The .ORG namespace offers a credible, trustworthy TLD to help mission-driven organizations, businesses and individuals carry out their purpose. And Public Interest Registry (PIR), which operates the .ORG TLD, is taking an active role in advancing worthy causes and building a better Internet.

PIR donates a portion of proceeds for every .ORG domain registered to The Internet Society, a non-profit group dedicated to protecting the Open Internet. They also launched the DNS Abuse Institute, an organization dedicated to establishing best practices, funding research, and creating industry-shared solutions to combat DNS Abuse.

Not only does PIR work to improve the safety and expansion of the Internet, but it is also dedicated to supporting the .ORG community. PIR’s annual .ORG Impact Awards celebrate and reward mission-driven organizations of all sizes from across the globe that are making a difference in their communities.

Here we’re highlighting two Tucows customers who were named winners at the 2021 .ORG Impact Awards.

Good Sports

The winner in the Health and Healing in a Time of Pandemic category, Good Sports, works to give kids in need the benefits of sport and physical activity by providing new equipment, apparel, and footwear to youth organizations in high-need communities. While some families have the ability to afford sports gear, league fees, and travel costs, many do not. As a result, kids are left on the sidelines. Since 2003, Good Sports has given more than eight million kids across the United States and Puerto Rico greater access to sport and fitness opportunities.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Good Sports launched the Restore Play initiative, which provided $15 million in equipment and over 27,000 at-home “Play Packs” (including 541,000 pieces of sports equipment, apparel, and footwear) to children in need. Good Sports creates opportunities to play in each state and is determined to continue to help communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Skateistan

The winner in the Providing Education for All category, Skateistan, is the first international development organization dedicated to empowering children through education and the power of skateboarding. A 2019 .ORG Impact Award winner, Skateistan provides opportunities to children aged five to seventeen, with a goal of having fifty percent of its students be girls. The organization runs five programs within its Skate Schools: Outreach, Dropping In, Skate and Create, Back to School, and Youth Leadership. These programs combine life skills with fun, freedom, and creativity to help create leaders for a better world. In total, Skateistan reaches 2,700 children in the countries in which it operates, making an enormous difference in their lives and communities.

You can find out more about the .ORG Impact Awards and the 2021 finalists and winners at orgimpactawards.org.