Privacy Policy

This page explains how the U.S. Agency for International Development will handle information we learn about you from your visit to our web site. The information we receive depends upon what you do when visiting our site.

If you visit our site to read or download information, such as country information or information about one of our projects:

We collect and store only the following information about you: the name of the domain from which you access the Internet (for example, aol.com, if you are connecting from an America Online account, or iowa.edu if you are connecting from the University of Iowa’s domain); the date and time you access our site, the Internet address of the web site from which you linked directly to our site; and what information you view while you visit our web site.

We use the information we collect to measure the number of visitors to the different sections of our site, find out what information is the most viewed, and to help us make our web site more useful to visitors.

The information gathered is used for two purposes: site management and, in the case of suspected unauthorized activity, for law enforcement and possible criminal prosecution.

If you identify yourself by sending us a comment using our contact page or an E-mail:

You also may decide to send us personally-identifying information, for example, in an electronic mail message asking a question or providing us with a comment or suggestion. We use personally-identifying information to respond to your comment or suggestion, and to count the number of people sending us comments. In certain instances, your comment or suggestion may be forwarded to other U.S. government agencies or departments if they are in the best position to respond to your message.

We want to be very clear: We will not obtain personally-identifying information about you when you visit our site, unless you choose to provide such information to us. We maintain the information we collect in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, where applicable.

Cookies and other information stored on your computer

In general, this site does NOT use the “cookies” that some Web sites use to gather and store information about your visits to their sites.

Cookies are essentially tokens of information, such as preferences and passwords, which some Web servers collect from you when you access them. That data is stored on your hard drive-not on the Web site’s server. Whenever you visit a “cookie” site, the server looks for its cookie on your hard drive and, if found, then reads the information it stored there. Cookies generally are stored in your browser’s directory or folder in a file named cookie.txt (MagicCookie on a Macintosh).

[However, you should be aware that on a limited number of pages, the USAID web site uses persistent “cookies” to only authenticate the identity of the user. You will also receive a specific notice about this “cookie” on the page BEFORE the “cookie” is used or “set.” USAID uses this technology in order to:

• maintain the integrity of the information presented; and
• authenticate the identity of the individual user.

USAID takes the safeguarding of any personally identifying information very seriously. Any information collected using the “cookies” associated with this section of the USAID web site will be used only in connection with the administration of this discussion group.

We collect this information only to authenticate your identity while you are these limited sections of the USAID web site. The “cookie” has no other function, and USAID will not share any information associated with this “cookie” with individuals not connected with the administration of this section of the USAID web site, or with anyone outside USAID.

Further, some of the links on the USAID web site point to non-USAID sites which may place cookies on your computer. You can expect to be notified that you are leaving the USAID site when you select one of these links. However, you should know that the non-USAID site may still place a cookie on your computer while you are reading the warning message.

If you want to avoid such cookies, we encourage you to set your browser to notify you when cookies are being set and allow you to reject them. Your system’s help files will explain how to do this.

Security Notice

For SITE SECURITY purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, this government computer system employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage.

Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this service are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act.

We generally will not obtain personally identifying information about you when you visit our site, unless you choose to provide such information to us.

If monitoring reveals evidence of possible criminal activity, such evidence may be provided to law enforcement personnel.

General Disclaimer

Information presented on this Web site is considered public information and may be distributed or copied freely unless identified as being subject to copyright protection. In return, we request only that USAID be cited as the source of any information, photos, and images copied from this site and that any photo credits or bylines be similarly credited to the photographer or author.

While we make every effort to provide accurate and complete information, some information may change between site updates. Substantive changes may be noted when content is next updated.

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The documents posted on this Web site may contain hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for visitors’ convenience. We do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any linked information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to Web sites other than a USAID-managed Web site is not intended to assign importance to those sites and the information contained therein, nor is it intended to endorse, recommend, or favor any views expressed, or commercial products or services offered on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites, by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise.

Reference in this Web site to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the site’s visitor’s, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or USAID.

The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government or the USAID, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Disclaimer of Liability

Every effort is made to provide accurate and complete information. However, with the thousands of documents available, often uploaded within short deadlines, we cannot guarantee that there will be no errors. We make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this Web site and expressly disclaim liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this Web site.

With respect to the content of this site, neither the United States Government, nor USAID, nor their employees and contractors make any warranty, expressed or implied or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, and the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to content available from this USAID Web site or other Internet resources linked from it. Additionally, neither the U.S. Government nor USAID assume any legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or process disclosed herein nor freedom from computer virus, and do not represent that use of such information, product, or process would not infringe on privately owned rights.

Links to this Web Site or Its Contents

You may freely link to this Web site or any of its content. We ask only that you identify that the link is to an Internet resource.

Links to Other Sites

Our Web site has links to other United States Government agencies and to private organizations, who we believe are relevant to our agency’s mission. Once you link to another site, you are subject to the disclaimers and security and privacy policies of the new site.

Copyright Notice

Unless a copyright is indicated, information on this Web site is in the public domain and may be reproduced, published or otherwise used without USAID’s permission. We request that USAID be cited as the source of the information and that any photo credits or bylines be similarly credited to the photographer or author or USAID, as appropriate.

If a copyright is indicated on a photo, graphic, or any other material, permission to copy these materials must be obtained from the original source.

This copyright notice does not pertain to information at Web sites other than this Web site.

Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

Unauthorized attempts to upload information and/or change information on this Web site is strictly prohibited and is subject to prosecution under Title 18 U.S.C., Sections 1001 and 1030). [See Security Notice]

Site Management

The USAID Urban Programs Team manages the overall information content, design, and, organization of this Web site and coordinates release of USAID information on the Internet.

Verification or Hard Copy of Content

If you would like verification or a hard copy of information released on this USAID Web site, contact our staff:

U.S. Agency for International Development
Urban Programs Team
Washington, D.C. 20523-1000
Phone: 202-712-0224
Fax: 202-216-3714

For More Information

If you have any questions or comments about the information presented here, please contact USAID at the address or phone or fax numbers listed above or E-mail: urbancomms@trg-inc.com.