Community TLD

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Community gTLD is a regulated type of generic top level domain names (gTLDs) created by the ICANN, which is intended for cohesive, community groups that are interested in operating their own TLD Registry. Community gTLDs must represent and receive strong, written support from a clearly defined group of people such as cultural, religious, social groups or industry sectors. The existence of the group must be unquestionable. A good example of a community that represents a clearly defined group of people that may be qualified to apply for a community gTLD is the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), as this group is well-established and it can demonstrate that it has a continuous relationship with its members.

Community groups are given precedence for TLDs in contention; that is, if there are multiple applicants for a given string, and one of the applicants applies and proves community status, the community group is automatically delegated the TLD. Community status is proven through the process known as Community Priority Evaluation.

Requirements for Community gTLD Applicants

Based on the gTLD Applicant Guidebook's process for Community Priority Evaluation applicants for community based gTLDs must demonstrate the following, scoring at least 14 of 16 possible points:

• Community Establishment (4 points)
  • Delineation: Demonstrate an ongoing relationship with a clearly delineated community (up to 2 points)
    • 2 points if there is a clearly delineated, organized, and pre-existing community
    • 1 point if there is a clearly delineated and pre-existing community, but not fulfilling the requirements for a score of 2.
  • Extension (up to 2 points)
    • 2 points if community of considerable size and longevity (2 points)
    • 1 point if Community of either considerable size or longevity, but not fulfilling the requirements for a score of 2

• Nexus between proposed string and community. Does the applied for a gTLD string strongly and specifically relate to the community named in the application? (4 points)
  • Nexus (up to 3 points)
    • 3 points if the String matches the name of the community or is a well-known short form or abbreviation of the community
    • 2 points if the string identifies the community, but does not qualify for a score of 3
  • Uniqueness (1 point)
    • 1 point if the string has no other significant meaning beyond identifying the community described in the application

• Registration Policies (4 points)
  • 1 point Eligibility; restricted to community members
  • 1 point Name Selection; policies include name restriction rules corresponding the the community's mission and purpose
  • 1 point Content and USe; policies include content and use rules corresponding to the community's mission and purpose
  • 1 point Enforcement; policies include specific enforcement measures

• Community Endorsement (4 points)
  • Support
    • 2 points if the applicant has multiple strong letters of support from recognized community institutions
    • 1 point if the applicant has one documented community entity supporting its application
  • Opposition
    • 2 points if there is no opposition of relevance
    • 1 point if there is opposition from only one relevant group of non-negligible size

Potential Benefits of Operating a Community gTLD

Domain industry experts identify some of the benefits of a community gTLDs, which include:

• It will help strengthen the cultural and social identity of the group and provides an avenue for growth and increased support among its members.
• It enables the community to control their domain name space by creating their own rules and policies for registration to be able to protect and implement their community's standards and values
• It will boost the trust and confidence of its members
• The community will be recognized globally
• Members will be able to register a relevant, shorter and easy to remember domain name
• It will generate income from registration and annual renewal fees of domain names