.ngo/.ong
IntroducedMay 6, 2015
TLD typeGeneric top-level domain
StatusActive
RegistryPublic Interest Registry
SponsorPublic Interest Registry
Intended useNon-profit organizations
Actual useNon-profit organizations
Registered domains8,483 (combined) (15 March 2023)[1][2]
Registration restrictionsProof of non-profit status required
StructureRegistrations at second level permitted
DocumentsRegistration policy
Dispute policiesUDRP
DNSSECyes
Registry websitewww.ongood.ngo

The domain names .ngo and .ong are generic top-level domains (gTLD) of the Domain Name System (DNS) used in the Internet, sponsored and managed by the Public Interest Registry. The backend is provided by Afilias.[3] The .ngo domain name is an acronym which stands for "non-governmental organization", reflecting the intended usage of the domain.

In June 2011, ICANN expanded the Internet's naming system to allow applications for new top-level domain names.[4] The Public Interest Registry declared publicly an interest in the .ngo domain in August 2011[5] and applied for it in May 2012.[6] The PIR simultaneously applied for the top-level domain .ong, which is a similarly recognisable initialism for "organisation non gouvernementale" in French, and equivalent terms in many other Romance languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian.[7][8] Until May 2022, registrants did not purchase an .ngo or .ong domain name separately; a single registration was valid for two domain names which end in either .ngo or .ong, but are otherwise identical.[9]

Unlike the more prevalent .org domain, which is also managed by the Public Interest Registry, .ngo will require validation of the registrant's non-governmental status.[4] Non-governmental organizations told the Public Interest Registry they needed a closed domain[10] that validated the legitimacy of websites accepting online donations to avoid fraud.[10][11] The Public Interest Registry plans to use the funds from selling .ngo domains[12] to develop an “NGO Community Program” to reach out to NGOs in developing nations.[4] It also intends to create a directory service of NGOs to support their SEO and visibility, and develop a closed community for NGOs to learn from each other.[12] The new domains have been publicly available since May 6, 2015.

As of June 1, 2022 the .NGO and .ONG domain names are being sold separately.[13]

References

  1. ^ nTLD stats. greenSec GmbH.
  2. ^ nTLD stats. greenSec GmbH.
  3. ^ McCarthy, Kieren (14 November 2016). "PIR saves millions in .org rebid". The Register. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Kanani, Rahim (10 July 2012). "NGO Domain Name in the Works for Global Nonprofit Community". Forbes. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  5. ^ Sniderman, Zachary (2 August 2011). "With New Domain Names on Market, .ORG Guns for .ngo". Mashable. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  6. ^ Cute, Brian (31 May 2012). "Ushering in the Dot-NGO Boom: Protecting the Online Interests of Non-Governmental Organizations". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  7. ^ Gruenwald, Juliana (31 May 2012). ".BANK, .GLOBAL Could be Coming to Your Browser". National Journal. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  8. ^ "New .ngo and .ong Web Domains Proposed for Nonprofits". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. 31 May 2012. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  9. ^ CREEDON, AINE (19 May 2015). "What You Should Know about the New .ong and .ngo Domains". NonProfit Quarterly. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  10. ^ a b Thi Pham, Lieu (11 April 2012). "Charities hope .ngo domain will end scams". ZDNet. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  11. ^ Flook, Bill (7 October 2011). "Masters of your domain: Web address stampede could benefit D.C. tech firms". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  12. ^ a b Petronzio, Matt (31 May 2012). "Internet Non-Profit Applies for New Domains: Meet .ngo and .ong [EXCLUSIVE]". Mashable. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  13. ^ "Domains ending in .ong and .ngo will now be sold separately". Gandi. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.

External links


Notable generic top-level domains
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