Public Interest Registry Announces 2024 .ORG Impact Awards Finalists, Emmy & Tony Award Winner Alan Cumming to Host

35 innovative, mission-driven organizations and changemakers selected from over 1,700 applicants from more than 87 countries

RESTON, Va., Aug. 13, 2024 /CNW/ -- Public Interest Registry (PIR), the people behind the .ORG domain, named the finalists for the 6th annual .ORG Impact Awards Tuesday and announced that philanthropist and activist Alan Cumming – Emmy and Tony-award winning actor and star and producer of the TV show The Traitors – will host the Washington, D.C. awards ceremony. The initiative recognizes outstanding mission-driven individuals and organizations from around the world for their positive contributions to society.

All finalists, which range from nonprofits expanding access to clean water in Nigeria to those supporting the healthy development of children in Chicago, USA, will receive donations of $2,500 USD. All 35 finalists will also be invited to Washington, D.C. for a celebration that includes opportunities to meet with Washington, D.C policy experts and nonprofit leaders and culminates with the final award ceremony on October 8.

"The .ORG Impact Awards are my favorite time of year, and I am honored to welcome the inspiring 2024 finalists into our community of changemakers. We started the .ORG Impact Awards to honor the organizations and people across the world who work tirelessly for their communities. This year's group of finalists represent the very best of our community," said Jon Nevett, President and CEO of Public Interest Registry. "We are thrilled to have Alan Cumming join us in uplifting the impressive work of these OIA finalists, winners, and the .ORG Community at our awards ceremony. A committed advocate for human rights and social change, Alan is a changemaker himself, and we cannot wait to celebrate alongside him."

Alan Cumming is a highly-regarded actor and host of the Emmy nominated reality competition series, The Traitors. Beyond his acting prowess, Alan is a diligent philanthropist, supporting organizations like the UN refugee agency, Planned Parenthood and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. Alan is a passionate activist for civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, sex education and social justice – philanthropic efforts which have earned him over 40 humanitarian awards.

"I am honored to be included in this year's .ORG Impact Awards, and cannot emphasize enough how deserving and inspiring each of these finalists are," said Alan Cumming. "Social impact is hard work, and I look forward to October, when I get to be a small part of celebrating the incredible efforts of organizations and individuals uplifting communities across the globe."

This year's finalists represent the top five entries across seven award categories:

• Community Building
• Quality Education for All
• Environmental Stewardship
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Health and Healing
• Hunger and Poverty
• Rising Stars (leaders, under 25, making a difference in their communities)

Winners in these award categories, including the prestigious .ORG of the Year, will be announced as part of the in-person .ORG Impact Awards celebration on October 8. The winner of the .ORG of the Year award will receive a donation of $50,000 USD while the other category winners will each receive $10,000 USD. Beyond the donation, receiving a prestigious .ORG Impact Award will help raise the profile of winning organizations, ultimately driving donations, funding, talent acquisition, partnership development, and increasing audience reach.

Please visit www.orgimpactawards.org for more information.

2024 .ORG Impact Award Finalists

Community Building

Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Incorporated (AIDFI)
www.aidfi.org  
AIDFI empowers rural communities with technological innovation, social enterprise, and community development, fostering sustainable growth and equity.

Build Change
www.buildchange.org
Build Change envisions a world where every home is disaster resilient. With partners, they protect people and livelihoods by preventing housing loss caused by disasters and climate-induced events.

Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change
www.creaccng.org
The Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change provides clean energy and water to underserved communities in Nigeria, educating on climate change and renewable resources.

Green Empowerment
www.greenempowerment.org
Green Empowerment strengthens communities by providing clean water, renewable energy, and sustainable solutions, improving living standards and promoting social progress.

Kiva
www.kiva.org
Kiva expands financial access to underserved communities through crowdfunded loans, supporting business owners, farmers, students, and social enterprises with the funding they need to thrive.

Quality Education for All

Long Way Home
www.lwhome.org
Long Way Home engages people in democracy and creates economic and environmental justice through green building, employment, and education.

Réfugio 343
 www.refugio343.org
Through Escola Refúgio, Refugio 343 offers access to one of the most important human rights: education. The organization provides a common curriculum that includes Portuguese classes and intercultural education, as well as vocational training courses.

Sahar Education
www.sahareducation.org
Sahar creates educational opportunities for girls and women in Afghanistan, empowering them to build peaceful, thriving communities.

School the World
www.schooltheworld.org 
School the World works to alleviate extreme poverty by providing quality education, transforming school systems, and inspiring local pride and ownership in rural communities.

Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation
www.yellowboat.org
 The Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation aids Filipino children in remote areas by providing boats, classrooms, dormitories, and other initiatives to improve their access to education and enhance their learning journey.

Environmental Stewardship

Green Generation Initiative
www.greengenerationinitiative.org
The Green Generation Initiative empowers children, youth, and local communities to drive local climate action and adopt regenerative solutions, fostering an environmentally conscious generation.

Share Our Spare
www.shareourspare.org
Share Our Spare supports Chicago-area children by providing essential items, empowering families, and fostering community resilience.

SOS Orinoco
www.sosorinoco.org
SOS Orinoco illuminates the crisis in Venezuela's Amazonia and Orinoquia regions, advocating for urgent measures to halt the unfolding human and environmental disaster.

Subak Australia
www.subakaustralia.org 
Subak Australia helps build and strengthen climate and nature focused organizations looking to influence policy and shape narratives. They provide an experienced network, supporting nonprofits to use data to catalyze systemic change.

TerraCycle Global Foundation
www.terracyclefoundation.org
TerraCycle Global Foundation prevents and recycles plastic waste in rivers and canals, educating local communities on sustainable practices to stop pollution at the source before it reaches the oceans.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Anchal Charitable Trust
www.anchalindia.org
Anchal Charitable Trust makes a difference by supporting at-risk children in Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttaranchal, addressing disability, HIV/AIDS, and child labor through holistic care.

Be THE Voice
www.be-the-voice.org
Be THE Voice fosters positive change by teaching students communication skills that promote empathy and respect, fostering connections and countering prejudice.

Empowerment Collective
www.empowermentcollective.org
Empowerment Collective is driving change towards a world free from modern slavery, promoting dignity, opportunity, and survivor-led leadership to uphold human rights and economic growth.

For the People
www.fortheppl.org
For The People reshapes the justice system by empowering prosecutors to safely release people from prison, reunite families, and ensure true justice.

 The Center for Courageous Kids
www.courageouskids.org
The Center for Courageous Kids transforms lives by empowering children with serious illnesses through camp experiences, fostering courage, joy, and lifelong friendships.

Health and Healing

Fistula Foundation
www.fistulafoundation.org
Fistula Foundation restores health and hope to women with childbirth injuries by providing life-transforming surgeries and support. 

Global Response Medicine
www.global-response.org
Through their work, Global Response Medicine and help.me.live are dedicated to preserving life and health for children growing up in the shadow of war.

Kids Operating Room
www.kidsor.org
Kids Operating Room strives for a world where every child has access to safe surgery. They build pediatric operating rooms, train local doctors, and improve access to essential medical care.

ONG Zoé
www.ongzoe.org
ONG Zoé provides life-changing healthcare to the Amazon Rainforest's guardians, caring for those who care for the forest.

Penta Medical Recycling
www.pentaprosthetics.org
Penta Medical Recycling collects used and excess prostheses and delivers this high-quality, low-cost prosthetic equipment to amputees around the world.

Hunger and Poverty

FarmSahel
www.farmsahel.org
FarmSahel empowers Sahel communities by teaching regenerative agriculture to women farmers, enhancing food security and soil fertility.

MicroLoan Foundation USA
www.microloanfoundationusa.org
MicroLoan Foundation USA alleviates poverty and advances gender equality for women in sub-Saharan Africa through microfinance and business training.

Solidarités International
www.solidarites.org
Solidarités International provides emergency aid for food, water, and shelter, helping disaster and conflict - affected communities regain self-sufficiency and sustainable livelihoods.

U-turn Homeless Ministries
https://michange.org/
U-turn Homeless Ministries transforms lives in South Africa by providing holistic support services, empowering people to overcome homelessness through Mi-change vouchers, a therapeutic and responsible engagement tool.

Villages in Partnership
www.villagesinpartnership.org
Villages in Partnership seeks to eradicate extreme poverty in Malawi by partnering with villages to provide clean water, food security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and economic opportunity.

Rising Stars

Abdul Karim Sesay, Altruistech Luminary Center
www.altruistechluminarycenter.org
Altruistech Luminary Center transforms education in Sierra Leone through STEM and environmental sustainability, empowering youth to create impactful change.

Foday David Kamara, EcoVironment
www.ecovironment.org
EcoVironment empowers young people from underserved backgrounds to promote environmental and climate sustainability through plastic recycling.

Joy Oluwatoyin Adeboye, Resilient Girl Initiative
www.resilientgirlinitiative.org
Resilient Girl Initiative is a feminist-led organization, working to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and builds leadership capacity among girls and women.

Ella Lambert, The Pachamama Project
www.thepachamamaproject.org
The Pachamama Project is an organization growing a network of volunteers around the world to make reusable sanitary pads for refugees and vulnerable communities, in a bid to combat global period poverty.

Clinton Okechukwu, The R.E.T.I.N.A. Project
www.theretinainitiative.org  
The R.E.T.I.N.A Initiative promotes primary eye care and combats preventable blindness in underserved African communities through innovative solutions.

.ORG of The Year

The 2024 .ORG Impact Award, .ORG of the Year, recognizes an outstanding nonprofit or nongovernmental organization nominated in one of the other seven categories for their incredible achievement in the past year as evidenced by results and contributions to their sector, constituents, community or society at large. The winner will be announced on October 8.

About Public Interest Registry
Public Interest Registry (PIR) is a nonprofit that operates the .ORG top-level domain—one of the world's largest generic top-level domains with more than 11 million domain names registered worldwide. .ORG is open to everyone, providing a global platform for organizations, associations, clubs, businesses and individuals to bring their ideas to life. PIR has been a champion for a free and open Internet for two decades with a clear mission to be an exemplary domain name registry, provide a trusted digital identity and help educate those who dedicate themselves to improving our world. PIR was founded by the Internet Society (internetsociety.org) in 2002 and is based in Reston, Virginia, USA. Visit www.pir.org for more information.

Media contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Public Interest Registry