Refund and cancellation policy

1Who this policy covers

The Purpose One (THE PURPOSE ONE, Inc.) receives all payments for events run by its organisations, the Council for Global Affairs & Development (CGAD) and the Council for Leadership & Global Diplomacy (CLGD), and makes every decision on refunds and vouchers. In this policy, “we” and “us” mean The Purpose One, and “event” means any CGAD or CLGD forum, summit or programme.

It applies whether you register with us directly or through an authorised registration partner. It does not cover anything you buy from someone else, such as flights, hotels or visa services. CGAD and CLGD publish equivalent refund terms on thecgad.org and theclgd.org.

Nothing in this policy affects rights you have under the consumer law that applies to you.

2Key terms

• Application fee: the one-time fee to apply for a scholarship track (Fully Funded, Partially Funded or Funded Forum Access).
• Registration fee: the amount you pay for a place, which depends on the category.
• Self-funded place and access pass: categories in which you pay for your place yourself. Event pages may call the pass a Forum Access Pass or a Summit Access Pass.
• Credit Event Voucher (CEV): a digital credit you can put towards a future event, under section 6.

3The basic rules

• Application fees are final. They are required for the scholarship tracks and are not refunded or transferred, including if you are not selected.
• Completing registration confirms that you have read and accepted this policy.
• Changing your mind does not lead to a cash refund. Where you are eligible, we issue a CEV instead. The only cash refunds are for events we cancel (section 9).

4Rules for each category

Fully Funded and Partially Funded scholarships

• If you are not selected, the application fee is not refunded and cannot be transferred.
• Any amount a Partially Funded delegate pays themselves follows the voucher schedule in section 5.
• Travel reimbursement, where offered, is covered in section 10.

Self-funded places and access passes

• A place cannot be passed to another person unless we approve a name change (section 8).
• If you qualify under section 5, the refund comes as a CEV (section 6), not as cash.
• If your order included a visa invitation letter, its fee and any related taxes and charges are deducted before the voucher is worked out.

Visa invitation letters

• This is a separate documentation and processing service. Its fee is not refundable, whatever the outcome of your visa application (section 7). This includes instalment plans: any remaining instalments are still due.

5Cancelling a self-funded place or access pass

The value of your voucher depends on how long before the first day of the event your cancellation email reaches us.

Voucher amounts exclude visa invitation letter fees, taxes and non-refundable processing charges. Requests must reach us by email (section 12) before the cut-off that applies to you.

6Using a credit voucher

• A voucher is valid for 12 months from the day it is issued.
• Only the person who originally registered can use it. It cannot be given to someone else.
• It can be used for events run by the organisation that issued it: CGAD vouchers for CGAD events, CLGD vouchers for CLGD events.
• If your next event costs less than the voucher, the balance stays on the same voucher until it expires.
• A voucher has no cash value and cannot be exchanged for other services.
• Only one voucher can be used for each new registration.
• Keep your voucher code safe. Once it has been issued, we are not responsible if it is lost or misused.

7Visas and invitation letters

• The invitation letter fee pays for processing and paperwork, not for a visa. Only the embassy or consulate decides whether to grant one.
• Visa applications, appointments and travel arrangements are your responsibility, and so is the risk of a refusal.

8Name changes

• In exceptional cases we may allow one name change on a self-funded place or access pass, if you ask 45 days or more before the event.
• Approval is not guaranteed, may carry an administration fee, and must be confirmed by us in writing.

9If we change, postpone or cancel an event

• A change of venue, speakers or format does not give a right to a refund. Your place still stands.
• If we postpone an event, your registration moves to the new dates automatically. If you cannot attend on the new dates, you can ask for a CEV for the full amount you paid.
• If we cancel an event and do not set a new date within 90 days, you choose between a full cash refund (less any bank or currency charges we cannot recover) and a CEV for the full amount.

10Travel reimbursement for Fully Funded delegates

• Where a scholarship includes travel reimbursement, it is paid after the event, and only if you attended.
• We pay once we have your completed claim form, your bank details and proof of travel (tickets, boarding passes and receipts). Allow 4 to 8 weeks from the day we have all of these.
• Payment goes only to the delegate named in the award letter, in the currency originally paid, unless we tell you otherwise.

11Events outside our control

We are not responsible for disruption or cancellation caused by events outside our control, such as natural disasters, pandemics, strikes, changes in regulation or geopolitical events. Site visits and city tours depend on availability and approval and may change without notice.

12How to ask for a voucher or refund

Email programs@thepurposeone.org with the subject line “Refund/CEV request” followed by the event name. Please include:

• the full name and email address you registered with
• your order or invoice number
• the event name and dates
• your category (Fully Funded, Partially Funded, Self-Funded or Access Pass)
• your reason, with any supporting documents, for example a visa refusal letter

We aim to confirm that we have received your request within 3 to 5 working days, and to reach a decision within 10 working days. Complicated cases can take longer. Vouchers are sent by email. Approved cash refunds are paid back to the card or account you paid with.

13Chargebacks and disputes

If something has gone wrong with a payment, please contact us first. Registering for an event means you accept this policy, and we may contest chargebacks that go against it and recover the fees or losses they cause.

14Currency, taxes and charges

Prices are charged in the currency shown at checkout, which is US dollars. Bank fees, currency conversion costs and taxes are paid by the participant and are not refundable.

15Costs this policy does not cover

We are not responsible for costs you pay to third parties, such as travel, accommodation you book yourself or visa fees, whatever the reason for a change or cancellation.

16Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. The latest version is always on this page and applies from the date shown at the top.

17Your agreement

Applying or registering for an event confirms that you have read, understood and accepted this refund and cancellation policy.