As some of you may know, I am an attorney and Of Counsel at Ruskin, Moscou, Faltischek
For more than forty years, our client – a respected, volunteer-based not-for-profit organization – has been serving and uplifting communities across the region. Their impact has been undeniable, but in today’s digital landscape, even the most mission-driven organizations face challenges when their online presence doesn’t align with their reputation.
One such challenge was their web address. The organization had long relied on a hyphenated domain name that was clunky, difficult to remember, and easy to mistype. Too often, donors, volunteers, and community partners found themselves landing on the non-hyphenated version of the name – missing the organization entirely. The result was lost visibility, missed donations, and diminished community engagement.
The Digital Roadblock: Why Domains Matter
A domain name is more than just a web address – it is the world headquarters and digital front door of an organization. For nonprofits, where trust, recognition, and ease of access are critical, the right domain name can significantly influence donor confidence and online giving. In this case, every mistyped URL or forgotten hyphen represented potential support slipping away.
The Ruskin Moscou Faltischek Solution
Recognizing the urgency of the issue, the organization turned to Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., whose attorneys include me, a nationally recognized domain name expert. With decades of experience in intellectual property, branding, and digital assets, I understood that acquiring the exact-match .org domain would not just solve a technical issue – it would be a transformative step in strengthening the nonprofit’s identity and outreach.
A Stealth Acquisition Strategy
Securing a domain name is not always straightforward. Domain owners may have inflated price expectations, or they may be reluctant to sell to an obvious end-user. To protect the nonprofit’s interests, our team executed a stealth acquisition strategy – approaching the owner without revealing the identity of the ultimate buyer.
Through careful negotiation and leveraging deep industry knowledge, we successfully acquired the non-hyphenated .org domain for less than 50% of the original asking price. This not only saved the nonprofit significant financial resources but also ensured the transaction remained confidential and smooth.
