Why the .ORG Impact Awards Matter

Last October, a Congolese nonprofit stood at the center of a Washington, D.C. ceremony and walked away with the top prize: a $50,000 donation and the title of .ORG of the Year.

The organization was the Fonds pour les Femmes Congolaises (The Fund for Congolese Women). For nearly two decades, they've been funding and strengthening grassroots women's organizations across the Democratic Republic of Congo, working at the intersection of gender-based violence prevention, HIV/AIDS education, and environmental justice.

Women and girls have borne some of the heaviest costs of armed conflict in Congo. The FFC's work is about changing that at the community level: through collaboration, storytelling, and professional development. As director Faida Mwaingilwa has noted, current resources make it difficult to reach every corner of the country, but the recognition has helped expand that reach.

Their story, in their own words:

This year, PIR opened nominations for the next Impact Awards giving the opportunity to other organizations to be recognized and get support for their missions. It's a great way of creating possible opportunities for next donations as Impact Awards get a lot of attention. All details and info about the application process you can find in this article.

 

Nominations for 2026 ORG Impact Awards are now open

The eighth annual .ORG Impact Awards opened on April 15, 2026. Entries close May 27, 2026.

The program is run by Public Interest Registry (PIR), the nonprofit that manages the .ORG domain. Since it launched, PIR has donated over $865,000 to mission-driven organizations worldwide. This year's prize pool totals $180,000.

 

The seven categories

 

Community Building

This category recognizes organizations whose work strengthens the social fabric of their communities, whether that's at the neighborhood level or across borders. This could be a local mutual aid network, national or a global coalition; what matters is the depth of connection being built.

 

Quality Education for All

This category is for organizations breaking down the barriers that keep people from learning, whether those are economic, geographic, linguistic, or structural. The focus is on access and inclusion, not just educational outcomes.

 

Environmental Stewardship

Honored are organizations that work that protects ecosystems, promote sustainability, or help communities adapt to environmental change. Past winners have ranged from mangrove restoration projects to grassroots climate advocacy.

 

Hunger and Poverty

This category recognizes organizations tackling food insecurity and economic hardship with approaches designed to last. Judges look for solutions that create lasting opportunity, not just immediate relief.

 

Health and Healing

This category is for organizations expanding access to care in underserved communities, whether through direct services, training local health workers, or connecting patients with specialists they'd otherwise never reach.

 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Honors work that actively dismantles barriers and amplifies voices that are systematically left out. This category looks for organizations creating structural change, not just awareness.

 

Rising Star

Is the only individual category. It recognizes someone under 30 who is already driving meaningful impact through their work. Past winners have included biotech founders and youth-led advocacy leaders.

Every category winner directs a $10,000 donation to a charitable organization of their choice. Non-winning finalists each receive $2,500. The .ORG of the Year (chosen from among the category winners) gets an additional $40,000, for a total of $50,000.

 

Who can apply

• Any organization with an active website on a second-level .ORG domain
• Work highlighted must show meaningful activity between April 15, 2025 and April 14, 2026: ongoing or longer-running projects are fine as long as real progress happened in that period
• Nominations are free. No entry fees.
• Self-nominations are encouraged: many applicants submit on behalf of their own organization

Finalists receive complimentary travel and two nights' accommodation to attend the in-person awards celebration on October 6, 2026 in Washington, D.C.

The full entry criteria and rules are on the OIA website.

 

How submissions are evaluated

Each entry is scored across five equally weighted criteria (20 points each, 100 total):

1. Creativity and quality: Does the approach bring something innovative to the problem?
2. Planning and implementation: Was it well-executed?
3. Assessment and results: Is there measurable evidence of impact?
4. Community impact: Did it create real change at any scale?
5. Compelling story: Is the narrative clear, structured, and persuasive?

Up to five supporting documents can accompany each submission: project plans, testimonial videos, photos, annual reports, or relevant links. At least one is required.

A few practical notes from the entry kit: write for judges who may not know your field, avoid copying the same text across multiple category entries, and include supporting materials for anything you reference in your responses.

 

Key dates

Nominations open	April 15, 2026
Nominations close	May 27, 2026
Finalists announced	August 11, 2026
Winners announced + celebration	October 6, 2026, Washington, D.C.

 

Applying

Submit through the official platform at ORG Impact Awards. Create a free profile, or log back in if you've entered before. You can save and edit your submission up until the deadline.