.ngo Pre-Register Domain - .ngo Domain Information

The mission/purpose of the .NGO gTLD is to serve the global NGO Community by supplying it with an exclusive gTLD that will offer NGOs and NGO Associations differentiated and verified online identities, and thereby building confidence for their respective clients, partners, and benefactors.

Members of the NGO Community include Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and NGO associations. NGOs are defined as organizations whose mission and activities are broadly centered on improving the human condition, and are non-governmental, non-profit and non-criminal. NGOs have created NGO associations that are global, regional, and national in scope to face their common challenges and promote their common themes in a coherent fashion despite their diverse missions. For example, many NGO associations promote codes of conduct and self-regulation frameworks designed to reinforce their cohesion.

The NGO Community establishment is found in Evaluation Question #20 of this application.

The exclusivity of the .NGO domain will be provided through domain name registration restrictions and enforcement mechanisms. Domain name registrations under .NGO will solely be open to Non-Governmental Organizations who pass all established eligibility requirements. These registration restrictions will give users' and benefactors' confidence in the credibility of the .NGO websites they are visiting. This will afford individuals and groups greater assurance that the .NGO they are researching is a valid, Non-Governmental Organization.

PIR has conducted numerous outreach and research activities within the NGO Community to identify needs for additional services beyond a .NGO domain. This has revealed that the NGO Community has a need for an online source of information about NGOs, combining regional and local organization information, ideally a directory to provide a global platform for raising online awareness. To address this need, PIR is considering an online, global directory for .NGO registrants. Within this directory the .NGO registrants could promote their organization, and share their contact information with the Internet community within a single, unique and trusted repository.

Today, the global NGO Community is estimated conservatively at 6.7 million NGOs and NGO associations. NGOs face many challenges in describing and differentiating their unique characteristics on the Internet. They need to be able to distinguish themselves online from the commercial, for-profit, government entities and casual, unstructured groups. This distinction on the Internet is critical for NGOs to raise awareness and manage fundraising within their fields of service online and thereby reaching the global online market. As such, while the term "NGO" is already well recognized around the world, when coupled with a new gTLD, it will give NGOs the opportunity to bring their distinct characteristics to global Internet users by clearly differentiating themselves with their own online domain. .NGO will be launched as a restricted gTLD, which in turn will provide Internet users worldwide the confidence that they are interacting with a valid NGO. In this way, the .NGO gTLD domain provides to the NGO Community a tool to enhance accountability and transparency which is critical to donors, foundations and others who wish to contribute to NGO activities.

As a NGO itself, the Public Interest Registry (PIR) is acutely aware of the needs and challenges for NGOs managing online activities. PIR manages .ORG, an unrestricted gTLD - the domain which has served the international NGO Community (among other communities) for more than 25 years. Part of .ORG management has always involved direct discussions with non-commercial, NGOs, and nonprofit organizations. PIR has discussed the unmet requirements of the international NGO Community starting with outreach prior to the assignment of .ORG in 2003; and has carried this forward, specifically regarding the ability to distinguish verified organizations from those domain holders without a specific non-governmental function. It is through this history of interaction with the nonprofit and NGO sector that PIR has identified and is responding to stakeholder interest in a restricted, community gTLD.

To remain connected with the needs and challenges of NGOs, PIR will create a special NGO Community Advisory Council composed of members from the NGO Community to advise on issues including broad .NGO policies and the introduction of new services. Their perspective, representing voices from the global NGO Community, will play a vital role in the long-term success of .NGO. PIR has already established a "pre-NGO Community Advisory Council" that will assist in the creation of the NGO Community Advisory Council and will advise on the verification process for .NGO registrations.

The .NGO gTLD will be a valuable part of ICANN's expansion consistent with guidance defined in Section 9.3 of the Affirmation of Commitments (AoC). Specifically, the .NGO gTLD will promote the goals of the new TLD round and the AoC reflected in the following ways:

• A stable launch of a new gTLD that provides registrants a clear choice with a relevant domain;
• Internet users trusting in the authenticity of the .NGO gTLD; and,
• An active NGO Community involvement in the .NGO gTLD, such as through PIR's NGO Community Advisory Council.

In short, the .NGO domain will be the choice for NGOs in need of an exclusive online space to raise visibility, to drive awareness for a cause, and to make a positive impact. The exclusive .NGO domain, administered in a trusted and responsible manner by PIR, will give NGOs a unique, relevant, respected place on the Internet.

NGO will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others as described below in response sections 18b(i-v).

18b(i): The goal of .NGO is to provide an exclusive domain to be used only by NGOs. Since NGOs rely on the contributions of foundations, individuals and public institutions to advance their respective missions, their reputation as trustworthy stewards of such funds and transparency with respect to their operations is critical to their long-term viability. Through its ongoing interaction with the NGO Community, PIR is aware of the reputational challenges presented by "briefcase NGOs." Briefcase NGOs hold themselves out as bona fide NGOs but are in fact fraudsters who abscond with donated funds thereby damaging the reputation of NGOs. .NGO will provide a platform through which NGOs can demonstrate accountability and transparency to their potential donors with a unique online domain.

Specific value to potential registrants includes:
• .NGO will provide a unique and exclusive, verified domain on the Internet where NGOs can assert their identities and can easily be found by end-users.
• .NGO will provide a credible venue for grassroots, local, regional and global NGOs to communicate with their key donors, influencers and followers.
• Although many NGOs already use the .ORG domain, .ORG is an "open" domain that is used by a variety of non-commercial and commercial organizations. NGOs also use domain names of other gTLDs and ccTLDs. The .NGO domain provides an opportunity for clearer identification.
• .NGO will provide a set of services that allow NGOs multiple mechanisms for identification and discovery in an exclusive, trusted environment.

PIR has conducted numerous outreach and research activities within the NGO Community to identify needs for additional services beyond a .NGO domain. This has revealed that the NGO Community has a need for an online source of information about NGOs, combining regional and local organization information, ideally a directory to provide a global platform for raising online awareness. To address this need, PIR is considering an online, global directory for .NGO registrants. Within this directory the .NGO registrants could promote their organization, and share their contact information with the Internet community within a single, unique repository.

18b(ii): .NGO will advance the goals of competition, differentiation and innovation in a number a ways. Creating a unique gTLD for NGOs will advance competition among TLDs that currently offer domain service to NGOs. A restricted .NGO gTLD provides differentiated competition to TLDs and ccTLDs that NGOs might otherwise choose as a home for their second level domain registrations, and offers greater ease of getting their preferred domain name. Among the wide selection of TLDs, ccTLDs, sTLDs and IDN TLDs, an exclusive and uniquely identifiable .NGO gTLD will provide NGOs differentiation that also benefits users who are searching for NGOs on the Internet.

18b(iii): For the global Internet user community, the .NGO gTLD provides immediate identification and a level of confidence not available today. Individuals and corporate donors looking to partner with or fund qualified NGOs can turn to the .NGO domain to discover potential matches for their desired philanthropic or corporate social responsibility endeavors. Further, the enhanced level of accountability and transparency inherent in the restricted NGO Community domain will be a benefit to global Internet users.

18b(iv): To achieve the above goals and assure that .NGO domain names are allocated in a manner that serves the NGO Community, PIR has developed a set of .NGO Registration Policies and corresponding compliance and enforcement mechanisms.

The policies are built to match the needs of the NGO Community based on feedback from NGO Community members; experience from the .ORG gTLD management since 2003; and the need for a higher security level for .NGO domain names than what currently is considered as the standard global requirements for gTLDs today.

.NGO Registration Policies
The registration policies in support of the NGO Community goals are described in the following summary and are detailed later in this section.

• Registrant Eligibility Requirements - all registrants must demonstrate affiliation through NGO membership organizations or through evidence of NGO status. PIR will work with membership organization, the NGO Community Advisory Council, and other members of the NGO Community to validate their eligibility.
• Content and Use Restriction Policy - ensures that usage of the .NGO domain name corresponds with NGO Community activities.
• Compliance Functions - ensures ongoing compliance of the Registrant Eligibility Requirements, and the Content and Use Restriction Policy listed below.
• Name Selection Policy - ensures that only NGO Community relevant domain names are registered.
• Reserved Name Policy - names/types of domain names will initially be reserved from registration under .NGO.
• Registry Name Policy - names/types of domain names will be held from general availability, these will be used in support of the registry.

The following policies support of the NGO Community goals and are detailed in subsequent Evaluation Questions of the application dedicated to such policies, as noted below.

• Abuse Prevention and Mitigation - includes the Anti-Abuse Policy which addresses the identification and prompt action taken on malicious use of domain names, and the Restriction Dispute Resolution Policy (RDRP) which ensures that disputes concerning any of the .NGO Registration Policies can be solved in an appropriate manner. Detailed descriptions of both policies can be found in response to Evaluation Question #28.
• Rights Protection Mechanisms - protects intellectual property holders under the Trademark Clearinghouse, Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS), Registry Restrictions Dispute Resolution Procedures (RRDRP), Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Policy (PDDRP), in addition to the Sunrise services and policies that can be found in response to Evaluation Question #29.

PIR will review all policies and processes on an annual basis with involvement from the PIR's NGO Community Advisory Council and present the results to the NGO Community, allowing them to provide feedback.

Specific Policy Details

Registrant Eligibility Requirements: The .NGO domain registrations are open to NGO Community members. All registrants must demonstrate affiliation through NGO membership organizations or through evidence of NGO status. PIR will work with NGO membership organizations, the NGO Community Advisory Council, and other members of the NGO Community to validate the eligibility of prospective registrants.

In consultation with PIR's NGO Community Advisory Council, PIR is reviewing potential NGO membership organizations who can verify the NGO status of registrants. NGO membership organizations include the following, and will expand over time:
• Global organizations: International associations and/or classification-based associations.
• Regional organizations: Associations across broad geographic areas, potentially including multiple countries or jurisdictions.
• Local organizations: Associations or groups that provide support and memberships at a country or local level.

During the registration process, the registrant will be asked to verify their eligibility and to demonstrate affiliation with a NGO member organization. Once the initial certification in step 1 of the verification process is confirmed, the domain is successfully created. If the .NGO registrant fails to provide any additional required information through step 2 of the verification process, the domain will be deleted and released back into the pool of available domains. See Evaluation Question #20e for detail on eligibility requirements.

Content and Use Restriction Policy: Abusive use of the .NGO domain names will not be tolerated by PIR. The following use and content limitations apply:
• Overall the .NGO domain name must be for a bona fide NGO use, as defined in the Restrictions Dispute Resolution in response to Evaluation Question #28.
• Websites must be developed with the intent to promote the corresponding .NGO registrant's existing mission and activities, and not solely for commercialized or for-profit marketing usage.
• Any use of the registered domain name to engage in activities inconsistent with the definition of the corresponding NGO is not allowed.
• Any illegal or fraudulent usage of the .NGO domain name is not allowed, including but not limited to phishing and pharming attacks, distribution of malware, and distribution of adult content.
• Registration and use of a domain name in violation of Rights Protection Mechanisms is not allowed.

Violations of any of the .NGO Registration Policies may be grounds for loss of registration, pursuant to the enforcement mechanism discussed below (with an appeal procedure).

Compliance Functions: While disputes will be managed directly by the dispute resolution providers, PIR will to conduct random compliance efforts across all the .NGO Registration Policies. Periodically PIR will conduct through compliance staff a sample of .NGO registrations to verify claims to membership in a listed organization, name policy adherence, and compliance with the name and use policy.

If a registrant is found to not be in compliance, the registrant will be notified that the domain will be placed on registry lock and that if the issue is not cured, the domain will be terminated.

As part of the compliance function PIR will also utilize its existing expertise, obtained through its management of .ORG, to monitor and take action on any abusive behavior occurring on .NGO domain names.

Name Selection Policy: The .NGO domain name that a registrant wishes to register must fulfill certain name policy criteria. PIR will employ the following restrictions concerning the names that eligible .NGO registrants can register. A .NGO registered domain name may be:
1. the name of (entire or portion of) the NGO, e.g. its "doing business as" name,
2. an acronym representing the NGO,
3. a name that recognizes or generally describes the NGO, or
4. a name related to the mission or activities of the NGO.

Reserved Name Policy: The following names/types of domain names will initially be reserved from registration under .NGO:
• All single- and two-character second-level domain names;
• Domains of an inappropriate nature, e.g., adult-related terminology, pursuant to a list defined by PIR and its NGO Community Advisory Council;
• Names provided by ICANN as required reserved names;
• A list of generic names defined by PIR and its NGO Community Advisory Council based on the overall criteria that the names represent the NGO Community in a general manner. Such names will be released in a specific RFP process ensuring that the names will benefit the NGO Community.

Registry Name Policy: The following names/types of domain names will be held from general availability, these will be used in support of the registry.
• Names to support registry operations, e.g., directory.ngo;
• Names to support PIR's NGO Community Advisory Council.

Compliance and Enforcement Mechanisms
PIR will take both proactive and reactive measures to enforce the policies of the gTLD. Proactive measures are taken at the time of registration by requiring .NGO registrants to meet the .NGO Registration Policies and to agree to all policies and procedures of the gTLD. Reactive measures are addressed via our audit process (described below) and through our defined dispute resolution processes.

A violation of the .NGO Registration Policies will be enforced on a case-by-case, fact specific basis, under the processes set forth below:
1. Any allegation that a domain name is not used primarily for NGO purposes shall be enforced under the provisions of the Restrictions Dispute Resolution Policy (ʺRDRPʺ) as described in Evaluation Question #28. The RDRP will be included as an appendix to the Registry Agreement. An appeal procedure is included in the RDRP.
2. Any alleged violation of the Rights Protection Mechanisms shall be enforced under the provisions contained in each of them.

Disputes resulting from violations of the .NGO Registration Policies will be resolved through the Compliance Functions and the Rights Protection Mechanisms. The Rights Protection Mechanisms (as detailed in Evaluation Question #29) will be made applicable by the ICANN-Accredited Registrarsʹ registration agreements with registrants. Proceedings under the Rights Protection Mechanisms will be conducted in accordance with the policies and procedures that will be included in an appendix to the Registry Agreement. As set forth in the Compliance Functions, the registry operator will review on a random basis, monitor, and verify that any particular domain name is being used primarily for NGO purposes and that a domain name is being used in compliance with the Rights Protection Mechanisms processes.

18b(v): PIR will manage .NGO in accordance with best practices and specific policies around privacy and data protection, as it does for nearly 10 million .ORG registrations today. Specific protections of the WHOIS administered by the registry backend service provider can be found in Evaluation Question #26, and details on our privacy policies in Evaluation Question #28.

Ongoing outreach and communications with the NGO community ensures that we meet the projected benefits as described and established in response to #18b(i-v). The NGO Community is large and global in reach. As such, coordinated efforts and international outreach and communication are necessary. As described in the following, PIR has conducted and is committed to continuing important outreach and communication with the NGO Community to promote the .NGO gTLD so that it may fully provide these benefits to NGOs and their respective stakeholders.

Pursuant to its mission, PIR has been conducting outreach to the NGO Community since its management of the .ORG domain began in 2003. Over the course of 2011, PIR engaged in a global outreach and communications effort to the NGO Community to explain the intended benefits of the new .NGO gTLD, soliciting advice and feedback, and seeking their support for the application. Throughout 2011 and continuing through 2012, PIR has conducted outreach in many forms - one-on-one meetings, group meetings in cooperation with local NGO associations, a series of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) workshops dedicated to bringing internet access and usage to the NGO Community, forum discussions at NGO association meetings and conferences, and webinars for the NGO Community.

The outreach has spanned multiple countries across Asia, Europe, North America, South America/Latin America, and Africa. Also, the outreach has spanned across many different segments of the NGO Community to include individual NGOs and national, regional and global NGO associations. PIR has presented the .NGO gTLD proposal and received support letters from NGOs engaged in activities including but not limited to agriculture, environment, arts/culture, charitable services, human rights, humanitarian, and advocacy for a range of issues affecting societal development. PIR has received enthusiastic support and has been provided with specific feedback from NGOs and NGO associations concerning the management of the .NGO domain.

Specific to the projected benefits for the .NGO gTLD, the outreach is helping us and the NGOs in the following way:

Exclusivity - Through PIR's outreach effort to gather input, NGO's have asked for an exclusive space on the worldwide web to verify their credentials and to prevent "briefcase NGOs" (i.e., fraudsters) from registering the .NGO gTLD, so as to enhance the reputation of bona fide NGOs. The outreach has and will continue to enable PIR to sign up membership organizations to assist in the verification of the .NGO Registration Requirements. The registration eligibility requirements that we have established with the NGO Community and the associated enforcement mechanisms will create the exclusivity for proven community members and establish trust with the public.

Visibility - The outreach effort and community response described above has underscored the community need for improving their visibility in new ways. The gTLD domain ending in .NGO is seen by the community as providing a unique identifier to stand out in a crowded worldwide web - a distinctive new form of identification.

Reliability - NGO input during our outreach has underscored the importance of reliable technical administration and management of the gTLD domain. Based on PIR's long-term successful management of .ORG and its outreach with the NGO Community, it will ensure the secure and stable operation of the .NGO gTLD, the delivery of beneficial value added services to NGOs, proper handling of data, and an ongoing relationship with the NGO Community.

The outreach program will allow PIR to achieve the projected benefits of unique identification, differentiation, competition, and an enhanced level of user confidence through the .NGO domain name.

PIR will continue its outreach to the NGO Community throughout 2012 and beyond through meetings and workshops in all global regions. PIR will conduct face-to-face meetings and calls with the NGO Community Advisory Council seeking ongoing input and advice with respect to the management of the .NGO gTLD and the certification processes necessary to ensure that only bona fide NGOs register in the .NGO gTLD.

PIR's long-standing track record speaks to its core mission to serve the public interest, and thereby minimizing social costs,(e.g. as has been done through PIR's implementation of anti-abuse policies, the rollout of DNSSEC, active participation in public interest events, and more.) PIR will launch and manage .NGO in a responsible manner befitting the integrity of the NGO Community. Our global outreach in preparation of this application provided direct guidance on the specific needs of the community, concerns on policies, and procedures for registration and pricing. This knowledge is reflected in this application.

Minimizing negative social costs and consequences on registrants and consumers:
PIR's plan for launching the .NGO gTLD offers a robust, cost-effective means for NGOs to assert their identities online and minimize social costs and consequences. A goal of this name space is to keep impacts and burden to the community nominal, and focus on the positive benefits of having a .NGO domain. PIR is confident our .NGO gTLD domain name registration service, pricing, and related policies do not place burdens on the community, but rather, will support their goals.

NGOs and the NGO Community are particularly vulnerable to social costs issues. Through PIR's outreach with the NGO Community we are acutely aware that, while some NGOs are well funded many NGOs (e.g., grassroots NGOs) have limited resources be they financial or human. As such, these NGOs cannot bear unanticipated social costs without direct impact on their ability to carry out their respective missions.

In particular, the initial wholesale price per year for registration includes NGO Community verification, which offers NGOs an advantageous and affordable domain where they can build a unique and exclusive presence online. This pricing has been established both through community outreach, as well as through benchmark analysis of comparable community gTLDs and ccTLDs existing today. In such comparison the .NGO registration fee is found to be in the lower end.

PIR's operating rules will minimize social costs through the eligibility requirements where only NGOs can register the domain name and therefore, eliminating general consumers engaging defensive registration. To address intellectual property concerns, the launch of this gTLD will include participation in a Trademark Clearinghouse Service which jointly with the .NGO Sunrise process will allow eligible NGOs a first chance at registering their organization name.

Finally, as previously discussed, PIR is uniquely positioned to minimize confusion and market misrepresentation. When the .NGO gTLD is delegated, PIR will manage it in such a manner that ensures fairness and competition in the registration of domain names, does not place a financial burden on registrants, and limits market confusion among both registrants and end-users.

Additional measures for minimizing social costs are described in the following subsections.

18c(i): In general, following the initial Sunrise registration processes, registrations will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. For NGOs that were not able to register the name they preferred and believe such name has been awarded in error to another entity, PIR has developed the .NGO Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy explained in Evaluation Question #29.

18c(ii): PIR will from time-to-time offer discount/rebate programs for .NGO registrations through its distribution channels. The initial wholesale price per year for registration includes NGO Community verification which offers NGOs an advantageous and affordable domain to build a unique and exclusive presence online.

18c(iii): PIR will offer terms of up to 10 years for domain name registrations. Depending on the needs of NGOs and only after consultation with ICANN, PIR may consider offering longer-term contracts. At this time, PIR will not offer permanent contracts.

Depending on the cost of doing business and other economic factors, PIR may from time-to-time increase the wholesale price in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.10 of the new gTLD Registry Agreement.

PIR, as a NGO and nonprofit organization, will carefully consider the needs of the NGO Community as it maintains prices on its services.

Community Name and Full Description Through this .NGO application, PIR is committed to serving the "NGO Community". Members include Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and NGO associations. NGOs are defined as organizations whose mission and activities are broadly centered on improving the human condition, and are non-governmental, non-profit and non-criminal. NGOs have created NGO associations that are global, regional, and national in scope to, as a community, face their common challenges and promote their common themes in a coherent fashion, across their diverse missions. For example, many NGO associations promote codes of conduct and self-regulation frameworks designed to reinforce their cohesion.[1] The activities of NGOs have been conducted through international NGOs dating back to the 1830s and have evolved in scope to the present day to include well-established regional and national NGOs which have become household names. This NGO Community is firmly established and clearly satisfies the criteria of delineation, organization, and pre-existence.[2] Delineation The NGO Community is global and comprised of individual NGOs and NGO associations. Pre-Existing The NGO Community has been active since well before 2007. Indeed, the origins of NGOs can be traced back to 1839.[3] NGOs were recognized in Article 71 of the United Nations (U.N.) Charter of 1945.[4] Since then, the NGO Community has become increasingly active and firmly established in its dealings with both governments and commercial organizations. Organized The global NGO Community certainly meets the criteria of "at least one entity mainly dedicated to the community with documented evidence of community activities."[5] NGOs have themselves over time created numerous associations that organize and serve their NGO Community.[6] The diverse characteristics of NGOs are routinely recognized by non-NGO entities. For example, the European Commission, when interacting with the NGO Community, requires that they "respect [the] diversity and heterogeneity of the NGO community."[7] Additionally, members of the NGO Community recognize themselves as part of a global NGO Community, and seek ways to collaborate at the local, regional, or global level.[8][6] Extension The following describes the "Extension" through three dimensions of the NGO Community - Number of Members, Geographical Reach, and Foreseeable Activity Lifetime (Longevity). Number of Members and Geographical Reach: There is no central record of the global NGO Community size and geographic reach, but PIR's own research including direct contact with NGO associations indicate in October 2011 that the community would be conservatively estimated at an order of magnitude in excess of 6.7 million[9], distributed approximately as follows across the U.N. recognized regions: • Africa: 108,000 • Americas: 1,414,000 • Asia: 1,658,250 • Europe: 2,988,200 • Oceana: 604,000 Foreseeable Activity Lifetime (Longevity): The pursuits of the NGO Community are of a lasting and non-transient nature. The pursuits are broadly centered on improving the human condition, which is fundamental to human activity and will therefore continue indefinitely. The recognition of the NGO Community by governments and commercial organizations[10][11] combined with the spread of communications technology and increasing global social interaction will ensure that the NGO Community will continue long into the future. Size (Context) As the research bears out, the estimated 6.7 million members of the NGO Community are spread across the globe. Since 1945, the number of NGOs has increased dramatically with an explosion of NGOs in the developing world since the 1970s.[12] The size and reach of NGOs is also measurable in monetary terms. For example, in 1992 international NGOs channeled over $7.6 billion of aid to developing countries. Moreover, it is estimated that over 15 percent of total overseas development aid is channeled through NGOs.[13] [1] ʺThe [International NGO] INGO Accountability Charter was first discussed at the International Advocacy Non-Government Organisations (IANGO) Workshop hosted by Transparency International in June 2003. On the 6th of June 2006, eleven leading INGOs held a press conference in order to publicly declare their adoption of the Charter and encourage other INGOs to join them in their commitment to good governance to set the standard for international NGOs. There are currently 25 INGOs and a large number of their national affiliates that are members of the Charter.ʺ Members include Amnesty International, Article 19, Care International, CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Consumer International, and Oxfam. From The Commitment of INGOs to Accountability [2] The Rise and Fall of the Transnational Civil Society: the Evolution of International Civil Society Organizations since 1839, April 2008, pp.3-4, http://www.staff.city.ac.uk/tom.davies/CUWPTP003.pdf [3] ibid, page 7 [4] www.un-documents.net/ch-10.htm [5] ICANN Guidebook, Module 4, Criterion 1 Definitions [6] Examples of NGO Associations for NGO collaboration include: NTEN, CIVICUS, CONGO, (global); CONCORD (regional); Computer Association of Nepal, APB Yatri Welfare Association (local) [7] The Commission remains therefore committed to respect the following overarching principles in the management of NGO projects and programmes:The need to respect diversity and heterogeneity of the NGO community; The Commission and Non-Governmental Organizations: building a Stronger Partnership http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/civil_society/ngo/docs/communication_en.pdf, page 18 [8] http://www.ngocongo.org/committees/ CONGO and its members collaborate with the larger community of NGOs through standing NGO committees, which follow issues that are of key substantive interest relative to their mandates and objectives. [9] PIR conducted primary research through direct contact with NGO Associations in 27 countries to establish a base level NGO population [10] In NGO Impact Initiative: An Assessment by the International Humanitarian NGO Community Report commissioned by William Jefferson Clinton, www.dochas.ie/Pages/Resources/documents/NGO_Impact_Initiative.pdf For those businesses willing to engage with the NGO community, how can they do so? The rise and role of NGOs in sustainable development [11] http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002112/211286e.pdf (Annex page 9) "(ii) take all necessary steps to ensure the proper functioning and efficiency of the partnership between the community of NGO partners and UNESCO; (iii) ensure the appropriate exchange of information with the non-governmental community it represents and, in this connection, promote consultation among NGOs at all levels;" New Directives Concerning UNESCO'S Partnership with Non-Governmental Organizations "And by we, I do not only mean the 47 members of the Council, but also all the other interested UN states who are active as observers and potential future Council members as well as the crucial community of NGO and National Human Rights Institutions which have a vital stake in how the Council will function." The Human Rights Council: The Story So Far and Future Challenges Presentation by Ambassador Paul Meyer Permanent Mission of Canada in Geneva, Winnipeg, February 23, 2007 [12] Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Politics in the Developing World, Political Studies, Vol 46, Issue 1, March 1998 [13] World Bank website ʺNongovernmental Organizations and Civil Society/Overview.ʺ referenced in library.duke.edu/research/subject/guides/ngo_guide/igo_ngo_coop/ngo_wb.html and www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/subjindx/131ngo.htm

PIR is a NGO, and thereby part of the NGO Community. PIR as a NGO has extensive gTLD management experience via the .ORG gTLD. PIR a supporting organization to the Internet Society (ISOC) and is committed to supporting the Internet Society's (ISOC) mission stated below. History of PIR's Relationship to the NGO Community In January 2003, PIR, assumed responsibility for operating .ORG and maintaining the authoritative database of all .ORG domains. Created in 1984, .ORG is one of the Internetʹs original seven top-level domains (TLDs), along with .com, .net, etc. Although it is ʺopenʺ and ʺunrestrictedʺ, .ORG has been the domain of choice for organizations dedicated to serving the public interest. The high regard of these well-intentioned organizations was soon conferred to this domain, and today .ORG is considered around the world to be the domain of trust. Public Interest Registry's (PIR) primary activity is to maintain the .ORG domain registry as the exemplary top level domain (TLD) registry service, by advocating for higher standards of Internet security, safety and reliability. PIR's mission is to facilitate the effective use of a global Internet among non-commercial and other Internet users worldwide. In its relationship with the ISOC, (reference Evaluation Questions #9a and #9b), PIR is committed to supporting ISOC's goals of encouraging the evolution of the Internet as research, education and communication infrastructure equally accessible to the global non-commercial, NGO and nonprofit community. PIR's activities also include funding educational programs focused on expanding the knowledge and ability of non-commercial, NGO and nonprofit organizations located in technologically deprived areas of the world to more efficiently and effectively use the Internet as a tool to better accomplish their important mission. The 2003 transition of .ORG from the previous operator to PIR was the largest transfer in Internet history. More than 2.6 million domains were transferred in about a day, without negatively impacting any .ORG registrant or website. Since 2003, PIR has been connected with NGOs through our management of .ORG, and recently in preparation for our pursuit of the .NGO gTLD domain, we have worked closely with the NGO Community to develop the requirements and specification for the proposed .NGO gTLD. Current Relationship to the NGO Community PIR is a strong supporter of NGOs in both a direct role as manager of the .ORG gTLD and through other efforts, including: • A ʺStrategic and Sponsoring Partnerʺ of NTEN, the Non-Profit Technology Network of 10,000 members and over 30,000 participants in the community, covering 126 countries. NTEN aspires to a world where all nonprofit organizations use technology skillfully and confidently to meet community needs and fulfill their missions. • Making financial contributions to various organizations, such as the NCUC (Non Commercial Constituency of ICANN) and Centr. For NCUC, annual donations have been in the $5,000 to $15,000 range every year since PIR assumed operations of the .ORG registry. • In December 2005, PIR sponsored a symposium at the Nelson Mandela Center in Cape Town, South Africa bringing in various Internet leaders in Africa to discuss the needs of the Internet in Africa. • In response to Hurricane Katrina, in New Orleans, Louisiana, PIR donated $1 for every new create for a limited time. The final donation was over $100,000 to the Red Cross. • In response to JapanʹsTsunami disaster, a 3 month program was rolled out to waive renewal fees for Japanese domain name holders, in order to help those affected and unable to renew their .ORG domains. Within the community, there is a wide appreciation of PIR's role as an advocate of "do good" for the Internet at large, and in many countries around the world there is a general perception that .ORG domains are more trusted than other domains. At the time of application submission, PIR manages nearly 10 million .ORG domains, and is seen to do so in an exemplary way. We are very happy to be judged on this reputation. PIR has over 500 letters of support from the NGO Community endorsing its application for .NGO. PIR will continue outreach to the community and anticipates receipt of additional support letters from NGOs throughout the ICANN application evaluation process. Specific recognition of PIR's efforts to support the nonprofit community includes: • "As a not-for-profit corporation, we believe that being part of the .org domain has done much to reinforce MITRE's identity as an organization chartered to work in the public interest. [Thanks to PIR's] continuing work to enhance the .org domain.ʺ - Al Grasso, President and CEO, The MITRE Corporation (the first .ORG registrant). • "We recognize and applaud PIRʹs long-standing commitment to the non-profit community since taking over the management of .ORG." - Lisa Vogt, APR, Director of Marketing & Communications, SOS Children's Villages - USA. PIR has conducted outreach, worked with established relationships, and developed new types of relationships which will facilitate the delivery of the .NGO domain and related services to the NGO Community. Our discussions and outreach have included NGOs in several countries across Asia, Europe, North America, South America/Latin America, and Africa as well as many different segments of the NGO Community to ensure wide acceptance and adoption of our proposed gTLD domain and related services. The segments include but are not limited to agriculture, environment, arts/culture, charitable services, human rights, humanitarian, and advocacy for a range of issues affecting societal development. Accountability to the NGO Community By offering .NGO as a secure and well-managed domain of trust uniquely for eligible NGOs, PIR believes that NGOs can benefit from the Internet and our specific services as a means to safely and reliably reach out to the community and sponsors. PIR will be accountable to the NGO Community by: • A NGO Community input process soliciting input from the community through the NGO Advisory Council drawn from the community and accepting a broad range of input to stay current on the issues of importance to the community and manage the NGO verification process; • Creating and marketing .NGO as a distinctive place on the Internet for NGOs to differentiate and promote their organization; • Establishing community programs to support capacity building of NGOs with technical and educational platforms; • Enforcing registration policies that elevate the integrity of the domains in the .NGO gTLD name space, soliciting input from the NGO Community; • Easing discovery and promotion through the creation, management and promotion of the .NGO gTLD; • Offering registration from a proven, scalable registry platform that can ensure 100% DNS availability; • Delivering a challenge process for the NGO Community to dispute the legitimacy of a .NGO registrant or its activity on a .NGO domain; and, • As a community priority gTLD, PIR is committing to manage the .NGO domain with participation of the community. Failing to do that would put our registry contract in jeopardy. PIR is in an excellent position to provide such support to the NGO Community given documented experience running a stable and trusted registry. PIR holds a track record demonstrating good intent to the global community by being a leader in activities such as implementation of anti-abuse policies, DNSSEC, active participation in numerous public interest events, etc.

The community-based purpose of the .NGO gTLD is to provide the NGO community with a unique and exclusive TLD on the Internet. An exclusive NGO TLD and differentiated online identity services will also increase end-user confidence when they interact with a NGO and provide a platform for enhanced accountability and transparency. The benefits of the .NGO domain are expressed in three important manners: • Exclusivity - As discovered through our own experience and our outreach effort, NGOs have asked for an exclusive space on the worldwide web to verify their credentials and to prevent "briefcase NGOs" (i.e., fraudsters) from registering the .NGO gTLD, so as to enhance the reputation of bona fide NGOs. The outreach has and will continue to enable PIR to sign up membership organizations to assist in the verification of the .NGO Registration Policies. The registration eligibility requirements that we have established with the NGO Community and the associated enforcement mechanisms will create the exclusivity for proven community members and establish trust with the public. • Visibility - Our outreach effort with the NGO Community has yielded the need for improving their visibility in new ways. The gTLD domain ending in .NGO is seen by the community as providing a unique identifier to stand out in a crowded worldwide web - a distinctive new form of identification. This allows a NGO to present their credentials to the rest of the world. • Reliability - NGO input during our outreach has underscored the importance of reliable technical administration and management of the gTLD domain. Based on PIR's long-term successful management of .ORG, it will ensure the secure and stable operation of the .NGO gTLD, During PIR's outreach to the NGO Community, NGOs have shown confidence (in their expressions of support) that PIR will be a reliable partner in the delivery of beneficial value added services to NGOs, the proper handling of data, and the commitment to its ongoing relationship with the NGO Community. Intended Registrants and Users In this gTLD, NGOs will be the registrants (please see responses to Evaluation Questions #18b and #20e for more information on registration qualifications). Global Internet users, who visit .NGO websites or who conduct NGO related activities, will be confident that they are interacting with verified, Non-Governmental Organizations. Registration policies as shown in response to Evaluation Question #20e, are in line with the community-based purpose. Methods to Carry Out Purpose PIR understands the unique needs of the NGO Community and has developed a comprehensive plan for managing this gTLD to meet those needs. NGOs can immediately benefit from a unique gTLD to promote their respective missions, causes, and social services. PIR will use the NGO definition combined with specific eligibility polices and enforcement for the registration of domain names. This ensures integrity of the domain. A .NGO domain name provides the global community with its own domain to be immediately recognized and to broaden opportunities for public participation, funding and contributions. PIR has conducted numerous research activities within the NGO Community to identify needs for additional services beyond a .NGO gTLD. This has suggested that the NGO Community could benefit from an online source of information about NGOs, combining regional and local organization information in a directory that would provide a global platform for raising online awareness. To address this need, PIR is considering an online, global directory for .NGO registrants where the .NGO registrants can promote their organization, and share their contact information with the Internet community within a single, unique repository. The .NGO gTLD is a venue for organizations to promote their mission by self-identifying as an NGO within an exclusive, trusted gTLD.

The relationship between the applied-for string (.NGO) and the NGO Community is described through the nexus and uniqueness of the string relative to the NGO Community. The .NGO gTLD directly, explicitly, and fully describes the NGO Community without any overreach beyond the community. With respect to this application, the community is the NGO Community, which is comprised of NGOs and NGO associations; members of the community refer to themselves through the initials ʺNGO". The NGO initials are commonly used and well-known and understood broadly in the global market as referring to Non-Governmental Organizations. The United Nations has a formalized, consultative relationship with NGOs and recognizes the ʺNGO Communityʺ by name. The U.N. for example has addressed issues such as Globalization in its consultative work with the NGO Community.[^1] The U.N. Department of Public Information Non-Governmental Organizations (DPI NGO) recognizes the NGO Community[^2] and NGOs in consultative status with the U.N. and maintains an executive structure designed to facilitate interaction between the U.N. and the NGO Community.[^3] Likewise, the European Commission engages in structured projects and programs with the NGO Community and NGOs. The Commission characterized its January 18, 2000 Discussion Paper titled "The Commission and Non-Governmental Organizations: Building a Stronger Partnership" as "…a first step in a process involving an extensive exchange of view with the NGO Community." Such usage and understanding has been built through the years, and dates back as early as 1839 (see response to Evaluation Question #20a), and is further established in the support letters provided to PIR for this .NGO application. As the manager of .ORG, PIR has always had a close relationship with organizations of all descriptions; PIR recognizes the importance of the identification of the string .ORG to organizations in general. The string applied for, .NGO, uses these initials to create the same direct, self-identification between the Non-Governmental Organization Community and its gTLD. PIR also recognizes that PIR's .ORG domains as well as other TLDs are registered by NGOs. These NGOs would benefit from a specific identification on the Internet as bona fide NGOs through the registration of the .NGO domain. There are no connotations beyond the NGO Community we are aware for the term NGO. PIR has conducted analysis to find additional connotations and was unsuccessful. Indeed any online and offline searches for usage of "NGO" has consistently come back to Non-Governmental Organizations. [^1] http://www.unglobalcompact.org/NewsAndEvents/speeches_and_statements/john_ruggie_ngo_community_geneva.html [^2] http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/dpingorelations/home/pid/7316 [^3] http://ngodpiexecom.org/about/

PIR's goal is to provide the NGO Community an exclusive and immediately recognized home on the Internet. To achieve this goal and ensure that .NGO domain names are allocated in a manner that serves the NGO Community, PIR has developed a set of .NGO registration restriction policies and corresponding compliance and enforcement mechanisms. The policies are built to match the need of the NGO Community based on feedback from NGO Community members; based on experience from the .ORG gTLD management since 2003; and generally established to ensure a higher security level for .NGO domain names than what currently is considered standard global requirements for gTLDs today. .NGO Registration Policies The registration policies in support of the NGO Community goals are described in the following summary and are detailed later in this section. • Registrant Eligibility Requirements - all registrants must demonstrate affiliation through NGO membership organizations or through evidence of NGO status. PIR will work with membership organization, the NGO Community Advisory Council, and other members of the NGO Community to validate their eligibility. • Name Selection Policy - ensures that only NGO Community relevant domain names are registered. • Reserved Name Policy - names/types of domain names will initially be reserved from registration under .NGO. • Registry Name Policy - names/types of domain names will be held from general availability, these will be used in support of the registry. • Content and Use Restriction Policy - ensures that usage of the .NGO domain name corresponds with NGO Community activities. • Compliance Functions - ensures ongoing compliance of the Registrant Eligibility Requirements, and the Content and Use Restriction Policy listed below. The following policies support of the NGO Community goals and are detailed in subsequent Evaluation Questions of the application dedicated to such policies, as noted below. • Abuse Prevention and Mitigation - includes the Anti-Abuse Policy which addresses the identification and prompt action taken on malicious use of domain names, and the Restriction Dispute Resolution Policy (RDRP) which ensures that disputes concerning any of the .NGO Registration Policies can be solved in an appropriate manner. Detailed descriptions of both policies can be found in response to Evaluation Question #28. • Rights Protection Mechanisms - protects intellectual property holders under the Trademark Clearinghouse, Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS), Registry Restrictions Dispute Resolution Procedures (RRDRP),Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Policy (PDDRP), in addition to the Sunrise services and policies that can be found in response to Evaluation Question #29. PIR will review all policies and processes on an annual basis with involvement from the PIR's NGO Community Advisory Council and present the results to the NGO Community, allowing them to provide feedback. Specific Policy Details Registrant Eligibility Requirements: The .NGO domain registrations are open to NGO Community members. All registrants must demonstrate affiliation through NGO membership organizations or through evidence of NGO status. PIR will work with NGO membership organizations, the NGO Community Advisory Council, and other members of the NGO Community to validate their eligibility. In consultation with PIR's NGO Community Advisory Council PIR is reviewing potential NGO membership organizations who can verify the NGO status of registrants. NGO membership organizations include the following, and will expand over time: • Global organizations: International associations and/or classification-based associations. • Regional organizations: Associations across broad geographic areas, potentially including multiple countries or jurisdictions. • Local organizations: Associations or groups that provide support and memberships at a country or local level. During the registration process, the registrant will be asked to verify their eligibility and to demonstrate affiliation with a NGO member organization. Once the initial certification in step 1 of the verification process is confirmed, the domain is successfully created. If the .NGO registrant fails to provide any additional required information through step 2 of the verification process, the domain will be deleted and released back into the pool of available domains. Content and Use Restriction Policy: Abusive use of the .NGO domain names will not be tolerated by PIR. The following use and content limitations apply: • Overall the NGO domain name must be for a bona fide NGO use, as defined in the Restrictions Dispute Resolution in response to Evaluation Question #28. • Websites must be developed with the intent to promote the corresponding .NGO registrant's existing mission and activities, and not solely for commercialized or for-profit marketing usage. • Use of the registered domain name to engage in activities inconsistent with the mission of a NGO is not allowed. • Any illegal or fraudulent usage of the .NGO domain name is not allowed, including but not limited to phishing and pharming attacks, distribution of malware, and distribution of adult content. • Registration and use of a domain name in violation of Rights Protection Mechanisms is not allowed. Violations of any of the .NGO Registration Policies may be grounds for loss of registration, pursuant to the enforcement mechanism discussed below (with an appeal procedure). Compliance Functions: While disputes will be managed directly by resolution providers, PIR will conduct random compliance audits across all the .NGO Registration Policies. Periodically PIRʹs compliance staff will audit a sample of .NGO registrations to verify claims to membership in a listed organization, name policy adherence, and compliance with the name and use policy. If a registrant is found to not be in compliance the registrant will be notified that the domain will be placed on registry lock and that if the compliance issue is not cured the domain will be terminated. As part of the compliance function PIR will also utilize its existing expertise, obtained through its management of .ORG, to monitor and take action on any abusive behavior taken place with .NGO domain names. Name Selection Policy: The .NGO registrant must fulfill certain name policy criteria. PIR will employ the following restrictions concerning the names that eligible .NGO registrants can register. As such a .NGO registrant cannot register any name they wish but is limited by the following restrictions. A .NGO registered domain name may be: 1) the name of (entire or portion of) the NGO, e.g. its "doing business as" name, 2) an acronym representing the NGO, 3) a name that recognizes or generally describes the NGO, or 4) a name related to the mission or activities of the NGO. Reserved Name Policy: The following names/types of domain names will initially be reserved from registration: • All single- and two-character second-level domain names; • Domains of an inappropriate nature, e.g., adult-related terminology, pursuant to a list defined by PIR and its NGO Community Advisory Council; • Names provided by ICANN as required reserved names; • A list of generic names defined by PIR and its NGO Community Advisory Council based on the overall criteria that the names represent the NGO Community in a general manner. Such names will be released in a specific RFP process ensuring that the names will benefit the NGO Community. Registry Name Policy: The following names/types of domain names will be held from general availability; they will be used in support of the registry. • Names to support registry operations, e.g., directory.ngo; • Names to support PIR's NGO Community Advisory Council. Compliance and Enforcement Mechanisms PIR will take both proactive and reactive measures to enforce the policies of the gTLD. Proactive measures are taken at the time of registration by requiring .NGO registrants to meet the .NGO Registration Policies and to agree to all policies and procedures of the gTLD. Reactive measures are addressed via our audit process and through our defined dispute resolution processes. A violation of the .NGO Registration Policies will be enforced on a case-by-case, fact specific basis under the processes set forth below: 1. Any allegation that a domain name is not used primarily for NGO purposes shall be enforced under the provisions of the Restrictions Dispute Resolution Policy (ʺRDRPʺ) as described in Evaluation Question #28. The RDRP will be included as an appendix to the Registry Agreement. An appeal procedure is included in the RDRP. 2. Any alleged violation of the Rights Protection Mechanisms shall be enforced under the provisions contained in each of them. Disputes resulting from violations of the .NGO Registration Policies will be resolved through the Compliance Functions and the Rights Protection Mechanisms. The Rights Protection Mechanisms (as detailed in Evaluation Question #29) will be made applicable by the ICANN-Accredited Registrarsʹ registration agreements with registrants. Proceedings under the Rights Protection Mechanisms will be conducted in accordance with the policies and procedures that will be included in an appendix to the Registry Agreement. As set forth in the Compliance Functions, the registry operator will review on a random basis, monitor, and verify that any particular domain name is being used primarily for NGO purposes and that a domain is being used in compliance with the Rights Protection Mechanisms processes. Resource Plans PIR will devote 2 compliance officers to handle compliance and disputes as they arise, although currently for .ORG this need is rare. Most compliance checks on registration eligibility are expected to be handled in an automated process.

The Public Interest Registry (PIR) will protect names with national or geographic significance by reserving the country and territory names at the second level and at all other levels within the .NGO gTLD as per the requirements in the new gTLD Registry Agreement (Specification 5, paragraph 5).

We will employ a series of rules to translate the geographical names required to be reserved by Specification 5, paragraph 5 to a form consistent with the ʺhost namesʺ format used in domain names.

Considering the Governmental Advisory Committee's (GAC) advice on "Principles regarding new gTLDs", these domains will be blocked, at no cost to governments, public authorities, or Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), before the .NGO gTLD is introduced (Sunrise), so that no parties may apply for them. We will publish a list of these names before Sunrise so our registrars and their prospective applicants can be aware that these names are reserved.

We will define a procedure so that governments can request the above reserved domain(s) if they would like to take possession of them. This procedure will be based on existing methodology developed for the release of country names in the .ORG gTLD. For example, we will require a written request from the country's GAC representative, or a written request from the country's relevant Ministry or Department. We will allow the designated beneficiary (the registrant) to register the names, with an ICANN accredited registrar, possibly using an authorization number transmitted directly to the designated beneficiary in the country concerned.

As defined by Specification 5, paragraph 5, such geographic domains may be released to the extent that PIR reaches agreement with the applicable government(s). We will work with respective GAC representatives of the country's relevant Ministry of Department to obtain their release of the names to PIR.

If Internationalized Domains Names (IDNs) are introduced in the .NGO gTLD in the future, we will also reserve the IDN versions of the country names in the relevant script(s) before IDNs become available to the public. If we find it advisable and practical, we will confer with relevant language authorities so that we can reserve the IDN domains properly along with their variants.

Regarding GAC advice as to second-level domains not specified via Specification 5, paragraph 5, all domains awarded to registrants are subject to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), and to any properly-situated court proceeding. We will ensure appropriate procedures to allow governments, public authorities or IGO's to challenge abuses of names with national or geographic significance at the second level. In its registry-registrar agreement, and flowing down to registrar-registrant agreements, PIR will institute a provision to suspend domains names in the event of a dispute. We may exercise that right in the case of a dispute over a geographic name.