THE TIES FOUNDATION — WEBSITE PRIVACY POLICY
Last Updated: April 24, 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
The Ties Foundation ("we," "us," or "our") is a nonprofit organization incorporated in the State of Colorado, organized exclusively for charitable purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. We are committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, integrity, and security of personal information entrusted to us by our donors, grant applicants, grant recipients, event participants, volunteers, newsletter subscribers, and all visitors to our website. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, make a donation, apply for or receive a grant, register for an event, subscribe to our communications, or otherwise interact with us online.
By using our website, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this policy, please do not access or use our website.
2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect information in two ways: information you voluntarily provide to us, and information collected automatically when you visit our website.
2.1 Information You Provide
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of personal information that you voluntarily submit:
Donors: Name, mailing address, email address, phone number, payment and billing information (credit card number, expiration date, billing address), donation amount, donation frequency, employer (for matching gift purposes), and any other information you choose to provide when making a contribution.
Grant Applicants and Recipients: Name, mailing address, email address, phone number, organizational affiliation, professional and employment information, financial information related to the grant application (such as budgets and financial statements), demographic information (such as age, race, ethnicity, and gender identity where voluntarily provided), program descriptions, and any other information submitted as part of the grant application or reporting process.
Event Registrants: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address, dietary restrictions or accessibility needs, emergency contact information, and payment information for paid events.
Newsletter Subscribers: Name and email address.
General Inquiries: Name, email address, phone number, and the content of any message you send us through our website contact forms.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies. This may include:
Internet Protocol (IP) address
Browser type and version
Operating system
Referring website or URL
Pages viewed on our website and time spent on those pages
Date and time of your visit
Click patterns and navigation behavior
Device type and screen resolution
We use the following analytics and tracking services:
Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit our site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to coming to our site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect this information. The information generated is transmitted to and stored by Google. For more information on how Google uses data when you use our website, visit google.com/policies/privacy/partners. You may opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on, available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Squarespace Analytics: Our website is hosted on Squarespace, which collects analytics data as part of its platform. This includes page views, unique visitors, traffic sources, and general geographic information. For more information, please review the Squarespace Privacy Policy at squarespace.com/privacy.
Additional Tracking Technologies: We may from time to time use additional analytics or marketing tools to better understand our audience and improve our communications. If we add new tracking technologies, we will update this Privacy Policy accordingly.
3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
Processing and acknowledging donations, and providing tax receipts as required by law.
Evaluating, processing, and administering grant applications and awards, including due diligence, reporting, and compliance activities.
Registering participants for events, programs, and activities, and communicating logistics related to those events.
Sending newsletters, updates, appeals, and other communications about our mission, programs, and impact (you may opt out of these communications at any time; see Section 8).
Responding to your inquiries, requests, and feedback.
Improving our website, programs, services, and communications based on analytics and user behavior data.
Complying with legal obligations, including tax reporting, audit requirements, and responding to lawful requests from governmental authorities.
Protecting our rights, privacy, safety, or property, and that of our constituents, donors, and the public.
Conducting internal research and analysis to further our charitable mission.
4. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
We are committed to safeguarding the personal information entrusted to us. We do not sell, rent, trade, or otherwise make available your personal information to any unaffiliated third party for their own marketing purposes.
We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
Service Providers: We share information with trusted third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, email delivery, website hosting, data analytics, and event management. These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes of providing services to us and to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security measures.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, or in response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of The Ties Foundation, our constituents, or the public.
Grant-Related Disclosures: In connection with our grant-making activities, we may share aggregated, de-identified data about grant applicants or recipients for program evaluation, impact reporting, or compliance purposes. We do not share individually identifiable grant applicant or recipient information with external parties except as required by law or with the individual's consent.
Organizational Transitions: In the unlikely event that The Ties Foundation merges with or transfers its assets to another nonprofit organization, your information may be transferred to the successor organization, which will be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy.
With Your Consent: We may share your information in other circumstances with your explicit consent.
5. DONOR PRIVACY
The Ties Foundation respects the privacy of our donors. We adhere to the following donor privacy principles:
We will not sell, share, trade, or rent donor names, email addresses, or other personal information to any third party for their own purposes, nor will we send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations.
We will collect and use donor information only for purposes related to our charitable mission, including processing donations, issuing tax receipts, communicating about our work, and soliciting future support.
We will provide donors with the opportunity to opt out of communications at any time.
We will honor requests from donors who wish to remain anonymous in connection with their gifts.
We will maintain the confidentiality of all donor records, and access to donor information within our organization will be limited to personnel with a legitimate need.
6. GRANT APPLICANT AND RECIPIENT PRIVACY
The Ties Foundation is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of information submitted by grant applicants and recipients. All nonpublic information provided as part of a grant application or grant reporting process will be treated as confidential, unless otherwise required by law.
Demographic information voluntarily provided by grant applicants (such as age, race, ethnicity, or gender identity) is collected solely for program evaluation and equity analysis purposes. Such data will only be reported in aggregate form and will never be disaggregated at the individual level or shared in a personally identifiable manner outside our organization.
7. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
Cookies are small data files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Essential Cookies: Necessary for the basic functionality of our website, such as maintaining your session and enabling secure areas of the site.
Analytics Cookies: Used to collect information about how visitors use our website, which helps us improve our site and user experience. Google Analytics and Squarespace analytics cookies fall into this category.
Preference Cookies: Used to remember your preferences and settings, such as language or region.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or alert you when a cookie is being set. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website.
Do Not Track Signals: Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" setting. Our website does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals, but we respect your ability to control cookies through your browser settings and the opt-out mechanisms described in this policy.
8. YOUR RIGHTS AND CHOICES
8.1 Communications Opt-Out
You may opt out of receiving promotional emails or newsletters from us at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email we send, or by contacting us at the address provided in Section 13. Please note that even if you opt out of promotional communications, we may still send you transactional messages related to your donations, grant applications, or event registrations.
8.2 Rights for California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). Although these laws primarily apply to for-profit businesses, The Ties Foundation voluntarily extends the following rights to California residents as a matter of best practice:
Right to Know: You may request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources from which that information was collected, the purpose for collecting the information, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
Right to Delete: You may request that we delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain legal exceptions (such as information required for tax reporting or compliance purposes).
Right to Correct: You may request that we correct inaccurate personal information we maintain about you.
Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 13. We will respond to verified requests within 45 days.
8.3 Rights for International Visitors (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with data protection laws similar to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may have additional rights regarding your personal data. The Ties Foundation voluntarily extends the following rights to international visitors:
Right of Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to Erasure: You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
Right to Restrict Processing: You may request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to Data Portability: You may request that we provide your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you may withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 13. We will respond to requests within 30 days.
Legal Basis for Processing: When processing the personal data of individuals in the EEA or UK, our legal bases include: (a) your consent; (b) the performance of a contract or steps taken at your request prior to entering into a contract; (c) compliance with a legal obligation; and (d) our legitimate interests in operating and improving our charitable programs, provided those interests are not overridden by your data protection rights.
International Data Transfers: If you are located outside the United States, please be aware that your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country. By providing your information, you consent to this transfer. We take reasonable steps to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
9. DATA SECURITY
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the personal information we collect from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. These measures include:
Encryption of sensitive data (such as payment information) during transmission using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS) technology
Restricted access to personal information by authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis
Regular review and update of our security practices
Use of reputable, PCI-compliant third-party payment processors for donation transactions
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.
10. DATA RETENTION
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, or as required by law. Specifically:
Donor records, including transaction history, are retained in accordance with IRS requirements and our internal record retention policies (generally a minimum of seven years for tax-related records).
Grant application and reporting records are retained for the duration of the grant period plus an additional period as required by law or our internal policies.
Event registration information is retained for the duration needed to manage the event and any follow-up communications, after which it is archived or deleted.
Newsletter subscriber information is retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
Analytics data collected through cookies and similar technologies is retained in accordance with the policies of the respective analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics).
When personal information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.
11. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13 (or under the age of 16 for children in the EEA/UK). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe we may have collected information from a child, please contact us at the address in Section 13.
12. THIRD-PARTY LINKS
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or platforms that are not operated or controlled by The Ties Foundation. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites.
13. CONTACT US
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your information is handled, please contact us:
The Ties Foundation
Email: info@thetiesfoundation.org
Mailing Address: 13918 E Mississippi Ave PMB 60608, Aurora, CO 80012
14. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy and post the revised policy on our website. If we make material changes, we will provide notice through our website or by other means as appropriate. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Your continued use of our website after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.