One of 35 innovative, mission-driven changemakers selected from over 4,000 applicants across 145 countries
Laurel, United States of America — On August 11, 2026, Friends of Tonga was named a finalist in the 2026 .ORG Impact Awards by Public Interest Registry (PIR), the people behind the .ORG domain. The .ORG Impact Awards recognize outstanding mission-driven individuals and organizations from around the world for their positive contributions to society.
All finalists will receive donations of $2,500 USD. Friends of Tonga will also be invited to Washington, D.C. for a celebration that includes opportunities to meet with other nonprofit leaders and culminates with the final award ceremony on October 6th.
“The continued growth of the .ORG Impact Awards reflects the incredible breadth of mission-driven work happening around the world,” said PIR President and CEO Jon Nevett. “Selected from our most competitive applicant pool to date, we are honored to spotlight these 35 finalists whose dedication, creativity and commitment are helping build stronger communities and create positive change across the globe.”
Friends of Tonga is a finalist in the Environmental Stewardship category for its work alongside communities and local organizations across the Kingdom of Tonga. Founded in 2018 by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Tonga, the entirely volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit works with communities to support locally identified priorities in climate resilience, education, environmental stewardship, and disaster response.
Friends of Tonga’s Environmental Stewardship submission highlighted several initiatives carried out in partnership with communities and local organizations across Tonga, including:
- Working alongside the Civil Society Forum of Tonga (CSFT) to support community-led initiatives focused on climate resilience, environmental stewardship, and disaster recovery
- Expanding water security through rainwater cistern projects in remote communities, increasing access to clean drinking water for vulnerable populations
- Partnering with Schools for Children of the World to support the construction of the cyclone-resistant kindergarten in Tu’anuku, providing a safer learning environment for children while strengthening resilience to future disasters
- Supporting environmental stewardship efforts, including work with the No Pelesitiki Campaign to reduce plastic pollution across Tonga
“This recognition is a reflection of the incredible communities, organizations, donors, volunteers, and partners we have had the privilege of working alongside in Tonga and around the world,” said Michael Hassett, Co-President and Co-Founder of Friends of Tonga. “Awards like this may carry one organization’s name, but they are never earned by one organization alone. When people see Friends of Tonga’s name attached to this recognition, I hope they also see the communities and partners who made it possible. This recognition belongs to the communities across Tonga who trusted us to work alongside them, and to the incredible partners who have helped turn locally identified priorities into lasting solutions.”
“We have always believed that the strongest solutions come from communities themselves,” said Daniella DeLaRue, Co-President of Friends of Tonga. “Friends of Tonga is built on relationships grounded in trust, respect, and a shared commitment to service. This recognition celebrates what is possible when communities, organizations, volunteers, donors, and partners work together to turn locally identified priorities into action.”
The organization’s work is guided by a simple principle: communities should identify their own priorities, and partnerships should support locally led solutions.
Friends of Tonga also recognizes the enduring influence of the Peace Corps Tonga community and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, whose spirit of service and partnership helped inspire the organization’s founding and continues to shape its work today.
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 30 making a difference in their communities)
Winners in these categories and the prestigious .ORG of the Year will be announced at the in-person .ORG Impact Awards celebration on October 6th. The winner of the .ORG of the Year award will receive a donation totalling $50,000 USD while the other category winners will each receive $10,000 USD. Beyond the donation, receiving a .ORG Impact Award helps 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.
About Friends of Tonga
Friends of Tonga is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Tonga. The organization partners with communities across Tonga to support locally led initiatives in education, disaster resilience, environmental stewardship, and sustainable development. Friends of Tonga believes lasting change begins when communities identify their own priorities and partners work together to support their vision.
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 www.pir.org for more information.