Public Interest Registry (PIR), the registry behind .ORG, named 35 finalists for the 2025 .ORG Impact Awards. The pool came from nearly 3,000 applications across more than 120 countries. Every finalist receives a $2,500 donation and an invitation to the celebration in Washington, D.C. on October 7. The host is Common—the artist, actor, and philanthropist known for the Apple TV+ series “Silo” and a rare triple: Grammy, Oscar, and Emmy.
Chronology: From Application to Awards Night
- Application phase: Thousands of entries submitted by mission-driven groups using .ORG.
- Selection phase: Judges narrowed entries to five finalists in each of seven categories.
- Announcement: PIR revealed the 35 finalists in mid-August 2025 and confirmed Common as host.
- Ceremony: October 7 in Washington, D.C.—category winners receive $10,000; the .ORG of the Year receives $50,000.
Seven categories. Five finalists per category. One .ORG of the Year. Repeating the structure helps readers track the stakes and the schedule.
Why This Awards Program Matters
.ORG signals mission and public benefit on the open internet. NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) and NPO (Nonprofit Organization) leaders use .ORG to set expectations before a page even loads. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) teams value that signal because it can improve click intent and reduce bounce on branded queries. Donor outreach, partner outreach, and volunteer outreach all benefit from clearer framing in search and social.
Common’s presence adds reach. His nonprofit, Free to Dream, works across education, justice, wellness, and jobs. He brings audience attention and media coverage—two things every finalist can use.
Categories and Finalists
Community Building
- Empower Mali — Clean water, education, agriculture, and solar projects with community co-investment.
- Fonds pour les Femmes Congolaises — Grants that help grassroots women’s groups advance peace and equity in the DRC.
- Long Way Home — Green building, employment, and civic programs that link democracy and economic fairness.
- TECHO — Youth-led housing and community action in Latin America’s informal settlements.
- Well Aware — Women-led clean water systems in East Africa that raise health and school attendance.
Quality Education for All
- Central Leadership Academy — Community-rooted learning and leadership pathways for students in Liberia.
- IncluEdu (AI for sign language) — AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools and real-time feedback that bring deaf inclusion to schools and workplaces across Latin America.
- Rocket Learning — Tech links parents, teachers, and governments in India to boost early learning.
- NABU — Mother-tongue, bilingual storybooks that tackle the literacy gap at scale.
- Yellow Boat of Hope Indonesia — Boats, clean water, and scholarships so coastal kids reach classrooms.
Environmental Stewardship
- Matter of Trust — Recycles hair into mats that restore soil and clean water in 50+ countries.
- NEWS (India) — Mangrove restoration with women climate leaders and nature-based livelihoods.
- Ocean Alliance — Whale protection through research, education, and drone tech from Gloucester, MA.
- Wandusoa (Cameroon) — Trains youth and smallholders in regenerative agriculture and business skills.
- The Welman Project — Moves surplus goods from landfills to classrooms and nonprofits.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Found in Translation — Prepares bilingual women as medical interpreters to improve care access.
- Humanos 3D — 3D-printed assistive devices for people with upper-limb disabilities.
- Imkaan Welfare Organization — Education, health care, digital skills, and legal aid for marginalized and stateless communities.
- Purnata — Rescue, care, and jobs for trafficking survivors across India.
- Red Dot Foundation — Safecity platform crowdsources sexual-violence data to drive local change.
Health and Healing
- Access to Specialist Knowledge — Links clinicians in low-resource areas with U.S. board-certified specialists for pro bono consults.
- The BIG FIX Uganda — Veterinary care, rabies vaccines, and animal-assisted trauma therapy for war survivors.
- Global Response Medicine — Veteran-led teams deliver emergency care and training in conflict and disaster zones.
- Nunchi Health — Youth mental health support that centers culture, peers, and community healing.
- Tiba Foundation — Partnerships that strengthen rural clinics and women’s economic access in Kenya.
Hunger and Poverty
- Andando — Long-term village partnerships in Senegal: water, health, education, agroforestry, and finance.
- Kula Project — Coffee farmers in Rwanda gain training and entrepreneurship support.
- Manna Café Ministries — Food and wraparound services in Tennessee rooted in dignity and community.
- MicroLoan Foundation USA — Microfinance and business training for women in sub-Saharan Africa.
- The Rahul Kotak Foundation — School meals, menstrual health, and education access in Kenya.
Rising Stars
- Aworanti Salvation Grace, VARSH Foundation — Advocacy and legal aid to end gender-based violence across Africa.
- Joshua Williams, Joshua’s Heart Foundation — Youth-led strategy and operations to reduce food insecurity.
- Jovia Kisaakye, Ecobed Biotech — Converts food waste into mosquito-repellent lotion, clean fuel, and farm inputs.
- Nicholas Lowinger, Gotta Have Sole — New shoes for kids who need them so they can learn and play.
- Zofia Kierner, Girls Future Ready — Mentorship and skills that build confidence for young women in Central and Eastern Europe.
.ORG of the Year
A single finalist across the seven categories will be named .ORG of the Year on October 7 and receive $50,000. The title boosts press interest, partner outreach, and donor reach. Winners in each category receive $10,000.
Host Profile: Common
Common brings entertainment reach and nonprofit chops. His group, Free to Dream, works on education, justice, wellness, and jobs. From the Art in Motion charter school in Chicago to programs in schools, communities, and prisons, the focus is clear: give youth role models and real paths. In his words: “I’m excited to celebrate the hard work of these organizations and individuals creating powerful change at this year’s .ORG Impact Awards.”