce all TLD applicants in June, 2012 and will review all applications including .NGO and .ONG during a “batching process” in the months ahead. For more information on PIR’s pursuit of .NGO and .ONG and to keep up with important updates, subscribe to our newsletter at www.ngotld.org.