Important Info

Everything you need to know

Award Program Resources

Download our rules and entry kit documents to make sure your entry is an award-winner (and that there are no bumps along the way).

ENTRY KIT

The 2023 OIA Entry Kit provides prospective nominees with all of the information needed to submit a winning entry.

ENTRY KIT

Download the Entry Kit for all the information you need to submit a winning entry!
Get the Kit

RULES & REGULATIONS

Get the background information you need to understand how the awards process works.

RULES & REGULATIONS

Download the Rules and Regulations to understand how the process works.
Get the Rules

The Award Categories

Submit your application for one of the following categories! Five finalists from each category will be in the running for .ORG of the Year!

.ORG of the Year

Recognizes and honors an organization or individual for outstanding achievement as evidenced by results and/or contributions to those it serves. The winners in the other seven categories are automatically eligible for this award.

Rising Star

Recognizes an individual under the age of 25 as of December 31, 2023, who has created a positive and lasting impact in their community through leadership on a project, platform, task, or campaign.

Community Building

Recognizes an organization or individual whose efforts have contributed to changing or enhancing the lives of those in the community the nominee serves, whether on a local, national, or global level.

Hunger and Poverty

Recognizes an organization or individual who has made significant contributions and innovations in the fight to end hunger, alleviate poverty, and reduce resource inequalities on a local, national, or global scale.

Environmental Stewardship

Recognizes an organization or individual that works to combat the increased threats to our environment and promotes responsible consumption and environmental sustainability in communities around the world.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Recognizes an organization or individual for efforts toward furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion in society through creation of policies, programs, and initiatives that address systemic challenges and historic injustices.

Health and Healing

Recognizes an organization or individual who is dedicated to providing health and wellness resources to the community.

# Answers

FAQ

Answers to all the questions you might have about this year's awards program!

The .ORG Impact Awards is a global awards program hosted by the Public Interest Registry to recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations that have a connection to a registered .ORG domain for their contributions, achievements, and impact they have made in their communities.

Make sure to be aware of all of the important milestones and deadlines for the 2023 .ORG Impact Awards:

Submissions Open: Wednesday, May 17

Submissions Close: NEW! Extended to Wednesday, July 12

Judging Begins: Monday, July 17

Judging Ends: Monday, August 14

Finalists Announced:Thursday, October 2

In-Person Awards Celebration in Washington, D.C: Thursday, November 16

The .ORG Impact Awards is open only to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have permission to nominate the individual or entity that uses or has a connection to the .ORG domain. Employees of Public Interest Registry and any of its parent and affiliate companies, as well as the immediate family and household members of each such employee, are not eligible to nominate individuals or entities or be considered as a nominee for any award. For more on eligibility please see the official rules for more details.

Yes, you can nominate an individual who is less than 18 years old with their permission. However, if a nominee less than 18 years of age qualifies as a finalist they will be required to complete a consent form signed by their parent or legal guardian.

The .ORG Impact Awards is a global program subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and is void where prohibited. For this reason, eligibility varies and participation is not available in some countries. For more on eligibility per country, please see Section 1 of the official rules.

Visit https://orgimpact.awardsplatform.com and follow the links and instructions to complete and submit the online form. For official eligibility criteria and rules of the .ORG Impact Awards program, as well as submission requirements, deadlines, and judging information, please download the .ORG Impact Awards Entry Kit.

There is not an official limit to the number of entries a single person can submit. A nominator may submit nominations for all categories; however, each submission must be unique. The sponsor reserves the right to modify the award category selected as necessary if it believes that the content of the nomination fits better in a different award category.

Activities highlighted in your submission must have occurred between May 1, 2022 and May 1, 2023. If an activity began before May 1, 2022 or extends beyond May 1, 2023, it will be eligible so long as some meaningful actions occurred between the two dates.

Yes; written responses are required for each award category. There is a 500-word limit for each question.

Yes; nominations may be featured in various .ORG digital platforms throughout the year, including articles, videos, social posts, and more. Please see the official rules for more details on the use of submissions and publicity.

After the end of the nomination period, all entries will be vetted by a Review Panel and 10 entries will be selected to move to a judging phase where a panel of qualified judges determined by Public Interest Registry will score each submission against the judging criteria outlined in the program’s official rules. Based on the award categories there is a slightly different set of criteria for various awards. Please see Section 7 of the official rules for more details on the judging criteria.

Winners will be announced publicly online during the 2023 ORG Impact Awards event, which will occur on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Both winners and finalists will be notified on or about September 1, 2023 so that digital and video content featuring them can be produced for the event.

Winners will receive a custom award and the ability to select a non-profit or NGO organization of their choice to receive up to a $50,000 USD donation (depending on the award category). Nonprofit entrants are welcome to select their own nonprofit as the beneficiary of that donation. Individuals, for-profits, and community groups are welcome to select any nonprofit they believe in to receive the donation. Finalists will be invited to the 5th Annual Awards ceremony in Washington DC and provided a roundtrip stipend and two night accommodations. Public Interest Registry reserves the right to approve any charitable donations.

.ORG of the Year – $40,000 USD

Category Winners – $10,000 USD

Category Finalists (non-winners) – $2,500 USD

More importantly, we hope recognition through the .ORG Impact Awards will help raise the profile of your .ORG and provide additional validation to your programs. Winners will have the opportunity to:

Be featured extensively online during the .ORG Impact Awards online event in November 2023;

Use a dedicated .ORG Impact Awards logo mark in promotional materials;

Be featured in various .ORG digital platforms throughout the year, including articles, videos, social posts, and more.

In 2023, the .ORG Impact Awards will be presented at an in-person live event hosted in Washington, DC.