Would your organisation be interested in managing your own Generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) – a new version of a domain like dot.com or dot.org?
Some support is available for Australian non-profits, charities, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), First Nations organisations and small or micro businesses with a social impact or public benefit purpose.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has launched the Applicant Support Program to help organisations with the complex process and significant financial commitment associated with applying to manage a piece of the Internet. After the Applicant Support Program selects applicants to support, the process for applying to manage a piece of the internet will commence.
The Program does not cover the full financial commitment but provides a 75-85% reduction of the expected USD 227,000 fee to apply for a new gTLD. There is also free professional support and training on offer to help develop a gTLD application.
The Applicant Support Program will remain open until 19 November 2025. Applying early increases your chances of securing a spot, provided you meet all the eligibility criteria.
Interested organisations can find more information and resources on ICANN's website, including an Applicant Support Program Fact Sheet. ICANN can be contacted at globalsupport@icann.org for further information.
What does managing a gTLD entail?
ICANN is running this process in two stages.
Firstly, the Applicant Support Program selects applicants to support, then after this, the process for applying to manage a piece of the internet will open.
To be successful in the second stage with ICANN granting you the ability to manage a piece of the internet, you will need to have the resources and capacity to operate your own gTLD, and build it into a functioning business. As with any business, operating a gTLD comes with risks and there are no guarantees of success or profitability.
Some reasons companies might consider applying for a new gTLD include:
- To create unique, trusted domains for their organisation, using their .brandname domain. For example, Microsoft previously registered .microsoft, and use it for their cloud applications.
- Creating an online space which caters to a particular community, language or interest group. For example, the .gal domain allows registrations which support the Galician culture and language
- Creating a domain name with a popular term or unique concept and building it into a business. For example, new domains like .shop and .app have become popular for creating memorable domain names.
Find out more
- Visit ICANN's website