Mission Statement

The Internet International Genealogical Society is a non-profit society dedicated to the following mission:

To assist in the creation and maintenance of genealogical resources on the Internet, by funding selected projects using resources obtained through grants, bequests, and large donations.

To represent the interests of genealogists using the Internet, both by providing counsel to organizations providing services on the Internet and by lobbying organizations and agencies who make decisions which affect Internet genealogists.

To promote the development of standards, protocols, and software for the distribution of genealogical information over the Internet.

To provide a common social organization for genealogists using the Internet, regardless of their specific interests.

	To assist in the creation and maintenance of genealogical resources on the Internet, by funding selected projects using resources obtained through grants, bequests, and large donations.
	To represent the interests of genealogists using the Internet, both by providing counsel to organizations providing services on the Internet and by lobbying organizations and agencies who make decisions which affect Internet genealogists.
	To promote the development of standards, protocols, and software for the distribution of genealogical information over the Internet.
	To provide a common social organization for genealogists using the Internet, regardless of their specific interests.

Strategy Plan:

We don't have any deep thoughts on the form of organization, but we do feel strongly that:

	Membership in the Society should be free, and as a goal we should try to enroll virtually all 100,000+ Internet genealogists as members.
	The focus of the Society should be broad and embrace the Usenet Newsgroups, the mailing lists both large and small, independent Websites, Websites operating in collaboration (like USGenWeb), major projects (like the Roots Surname List and the USGenWeb Archives), and all other Internet genealogical activities.
	The Society should definitely be international, and we should try to keep American genealogists from overwhelming the rest of the community by sheer numbers.
	The organization should be Internet-like, in the sense that it should be completely open, flexible, informal, and non hierarchical. Work will get done by teams who choose to address specific issues.
	The Society should work in collaboration with and support of existing genealogical societies, rather than competing with them.