The Nonprofit FAQ

Will a trademark protect my organization's name on the net?

The easy answer is to file for a trademark: it doesn't matter how it is used. However, the important thing is to get the mark based on first use: someone else can file ahead of you and get the rights (or at least assertable rights). This happens all the time in the commercial world. Network Solutions, one of the organizations that register domain names (like nonprofits.org), requires that people and organizations be entitled to use the name. But when there are competing claims, it can be very difficult for the disputing parties to sort it out. The best course of action is to register your organization's name sooner rather than later so it will be available to you whenever you decide to create a website or start some other Internet service. One facility for doing this is available online at http://www.networksolutions.com/. In the Spring of 2001, Network Solutions (and perhaps others) offer an opportunity to pre-register for domain names with the .biz, .info and .pro extensions. See http://newdomains.networksolutions.com/gtld/tm_landingpage.jsp NOTE (5/31/01): The environment for registering domain names is significantly more complicated now than it was when this brief article was written in the mid '90s. The topic is beyond the scope of the Internet Nonprofit Center. There is a great deal of information available elsewhere. The curious might try a search on |trademark domain registration| at http://www.google.com Updated 5/31/01 -- PB