The Individual Award Category recognizes the personal contribution of one person in support of their organization (which must use a .ORG domain) or to the broader community and/or mission under which the organization operates. Achievement will be honored in the following award categories:

1. Innovator Award – The Innovator Award will be given to an individual who has broken new ground for an organization by demonstrating new ways of thinking, approaching and/or solving-issues or challenges.
2. Rising Star Award – The Rising Star Award recognizes a professional with five or fewer years of experience for exceptional contribution to his/her affiliated organization. A “Rising Star” individual is someone who has exhibited initiative and leadership around a specific task, project or campaign.
3. Outstanding Volunteer – The Outstanding Volunteer Award will honor an individual who has shown above-and-beyond support of an organization in an unpaid role.

Registrants of the .ORG domain transcend the traditional nonprofit world, and include for-profit organizations and community groups as well. The Sector Award Category will recognize one outstanding organization within these three sectors:

1. .ORG Nonprofit of the Year – This award is open to all not-for-profit and non-governmental organizations using the .ORG domain, and honors outstanding achievement as evidenced by results and/or contributions to their sector, constituents, community or society at large. Submitting organizations must provide validation of their nonprofit status.
2. .ORG CSR Program of the Year – The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Sector Award is open to for-profit organizations and will honor outstanding wholly-owned citizenship programs, social enterprises, sustainability initiatives, cause marketing campaigns, nonprofit partnerships and other CSR activities, as evidenced by results and/or contributions to beneficiaries, communities or society at large. The CSR program or its partner(s)/beneficiary(ies) must use the .ORG domain.
3. .ORG Community Group of the Year – This Sector Award is open to any group using the .ORG domain that doesn’t identify as a traditional non-profit or for-profit organization, but that has demonstrated excellence and outstanding achievement as evidenced by team work and community mobilization, as well as results and/or contributions to their community, constituents, beneficiaries and/or society at large.

There are many strategies that organization can deploy to achieve philanthropic, marketing and business goals. The Initiative Award Category will recognize .ORGs, unless otherwise stated, for various programmatic initiatives that support broader organizational goals, with a focus on online-based initiatives:

1. Best Social Media Campaign – Entry should highlight how a social media channel or collection of channels were used to accomplish a specific goal.
2. Top #GivingTuesday Campaign – Entry should showcase how an organization used the #GivingTuesday online holiday to achieve a goal. Note that this category is open to nonprofits who encouraged donations/service to their own organizations, as well as for-profits/individuals who encouraged donations/service on behalf of nonprofits operating on the .ORG domain.
3. Outstanding Online Fundraising Campaign – Entry should highlight how an organization achieved fundraising goals through online channels and tactics. Note that this category is open to nonprofits who encouraged donations to their own organizations, as well as for-profits/individuals who encouraged donations on behalf of nonprofits operating on the .ORG domain.
4. Outstanding Microsite – Entry should feature a separate, standalone .ORG microsite that is independent from the organization’s main website (which could also be a .ORG or on another domain), and highlight its purpose and accomplishments.
5. Outstanding Website Redesign – Entry should feature an organization’s website redesign, and highlight its purpose and accomplishments.
6. Best Integrated Communications Campaign – Entry should showcase how more than one communications channel contributed to a program and its goals.
7. Best Use of Partnerships/Celebrity Endorsements – Entry should highlight how a partnership with an organization, company/brand or celebrity/influencer contributed to a program accomplishment.
8. Outstanding Multimedia Content – Entry should showcase the accomplishments of one or a series of multimedia assets, including but not limited to photography, infographics videos, collateral elements or social media content.
9. Outstanding Community Relations Campaign – Entry should highlight a complete campaign, built to reach a defined community around a defined goal.