Privacy Policy

Introduction

The New College Foundation, Inc. ("Foundation," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of all individuals who interact with our organization, including scholarship applicants, scholarship recipients, donors, program participants, website visitors, and members of the general public. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, protect, and disclose personal information in connection with our website (newcollegefoundation.org), our scholarship application portal, our donation processing systems, and our program administration activities.

By using our website or submitting information to the Foundation through any channel, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described herein, please do not use our website or submit personal information to us.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Submit a scholarship application (name, date of birth, mailing address, email address, phone number, academic transcripts, GPA, standardized test scores, personal essays, financial information including FAFSA data, community service records, and letters of recommendation)
• Make a charitable donation (name, email address, mailing address, donation amount, payment card information, employer matching gift forms, and any dedication or memorial messages)
• Register for a Foundation program (name, contact information, enrollment status, academic standing, and emergency contact details)
• Submit an inquiry through our contact form (name, email address, phone number, and the content of your message)
• Subscribe to our newsletter or event invitations (email address and name)

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, our server may automatically record certain technical information, including your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URL, pages viewed, date and time of access, and session duration. This information is collected through standard web server logs and is used solely for website performance monitoring and security purposes. We do not use this information to identify individual visitors or build behavioral profiles.

How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• Scholarship Administration: To evaluate scholarship applications, determine eligibility, make award decisions, process disbursements, monitor academic progress for renewal eligibility, and communicate with applicants and recipients about their awards.
• Donation Processing: To process charitable contributions, issue tax receipts, acknowledge gifts, facilitate corporate matching programs, and communicate with donors about the impact of their giving.
• Program Administration: To enroll participants in Foundation programs, coordinate logistics, track attendance and completion, evaluate program outcomes, and communicate program schedules and requirements.
• Communications: To respond to inquiries, send requested information, distribute newsletters and event invitations (only to those who have opted in), and provide updates about Foundation activities.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including IRS reporting requirements for charitable organizations, Florida charitable solicitation regulations, and data protection laws.

Information Sharing and Disclosure

The New College Foundation does not sell, rent, trade, or otherwise disclose your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share limited information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party service providers to assist with payment processing, email distribution, data hosting, and accounting services. These providers are contractually bound to use personal information only for the specific services they provide to us and are required to maintain appropriate security measures.
• Scholarship Review Committee: Scholarship application materials are reviewed by our independent Scholarship Review Committee. All committee members sign confidentiality agreements before accessing applicant files.
• Educational Institutions: Scholarship disbursements are transmitted to the financial aid office of the recipient's enrolled institution, accompanied by the minimum information necessary to process the payment (recipient name, award amount, and fund name).
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law, court order, regulatory mandate, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Foundation, our stakeholders, or the public.
• Aggregate Data: We may share anonymized, aggregate statistical data (such as the total number of scholarship recipients, average award amounts, or program completion rates) in our annual reports, grant applications, and public communications. Such data does not identify any individual.

Data Security

The Foundation implements reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction. Scholarship application data and donor records are stored in encrypted databases with role-based access controls. Payment card information is processed through PCI DSS-compliant third-party processors and is not stored on Foundation servers. Staff members with access to personal information complete annual data privacy training. While we strive to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

Scholarship application records are retained for a minimum of seven years following the conclusion of the award period to comply with IRS recordkeeping requirements and to support alumni tracking and program evaluation. Donor records are retained indefinitely for the purpose of maintaining accurate contribution histories and honoring gift restrictions and designations. Contact form submissions and general inquiries are retained for two years. You may request the deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting our office, subject to our legal obligations to retain certain records.

Your Rights Under CCPA and GDPR

If you are a resident of California, you have certain rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we have collected about you, the right to request deletion of your personal information, and the right to opt out of any sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information). If you are located in the European Economic Area, you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing of, and port your personal data.

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to our office at the address below. We will respond to verified requests within 45 days. Exercising your privacy rights will not affect your eligibility for Foundation scholarships or programs.

Children's Privacy

The Foundation does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 through our website. Scholarship applications from students under 18 must be submitted with the knowledge and consent of a parent or legal guardian. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or through a notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us About Privacy

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

New College Foundation, Inc.
Attn: Privacy Officer
1280 Magnolia Avenue, Suite 340
Sarasota, FL 34243
Phone: (941) 555-0276
Email: privacy@newcollegefoundation.org