This news is very helpful (as explained below) because the .org extension is not necessarily reserved for non-profits (NGOs). The new extensions will be and therefore it may be a little easier to see what is what online.Add to that the NGO (non-governmental organizations) name is more universal that using the term “non-profits” since that term really applies to U.S. organizations only while the NGO tag is used globally.

From Mashable writer Matt Petronzio:

The Public Interest Registry (PIR), the non-profit that manages and operates the .org domain, has formally submitted its applications to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the .ngo and .ong domain extensions.

Although the .org extension is often associated with non-profits and has been their go-to domain extension, it is an open domain, meaning that individuals and for-profit corporations can register under it as well. But .ngo will be administered as a closed domain exclusively for NGOs, and there will be a verification component at the time of registration.

If the .ngo extension is approved, non-profits and NGOs that currently have a .org extension won’t be required to make the transition.