Privacy Policy
How HCPA handles information through its website, membership, directory, events, sponsorship, donation, and ecommerce services.
1. Scope
This Privacy Policy applies to Houston Caribbean Professionals Association (HCPA) and the website at hcpassoc.org, including public pages, membership and business directories, applications, events, sponsorship inquiries, donations, online purchases, account features, contact forms, and other services operated through the website.
This policy describes HCPA's general practices. A particular form, event, membership, or transaction may include a separate notice or terms that explain additional practices.
2. Information We May Collect
The information collected depends on how you use the website and the features you choose. HCPA may collect:
- Identity and contact information: Name, email address, telephone number, mailing or billing address, organization, title, and similar contact details.
- Membership information: Membership level, application responses, professional or business information, Caribbean connection or heritage information voluntarily supplied by the applicant, interests, directory preferences, membership dates, and renewal status. HCPA treats Caribbean-connection or heritage information as potentially sensitive and does not display it publicly unless the individual specifically authorizes that publication.
- Directory and profile information: Profile or business details, logo, photograph, biography, services, links, and other information you choose or authorize HCPA to publish.
- Event, sponsorship, volunteer, education, and community-program information: Information submitted in connection with registrations, applications, inquiries, uploads, or participation.
- Order and payment information: Products or services purchased, donation or membership amount, billing details, order history, payment status, refund information, and transaction identifiers. Payment credentials are processed by the applicable payment provider; HCPA may receive transaction confirmations, payment status, limited payment-method details, and identifiers needed for accounting, support, or an authorized refund.
- Communications: Messages, contact-form submissions, customer-service requests, and correspondence with HCPA.
- Technical and usage information: IP address, browser and device information, pages visited, session information, security logs, and cookie or similar-technology data.
Information may come directly from you, from your use of HCPA's website or services, and from service providers that help HCPA operate those services.
3. How We Use Information
HCPA may use information to:
- Operate, secure, maintain, and improve the website and user experience.
- Process membership applications and renewals, administer directory access, and provide member services.
- Process orders, donations, event transactions, sponsorship activity, and authorized refunds, and maintain associated records.
- Provide requested services and respond to inquiries.
- Send transactional, administrative, and other communications that are permitted by law and consistent with your choices.
- Manage events, community programs, education initiatives, directories, sponsorship recognition, and other HCPA activities.
- Prevent fraud, abuse, unauthorized access, spam, and other security threats.
- Maintain records for accounting, tax, legal, organizational, and compliance purposes.
- Use analytics or preference technologies in accordance with applicable law and your cookie choices.
HCPA will provide additional notice before using information for a materially different purpose where required by law.
4. When Information May Be Shared
HCPA may disclose information to service providers that perform services for HCPA, such as website hosting, email delivery, payment processing, ecommerce, analytics, security, and event or registration services. HCPA may also disclose information when required by law, to protect rights or safety, or as part of an organizational restructuring or transfer of website operations.
Information submitted for a member, business, sponsor, leadership, event, or community listing will be displayed publicly only to the extent you authorize or the applicable feature makes clear. Private member-directory information remains subject to the access controls and choices applicable to that directory.
HCPA does not sell personal information for monetary consideration and does not use personal information collected through the HCPA website for cross-context behavioral advertising. HCPA uses service providers to operate its website and services. If HCPA later introduces a data practice that creates additional sale, sharing, targeted-advertising, or opt-out obligations under applicable law, HCPA will update this policy and the related privacy controls before relying on that practice.
5. Ecommerce and Payment Processing
When you place an order, pay membership dues, make a donation, purchase an event item, or complete another paid transaction, HCPA and its ecommerce and payment providers process information needed to complete and document that transaction. Payment providers may apply their own privacy notices and security practices.
HCPA's website does not intentionally store complete payment-card numbers or card security codes. The applicable payment provider may return transaction confirmations, payment status, limited payment-method details, and identifiers needed for accounting, support, or an authorized refund.
6. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Necessary cookies support core functions such as login sessions, security, account access, shopping carts, checkout, and remembering privacy choices. Optional functional, analytics, and marketing technologies may be controlled through the HCPA cookie preference center, where applicable. See the Cookie Policy or use the Cookie Settings control to review your choices.
The categories described in the Cookie Policy are intended to correspond to technologies actually deployed on the website. A preference control does not by itself make a technology optional or confirm that a particular technology has been disabled.
7. Retention
HCPA retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including membership and organizational administration, transaction and accounting records, legal obligations, dispute resolution, fraud prevention, and enforcement of agreements.
- Membership and application records: retained during the application and membership lifecycle and afterward as reasonably needed for membership history, eligibility, dispute resolution, legal obligations, and organizational records.
- Directory and profile information: retained while the applicable listing or profile is active and thereafter only as reasonably needed for recordkeeping, backups, dispute resolution, or legal obligations.
- Transaction and donation records: retained as reasonably needed for accounting, tax, payment, audit, fraud-prevention, and legal requirements.
- Communications: retained while needed to respond, provide services, document decisions, or meet legal and organizational requirements.
- Technical and security logs: retained for a limited period appropriate to security, troubleshooting, fraud prevention, and system administration needs.
8. Security
HCPA uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information handled. No website, network, or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users should protect their passwords and devices. HCPA's security practices are intended to be appropriate to the nature of the information it holds.
9. Privacy Choices and Requests
Depending on applicable law and the circumstances, you may have rights to request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information, or to opt out of certain processing. Some laws may provide additional rights, including rights relating to targeted advertising, sale of personal information, profiling, or sensitive personal information.
To submit a privacy request or ask a question, contact HCPA at hcpassoc@gmail.com. HCPA may need to verify a request where permitted or required by law. HCPA may retain information when reasonably necessary for legal, accounting, security, membership-history, transaction, or other permitted purposes.
If applicable law gives you a right to appeal a denied privacy request, you may appeal by replying to HCPA's decision or emailing hcpassoc@gmail.com with the subject Privacy Appeal. HCPA will review the appeal and respond as required by applicable law.
10. Children
This website is not directed to children under 13, and HCPA does not knowingly seek to collect personal information online from children under 13 without appropriate authorization. If you believe information from a child under 13 has been submitted improperly, contact HCPA so the matter can be reviewed.
11. Third-Party Websites and Services
The website may link to or integrate third-party services. HCPA is not responsible for the independent privacy, security, availability, or content practices of third parties. Review the applicable third party's policies before providing information to that service.
12. Changes to This Policy
HCPA may update this policy as website functions, service providers, legal requirements, or organizational practices change. The effective date at the top identifies the current version. HCPA will provide additional notice of a material change when required by law.
13. Contact
Questions about this Privacy Policy or HCPA's information practices may be sent to:
Houston Caribbean Professionals Association (HCPA)
Email: hcpassoc@gmail.com
Terms of Use & Ecommerce Terms
Rules governing access to and use of the HCPA website, accounts, directories, submissions, memberships, transactions, and other online services.
1. Acceptance of Terms
These Terms apply to use of the HCPA website and online services. By clicking an "I agree" button, creating an account where acceptance is requested, completing a transaction after being shown these Terms, or otherwise affirmatively accepting them, you agree to the applicable Terms. Simply visiting a page does not, by itself, constitute affirmative acceptance of these Terms.
A service or transaction may have additional terms. If those terms conflict with these Terms, the transaction-specific terms govern that service or transaction to the extent of the conflict. If you do not agree to applicable terms, do not accept or use the relevant service.
2. Website Purpose
The website supports the programs, membership, professional networking, community initiatives, education, directories, events, sponsorships, donations, ecommerce, and communications of Houston Caribbean Professionals Association (HCPA). Content is provided for organizational and informational purposes and may change.
3. Accounts and Credentials
You are responsible for providing accurate information, maintaining the confidentiality of your credentials, and promptly notifying HCPA of suspected unauthorized use. You may not impersonate another person, misrepresent authority to act for an organization, or attempt to obtain access to restricted website areas.
4. Acceptable Use and Restrictions
You may not use the website to:
- Violate law, regulation, contract, intellectual-property rights, privacy rights, or the rights of others.
- Submit false, fraudulent, deceptive, defamatory, unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, or malicious content.
- Probe, scan, bypass, interfere with, damage, overload, reverse engineer, or gain unauthorized access to the website, accounts, databases, payment systems, or security controls.
- Introduce malware, automated abuse, scraping, spam, or other harmful code or activity.
- Copy, republish, commercialize, or exploit HCPA website content, branding, databases, or member information without authorization.
- Harvest member, directory, sponsor, donor, applicant, or visitor information for unsolicited marketing, profiling, resale, or other unauthorized purposes.
5. Membership, Applications, and Approvals
Submission of a membership application, sponsorship inquiry, directory listing, event request, or other application does not guarantee approval. HCPA may review, approve, deny, request changes to, suspend, or remove submissions and access according to applicable HCPA criteria, policies, eligibility requirements, and organizational decisions.
Any payment made with an application or request remains subject to the Refund & Cancellation Policy and any terms disclosed for that specific transaction.
6. Directory, Sponsor, and User-Submitted Content
You represent that you have the right to submit any text, image, logo, photograph, link, or other material you provide. When you specifically authorize content for publication, you grant HCPA a non-exclusive right to host, reproduce, resize, format, display, and distribute that content as reasonably necessary to operate the applicable website feature or provide agreed recognition.
HCPA may remove or decline content that is inaccurate, inappropriate, unauthorized, outdated, technically unsuitable, or inconsistent with HCPA requirements. To request a change to or removal of directory information, contact hcpassoc@gmail.com.
7. Orders, Pricing, and Ecommerce
Prices, availability, benefits, eligibility, and transaction terms may change before an order is completed. HCPA may correct errors or reject or cancel a transaction that cannot be fulfilled, subject to applicable law and any refund due. HCPA may request additional information when reasonably needed to verify or complete a transaction.
A payment confirmation does not override eligibility or approval requirements that apply to a membership, sponsorship, directory listing, program, or other request.
8. Automatic Renewals and Cancellations
HCPA does not currently provide automatic membership renewals through this website. Membership renewals require a separate affirmative renewal and payment action by the member.
If HCPA later introduces an automatic-renewal offering, the offer and checkout will disclose the renewal interval, amount or method for determining the amount charged, term, cancellation method, and any notices or reminders required by applicable law before automatic renewal is activated.
Your cancellation or nonrenewal does not eliminate payment obligations already incurred, except where applicable law or the applicable transaction terms provide otherwise.
9. Refunds
Payments are subject to the Refund & Cancellation Policy. Unless HCPA expressly states otherwise for a particular transaction or applicable law requires otherwise, payments are final. If HCPA denies an application or request after collecting payment for it, the associated payment will be refunded as described in that policy.
Nothing in these Terms eliminates rights that cannot lawfully be waived.
10. Events and Third-Party Services
Events, payment processors, ticketing services, social platforms, video services, maps, email services, and other third-party integrations may have their own terms and privacy practices. HCPA is not responsible for a third party's independent service, content, availability, or acts. Event schedules, speakers, venues, benefits, and programming may change.
11. Intellectual Property
Unless otherwise indicated, HCPA names, logos, branding, website design elements, original text, graphics, and other HCPA-created materials are owned by or licensed to HCPA and may not be used in a manner that suggests endorsement, affiliation, sponsorship, or authorization without permission.
12. No Professional Advice
Website content is provided for general informational and organizational purposes. It is not legal, tax, accounting, financial, medical, employment, or other professional advice. Users should obtain appropriate professional advice for their circumstances.
13. Availability and Disclaimer
HCPA works to keep the website accurate and available but does not guarantee uninterrupted access, error-free operation, complete accuracy, or compatibility with every device or service. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the website and its content are provided on an "as available" basis.
14. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, HCPA and its officers, directors, volunteers, and representatives will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages arising from use of or inability to use the website or third-party services.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability, remedies, or rights that cannot lawfully be excluded, limited, or waived.
15. Suspension and Termination
HCPA may restrict or terminate website or account access when reasonably necessary to protect the website, users, HCPA, or third parties; enforce these Terms; respond to suspected misuse; or administer membership and organizational requirements.
16. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where applicable law requires otherwise.
17. Changes
HCPA may update these Terms as website functions, services, or requirements change. HCPA will provide notice of material changes and obtain renewed acceptance where required by law or appropriate to the change. Continued use alone will not constitute acceptance where affirmative assent is required.
18. Contact
Questions about these Terms may be sent to hcpassoc@gmail.com.
Cookie Policy
What cookies are, why HCPA uses them, and how you can control optional cookie categories.
1. What Is a Cookie?
A cookie is a small piece of information saved by your browser so a website can recognize your browser or device during a session or on a later visit. Cookies and similar technologies can support navigation, login sessions, shopping carts, security, preferences, analytics, and other website functions.
2. Why Cookies Matter to Your Experience
Some website features may not work reliably without certain cookies. For example, an ecommerce site may need session information to remember what is in a shopping cart and maintain checkout continuity. Login and security cookies may help maintain an authenticated session. Preference cookies may remember choices. Optional analytics may help HCPA understand how visitors use the website.
3. Cookie Categories
Strictly Necessary
Technologies needed for core functions such as security, login sessions, account access, shopping carts, checkout, fraud prevention, and remembering a privacy preference. These may remain enabled where they are genuinely necessary for a requested website function or otherwise permitted by law.
Functional
Technologies that remember optional preferences or enable enhanced features that are not strictly required for the basic site to function.
Analytics
Technologies used to measure website use, page performance, navigation patterns, or other usage information so the website can be improved.
Marketing
Technologies that may support campaign measurement, social-media advertising, or other promotional tracking when those services are used.
Optional categories describe capabilities supported by HCPA's consent system. A category should be enabled only when the corresponding technology is actually used on the live website. The developer settings for this plugin should be updated if HCPA adds or removes optional analytics, advertising, social-media, or preference technologies.
4. WooCommerce and Essential Ecommerce Cookies
WooCommerce and related ecommerce functions may use session, cart, checkout, account, and security cookies. Disabling cookies through your browser may prevent the cart, checkout, account, or payment workflow from functioning correctly.
5. Your Choices
On your first visit, the HCPA cookie preference center allows you to accept all categories, continue with strictly necessary cookies only, or choose optional categories individually. You can reopen your choices at any time using Cookie Settings.
The site remembers your choice for up to 180 days unless you delete your browser data, use another browser or device, or the consent configuration changes.
Where applicable law requires consent or recognition of an opt-out preference signal for a particular technology, HCPA's implementation is designed to honor that requirement. When a browser exposes the Global Privacy Control signal, this plugin prevents the marketing category from being enabled through its cookie preference center.
6. Browser Controls
Most browsers let you delete or block cookies. Browser-level blocking may override website preferences and may cause login, cart, checkout, account, or other features to stop working as intended.
7. Third-Party Technologies
Some website features may be provided by third parties, such as payment processors, video or social platforms, analytics services, maps, ticketing services, or other integrations. Those providers may use their own cookies or similar technologies, subject to their own policies and technical controls.
8. Changes
HCPA may update this Cookie Policy as website technology, service providers, or legal requirements change. A material change to the consent configuration may cause the preference center to appear again.
Refund & Cancellation Policy
HCPA payment policy for memberships, sponsorships, donations, events, ecommerce, directory-related payments, and other online transactions.
General Rule: Payments Are Final
Unless HCPA expressly states otherwise for a particular transaction or applicable law requires otherwise, payments made to HCPA through the website are final and non-refundable.
Denied Application or Request Exception
If HCPA collects payment for an application, membership, sponsorship, business or directory listing, program participation, entity request, or another request that HCPA later denies, HCPA will refund the payment associated with the denied request. The refund will normally be returned through the original payment method when technically available. Processing and posting times are controlled in part by the applicable bank, card network, or payment provider.
Memberships and Renewals
Membership payments and renewal payments are final after approval or activation, subject to the terms disclosed for the membership and applicable law. A payment collected with an application that HCPA subsequently denies is refundable under the denied-request exception above.
HCPA does not currently provide automatic membership renewals through this website. Membership renewals require a separate affirmative renewal and payment action.
Sponsorships
Confirmed sponsorship commitments and payments are final once accepted by HCPA, unless the written sponsorship agreement expressly provides otherwise. If HCPA collects payment for a sponsorship request and then denies that request before acceptance, the payment is refundable under the denied-request exception.
Donations
Donations are generally final and non-refundable. Contact HCPA promptly if you believe a transaction was processed in error, duplicated, or unauthorized so the matter can be reviewed. HCPA does not make any representation here about the tax deductibility of a donation. Nothing in this policy limits rights that cannot lawfully be waived.
Events, Merchandise, and Other Purchases
Event payments, merchandise purchases, and other website transactions are final unless the specific event, product, written agreement, or applicable law provides a different rule. HCPA may publish transaction-specific terms when necessary.
How to Request Review
To request review of a transaction, contact hcpassoc@gmail.com and include the purchaser name, email address, order or transaction number, payment date, and reason for the request. Do not email complete payment-card numbers or security codes.
Ecommerce & Checkout Privacy Notice
How HCPA handles personal and transaction information when you use its ecommerce, membership, donation, and payment functions.
Information Used at Checkout
When you use HCPA ecommerce functions, the website may collect your name, contact information, billing details, account information, order contents, transaction status, and information needed to provide the purchased service or maintain required records.
Payment Providers
Payment credentials are processed by the applicable payment provider. HCPA may receive transaction confirmations, payment status, limited payment-method details, and identifiers needed for accounting, support, or an authorized refund.
HCPA's website does not intentionally store complete payment-card numbers or card security codes.
Essential Ecommerce Cookies
Shopping-cart, checkout, security, account, and session cookies may be needed to keep items in your cart, identify your session, process checkout, prevent fraud, and maintain account functionality. Blocking cookies through your browser may impair ecommerce functions. The website's cookie preference center distinguishes necessary technologies from optional technologies under HCPA's consent controls.
Records and Communications
HCPA may retain orders, payment status, membership or donation records, invoices, receipts, refunds, and associated communications as reasonably needed for operations, accounting, legal obligations, security, and dispute resolution. See the Privacy Policy for HCPA's retention criteria.
Questions
Questions about transaction privacy may be sent to hcpassoc@gmail.com.
