- Application for the .org Top-Level Domain -
The .ORG Foundation
- .ORG PROPOSAL FORM -

VII. RESPONSIVENESS TO THE NONCOMMERCIAL INTERNET USER COMMUNITY


C35. Describe in detail the mechanisms you propose for ensuring that the policies and practices followed in your operation of the .org registry are responsive to and supportive of the noncommercial Internet user community, and reflect as much of its diversity as possible. Your description should include any affiliation you propose with representative noncommercial organizations and details (including proposed bylaws or other chartering documents) regarding any governing or advisory groups that you propose.

The .Org Foundation is committed to establishing a broad variety of mechanisms for serving the needs of the .org community reflecting as much diversity as possible. To address the issue of representation and inclusion of the .org community in the operation and policies governing the .org registry The .Org Foundation will implement the following:
  • Regularly scheduled "Open Forums" to discuss the needs and concerns of the .org community.
  • Quarterly .org community meetings (rotating locations to all regions).
  • Annual .org community Congress to establish policies and structures for the support of the .org registry and the .org community.
  • Designation of a specific number of Board Members as nominated by and elected from the .org community with the intention to have stakeholders from the .org community give input and influence in the direction and oversight of The .Org Foundation.
  • Implement an EPP polling mechanism that will provide a voice for the .org registrants, the EPP interface will be extended to allow each registered domain to cast a vote on nominated candidates for Director for The .Org Foundation Board and other initiatives put forth by The .Org Foundation Board or the .Org At Large Supporting Organization for input from the .org community.
The .Org Foundation is committed to establishing strong affiliations with representative noncommercial organizations currently providing services and support of the noncommercial community. We have to-date established support relationships with the following:

  • Governor Gary Locke, Governor of the State of Washington
  • Microsoft Corporation, world wide leader in software products
  • Grameen Technology Center, a software development organization that applies technology solutions to support the efforts of microcredit programs addressing core issues of poverty worldwide,
  • The Boeing Company Community Relations, a division of Boeing that is dedicated to fostering community relations
  • Microcredit Summit Campaign, a Washington, DC advocacy group working to ensure that 100 million of the world's poorest families, especially the women of those families, are receiveing credit for self-employment by the year 2005,
  • Washington State Representative Laura Ruderman, member of the House Technology, Telecommunications, and Energy Committee
  • Digital Partners, a international organization tapping the power of the digital economy to develop market-based solutions to benefit the world's poor
  • Seattle Network, an Internet trade association of professionals throughout the Seattle area
  • Women in Digital Journalism, a professional association of editors, writers, and producers in new media
[The .Org Foundation bylaws (Appendix D) and a copy of our nonprofit corporation application form with the state of Washington (filing in process) (Appendix E) are included for review by the ICANN Selection Committee.]

C36. Submit any evidence that demonstrates support for your proposal among registrants in the .org TLD, particularly those actually using .org domain names for noncommercial purposes. Support from diverse noncommercial entities from across the global Internet community will be considered in the selection.

To-date we have obtained several letters of support from the Internet user community and have included them in Appendix F. We anticipate more support as our bid for the .org registry and our mission of commitment to serve the .org community becomes more widely known.

C37. Intentionally omitted.



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