Announcing the 2019 .ORG Impact Awards Finalists!

By Tony Connor, Marketing Operations Manager

The scores are in! We are excited to announce the finalists for The .ORG Impact Awards (OIA)—our first annual awards program recognizing .ORGs that are connecting communities, making a difference in the world, and leveraging the Internet for transformative change and mission achievement.

We are extremely impressed with the entries that were submitted from around the world, which made the judging process lengthier than anticipated. This year’s finalists come from 28 organizations and 8 countries from around the world. The nominations for the three award categories—Individual, Sector, and Initiative Awards—confirm that the .ORG domain community is tapping partners big and small to accomplish their missions, using technology platforms and channels to reach audiences, and getting creative in how they share information, programs and services.

After a thorough review from our 2019 judges, the top five entries per category that received a score of 50 points or higher (out of 100) have been named finalists. All finalists are invited to attend The .ORG Impact Awards Gala on October 10, 2019 at the historic Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. where the winners will be announced. All finalists will receive two complimentary invitations to the ceremony and a representative from Public Interest Registry, the sponsor for OIA program, will be reaching out to finalists directly to confirm attendance.

Congratulations to all of the finalists listed below (in alphabetical order). And a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this year’s program.

Individual Awards

Finalists in the Individual Awards category recognize the contribution of one person in support of their organization (which must use a .ORG domain) or to the broader community and/or mission under which the organization operates. There were a number of finalists from the organizations listed below.

• Akshaya Patra
• Bags of Taste
• C Three Foundation
• Dancing Divas and Dudes
• Dream Girl Foundation
• Habitat for Humanity Okaloosa County
• Jordan Thomas Foundation
• Kiva
• Music Sweet Music
• New American Leaders
• Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area
• Studio 89
• The Kelsey B. Diamantis TS Scholarship Family Foundation, Inc. dba Dollars 4 Tic Scholars

Sector Awards

The Sector Awards category recognizes outstanding organizations in the .ORG community, including nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and community groups. Finalist organizations listed below.

• ACBG Brasil
• Arab World Internet Institute
• Dancing Divas and Dudes
• Vital Voices
• World Refugees School

Initiative Awards

The Initiative Awards category recognizes various programmatic initiatives that support broader organizational goals, with a focus on online-based initiatives. Finalist organizations and campaigns are listed below.

• Abundance of Hope Center | “Collaborating With Other Nonprofits For More Impact”
• C Three Foundation | “C Three Foundation Multimedia Approach,” “Global Sinclair Method Awareness Day,” and “cthreefoundation.org Redesign”
• Camp Kesem | “Reach New Donors Through Peer-to-Peer Fundraising”
• Community Focus Group | “Community Focus Group”
• Dream Girl Foundation | “Google AdWords Marketing” and “Making User Friendly and Hacking Proof Website”
• Getting Better Foundation | “TRUSTWORTHY documentary”
• Help International | “Fundraise for ANOTHER ORG!”
• Jordan Thomas Foundation | “Where Are They Now?”
• Kiva | “The Big Impact of Small Loans”
• Skateistan | “Empowering Children Through Skateboarding and Education”
• Teach For America | “Teach For America Alumni and Staff Challenge”
• The City Mission | “Fund a Project That Would Change Your Community”
• The Mayhew | “Mayhew Website Redesign” and “Home Is Where Their Dog Is”
• UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute | “Close Before You Doze: Spreading the Word that Stops the Spread of Fire”
• Yes Liberia | “Marginalized Difference Makers”