Public Interest Registry: A Vital Resource for Nonprofits

Throughout the United States and the global community, nonprofits are entrusted by donors with a special responsibility to serve those in need and support positive social change. Transparency, independent financial audits, special review committees at the Board level, and independent evaluations by outside organizations such as the BBB Wise Giving Alliance all support this important mandate of nonprofits.

Another vital resource benefiting all nonprofits is the Public Interest Registry (PIR). Aptly named, this organization is the operator of .org, .ngo and .ong domains, and through these platforms keeps global communities open, connected and supporting the public interest.

For Internet users around the world, .org has become synonymous with nonprofit organizations, thanks to PIR. With a registered .org domain, nonprofits can immediately demonstrate legitimacy and trustworthiness to donors, increase confidence about giving decisions, and attract more support for their mission.

During the holidays, Public Interest Registry hosted the #ORGinAction social contest. This exciting contest provided U.S. nonprofits a chance to submit compelling images showing how their work is making a difference at local levels. PWNA entered with our PBS segment on gardening and nutrition training as a solution to food insecurity in Native communities, and we were honored to have PWNA selected as the winner.

Recently, I was invited by Public Interest Registry to share more about our organization, our biggest challenge, and our direction over the next 5-10 years. You can read my thoughts on these and other questions in the Q&A on the PIR blog.