Public Interest Registry Names Burn Design Lab 2023 .ORG Impact Awards Finalist

One of 35 finalists selected from almost 1,000 applications from around the world, Burn Design Lab is eligible for donations between $10,000 to $50,000.

Vashon, WA — On October 2, 2023 Public Interest Registry (PIR), the people behind the .ORG domain, named Burn Design Lab a 2023 .ORG Impact Awards finalist. The prestigious global awards program recognizes and rewards outstanding mission-driven individuals and organizations from around the world for their positive contributions to society.

Burn Design Lab was selected among applications from more than 70 countries for their work improving lives and protecting the environment through the research, design, and development of outstanding cookstoves and cookstove manufacturing systems. A leader in the improved cooking industry, Burn Design Lab works to design and build stoves that are high-performing, practical, affordable, durable, and broadly adopted and is being recognized for their improved shea roaster project in Ghana that positively impacts thousands of women in the shea butter industry, improving their working conditions while preserving the local environment.

“Being a finalist for the .ORG Impact Awards is a testament to our team's commitment to creating sustainable solutions that have improved the lives of millions of people around the world. We are grateful for the opportunity the .ORG Impact Awards allows nonprofits like Burn Design Lab to share our work with a broader audience and to be inspired by the other incredible finalists,” said Paul Means, Executive Director of Burn Design Lab.

All winners will be announced at an in-person awards ceremony on November 16 in Washington, D.C. In honor of the five-year anniversary of the .ORG Impact Awards and a return to an in-person event for the first time since the pandemic, the awards will be bigger and better than ever. Representatives from finalists hailing from over 70 countries will convene at the awards, and all finalists will receive donations of $2,500 USD. All finalists, including Burn Design Lab, will be eligible for donations between $10,0000 USD to $50,000 USD.

“We are honored to welcome our 2023 .ORG Impact Award Finalists into our growing community of changemakers, who inspire us to make the world a better place. We created the awards to celebrate those within the .ORG Community who work tirelessly to uplift their communities – and this year’s finalists represent hope for a brighter future," said Jon Nevett, President and CEO of Public Interest Registry.

The 35 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 25, making a difference in their communities)

Burn Design Lab is one of five finalists in the Environmental Stewardship category. Winners across all award categories, including the prestigious .ORG of the Year, will be announced as part of the in-person .ORG Impact Awards celebration on November 16. The winner of the .ORG of the Year award will receive a donation of $50,000 USD while the other category winners will each receive $10,000 USD. Beyond the donation, receiving a prestigious .ORG Impact Award will help raise the profile of winning organizations, ultimately driving donations, funding, talent acquisition, partnership development, and increasing audience reach.

Please visit www.orgimpactawards.org for complete rules and information.

About Burn Design Lab

Burn Design Lab’s mission is to improve lives and protect the environment through the research, design, and development of outstanding cookstoves and cookstove manufacturing systems. BDL takes a user-centric approach to design and develop affordable and culturally specific cookstoves and manufacturing facilities that enable people to cook their meals without harm to themselves, their families, or the environment. With over 3 million stoves in use worldwide, Burn Design Lab is the research and development team behind some of the world’s most popular improved cookstoves.

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 10.8 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.TheNew.org for more information.