Our Commitment to Our Donors
We will not sell, share or trade our donors’ names or information with any third party, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations. 

​

Introduction
Step Forward recognizes the importance of privacy to website visitors. As such, we want you to be familiar with how we collect, use, and disclose information relating to you, your computer, or your device.  The Privacy Policy describes our practices with information that we collect from a user through our website.  The Privacy Policy only addresses information collected directly through or from our website. 

1.    Collection of Information from Users
When you interact with us through the website, we may collect information from you as described below.  

a.    Information Automatically Collected 
As you navigate the website, certain information may be automatically collected. It is gathered automatically without you actively providing it.  This information may include:
•    Internet protocol (“IP”) address of the individual computer (or proxy server) making the request;
•    Type of Internet browser or computer operating system you are using;
•    Date and time you accessed the website;
•    Pages visited on the website; and
•    Internet address of the website from which you may have linked to this website.

​

b.    Information Voluntarily Submitted
Some elements of the website may ask you to voluntarily submit information, such as by filling out on-line forms or submissions, requesting information, submitting questions or comments via email, registering for a subscription email, etc. The submission of this information may permit you to participate in a certain activity, such as newsletter subscriptions or donation processing.  For example, if you register for an account on the website, we may request personal information such as your name and contact information.  Also, if you make a donation using the website, we may collect your credit or debit card or other financial account information.  

​

c.    Sensitive Information 
Unless we specifically request it, we ask that you not send or otherwise disclose sensitive information such as:
•    Social security number;
•    Driver’s license number;
•    Medical information;
•    Financial account numbers (i.e. bank account numbers);
•    Credit card or debit card numbers; and
•    Personal identification numbers and passwords.

​

d.    Information About Minors 
The website is not intended for persons under the age of 18.  We do not knowingly collect information on-line from persons in this age group.  We reserve the right to delete any information identified as having been provided by such persons at our discretion. 

​

e.    Cookies
Like many organizations, our website uses “cookies” to help make sure the website is meeting the needs of its users and to help us make improvements. A cookie is a small text file, not a program, which is saved on your computer when you visit a website. Cookies do not disclose your name or email address to a website. They can only tell a website if you have visited before and can pass short bits of information from the website back to itself the next time you visit. 

Our website uses cookies in the following ways:

•    To help you to conduct online transactions; 
•    To help process data submitted to us; 
•    To maintain your connection to our services; and/or 
•    To perform statistical analyses on website usage to understand how people are using the website and how we can improve it. 

If you disable cookies, you can still use our website, but your ability to use some areas or functions of the website may be limited.

​

2.    How We Use the Information We Collect 
We use information submitted by you or otherwise collected through the website and through other sources for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and as otherwise described to you at the point of collection. Generally, we use the information you provide to us for the reason for which it was provided. For example, if you sign up to receive email notifications, we will contact you by email.  If you provide us with information to make a donation, we will use the information to process your donation.  Specifically, we may use information from or about you:

i.    to respond to your inquiries and to send you information that you request and to process your donations;
ii.    to send you important information regarding our relationship with you or regarding the website, changes to our terms, conditions, and policies, and other administrative information;
iii.    to notify you about upcoming events and donations;
iv.    to promote our mission and initiatives, and the missions and initiatives of our affiliates; 
v.    for our business purposes, such as data analysis, audits, recordkeeping, developing new products or services, enhancing the website, improving our services, identifying website usage trends, optimizing your experience on the website, and determining the effectiveness of our fundraising campaigns;
vi.    if you choose to complete a survey, we may use the information for purposes of evaluating your feedback from the survey; and
vii.    if we intend to collect and use Personal Information for another purpose, we may seek your permission at the time the information is collected.

​

We may use information that does not personally identify you, your computer, or your device for any purpose.

​

3.    Our Disclosure of Your Information
Step Forward does not sell your information. We may share your information with third parties only as described in the Privacy Policy or as otherwise described at the point where we collect the information from you, including:

i.    to the companies or individuals that we hire to provide services to us, such as website hosting services, relationship management services, and payment processing; and
ii.    to a third party in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer, or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, or assets (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings).

​

4.    Use and Disclosure of Information to Comply with Laws 
In addition, we use and disclose information collected through the website as we believe to be necessary or appropriate: (i) under applicable law, including laws outside your country of residence; (ii) to comply with legal process; (iii) to respond to requests from public and government authorities, including public and government authorities outside your country of residence; (iv) to enforce our terms and conditions; (v) to protect our operations or those of any of our affiliates; (vi) to protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property, and/or that of our affiliates, you, or others; and (vii) to allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain.

​

5.    Links to Third Party Sites

The website may contain links to other websites for the convenience of users in locating information, products, or services that may be of interest. In providing these links, we do not endorse the content, products, services, or viewpoints of any external websites. If you access a third-party website from a link on this website, you are no longer on our website, and this Privacy Policy does not apply. Any information you disclose on that website is not subject to this Privacy Policy.  It is possible that these links may be used by third parties or others to collect personal or other information about you.  Step Forward is not responsible for the privacy practices of such websites, advertisers, or third parties or the content of such websites and it is your sole obligation to review and understand the privacy practices and policies of these other websites. 
   
6.    Security

Step Forward will take reasonable steps to protect the information collected and provided via the website from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.  However, you should understand that no transmission over the Internet is ever fully secure. As a result, we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant the security of any of your information. We will not be and are not liable for disclosures of your personal information due to errors in transmissions, networks that we do not control, or unauthorized acts of third parties.  Also, Step Forward uses reasonable efforts to ensure that the website is generally available.  However, there will be occasions when access to the website will be interrupted or unavailable.  Step Forward will use reasonable efforts to minimize such disruption where it is within its reasonable control.  You agree that Step Forward shall not be liable to you for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the website.
 
7.    Data Retention

We generally retain Personal Information for so long as it may be relevant for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer period of time is required by law.

​

8.    Right to Change Privacy Policy. 

Step Forward reserves the right at any time to modify, alter, or update this Privacy Policy.  Your use of the website following any changes means that you agree to follow and be bound by the Privacy Policy as changed, subject to limitations under applicable law.  Any change to this Privacy Policy shall be effective as to any user who has visited the website before the change was made.  Please review this policy periodically, and especially before you provide any information to us.  

​

9.    Contacting Us.

For questions about this website, please contact us at info@stepforwardtoday.org:

To contact us by mail:

Step Forward
1801 Superior Avenue, Suite 400
Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2107

Attention: Chief Operating/Chief Information Office

​

​