How to Vote

The voting process is simple, interactive and fun. It's our goal to be as inclusive as possible because it's your job to pick the projects that best deserve the time, attention, and funding that this Challenge can offer.

General Rules and Guidelines:

• You must Register and Login to the NetSquared site to participate in the Vote (please check your junk mail folder if you do not see a registration email confirmation)
• Each registered user has one (1) ballot
• You must vote for at least three (3) Projects and no more than five (5)
• All votes are weighted equally (in other words, your first choice and fifth choice have equal value)
• You can only vote for each Project once, yes that includes your own
• You must review and cast your ballot for your vote to count (details below)

Sorting Projects

Here's a quick overview of the features we've developed to help organize Projects based on Community engagement and interest. You can sort by:

• Stars
• Comments
• Date Submitted
• Project Name
• Tag Cloud - The "Tag Cloud" at the top of the USAID Project Gallery was designed to illustrate the cause areas with the greatest number of submissions. The bigger the font, the larger the number of Projects submitted in that cause area

Adding Projects to Your Ballot

1. Register and Login
2. Go to the USAID Project Gallery
3. Sort through Projects (Cause Area Tag Cloud, date submitted, # of comments or # of stars) to find those that interest you
4. Click on a specific Project to add to your ballot
5. Click on either the "Vote for My Project" icon or the "Add Project to Your Ballot" link on the top of each profile
6. To view and add more Projects to your ballot, click on the link to "Return to the USAID Project Gallery
7. Sort though Projects, click on profiles, add to your ballot, repeat

Editing Your Ballot

1. To view or edit your ballot at any time click on the ballot icon in the upper right hand corner of the screen
2. To Remove a Project from your ballot, either click on the ballot icon or the specific Project link and select "Remove Project from Your Ballot"

Reviewing and Casting your Ballot

1. Once you have chosen the Projects you want to vote for, please review your selections by clicking on the ballot Icon or the "View / Cast Ballot" link
2. Review and hit "Cast Ballot" at the bottom followed by a FINAL "Submit Ballot"

Thanks for your time and thoughtful contribution to the 2008 USAID Development 2.0 Challenge! Votes will be tallied by the NetSquared Team and verified for accuracy. The top fifteen (15) Featured Projects will be announced on December 15, 2008 on the NetSquared.org site.

Key Dates

• December 8, 2008 - Community Voting Begins at 9:00am Pacific Time
• December 12, 2008 - Community Voting Closes at 5:00pm Pacific Time
• December 15, 2008 - Fifteen USAID Featured Projects Announced on NetSquared.org Site
• January 15, 2009 - Top 3 Winners Announced after an additional Panel selection

Questions, thoughts, concerns: usaidchallenge@techsoup.org