Friends of Tonga selected from over 4,200 applicants from more than 145 countries
Washington D.C. — Public Interest Registry (PIR), the people behind the .ORG domain, announced Friends of Tonga as one of the winners of the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards, an annual celebration recognizing and rewarding outstanding mission-driven individuals and organizations from around the world for their positive contributions to society.
Friends of Tonga was named one of seven winners across five award categories, selected from over 4,200 applicants representing 145 countries. Recognized in the Environmental Stewardship category, the organization was announced as a winner during the .ORG Impact Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Founded in 2018 by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers following Cyclone Gita, Friends of Tonga is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports community-led initiatives across Tonga. The organization works alongside communities and local partners on environmental stewardship, climate resilience, education, and community development, guided by a simple principle: communities lead, we support.
Since its founding, Friends of Tonga has provided more than $750,000 in support for community-led initiatives, reaching more than 50 percent of Tonga’s population. Its environmental and climate resilience work includes the construction of 77 rainwater cisterns, providing approximately 770,000 liters of water storage, as well as WASH services and rainwater cistern cleaning and maintenance that have benefited more than 33,000 people. The organization has also supported Tonga’s first climate-resilient kindergartens, designed to withstand increasingly severe weather.
Friends of Tonga’s work is driven by requests from communities and local partners. The organization does not bring projects into communities unless people ask for them first, instead helping connect locally identified priorities with volunteers, donors, technical expertise, and other resources.
With an award donation of $10,000, Friends of Tonga will continue supporting community-led environmental stewardship and climate resilience projects in Tonga, including efforts that strengthen communities’ ability to respond to the impacts of a changing climate.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition,” said Michael Hassett, Co-President of Friends of Tonga. “For us, the most meaningful part of this award is that it brings attention to the work communities in Tonga are already leading. We have always believed that our role is to listen, support their priorities, and help connect them with the resources they need. This recognition belongs to those communities, our partners, and the many volunteers and donors who have made this work possible.”
“This award really belongs to the people of Tonga and to all those we are privileged to work alongside: the communities who trust us, our associates who share their knowledge and expertise, the countless volunteers who give their time, and all of the supporters who help bring our work to life. We’re so proud of this award and we’re grateful for the strong, enduring relationships at the heart of everything Friends of Tonga does,” said Daniella DeLaRue, Co-President of Friends of Tonga.
“The winners of the .ORG Impact Awards are the best of the .ORG Community, and PIR is honored to spotlight the work they are doing to create positive change across the world,” said Jon Nevett, President and CEO of Public Interest Registry.
For more information and the full list of 2026 .ORG Impact Awards winners, visit Public Interest Registry.
About Friends of Tonga
Friends of Tonga is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers following Cyclone Gita. The organization supports community-led initiatives in Tonga focused on environmental stewardship, climate resilience, education, and community development.
Friends of Tonga believes that communities should lead their own development. The organization does not bring projects into communities unless people ask for them first. Instead, Friends of Tonga works alongside local partners to connect community priorities with volunteers, donors, technical expertise, and other resources. Since 2018, Friends of Tonga has provided more than $750,000 in support for community-led initiatives across Tonga. Learn more at Friends of Tonga.
Media contact: info@friendsoftonga.org
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 12 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 Public Interest Registry for more information.
Media contact: pir@berlinrosen.com