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Privacy

Effective Date: 01/01/26

The Genesis Foundation for Children (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who interact with our organization, including donors, volunteers, event participants, supporters, website visitors, and members of our community.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we collect and use it, when we may share it, how we protect it, and how you can contact us with privacy-related questions.

  1. Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following types of personal information:

  • Contact information, such as your name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number.
  • Donation and payment information, such as donation amount, billing information, and payment details. Payment card information may be processed directly by our third-party payment processor.
  • Event and registration information, such as your name, contact information, organization or affiliation, dietary or accessibility requests, and other information you provide when registering for an event.
  • Volunteer information, such as your name, contact information, availability, interests, skills, and other information you provide when volunteering.
  • Communication preferences, including whether you wish to receive emails, text messages, newsletters, or other communications from us.
  • Website and technical information, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and general website usage information.
  • Other information you voluntarily provide, such as information submitted through contact forms, surveys, applications, or other interactions with our organization.

We generally do not collect sensitive personal information unless it is necessary for a specific program, service, event, or other legitimate organizational purpose.

  1. How We Collect Personal Information

We may collect personal information directly from you when you:

  • Make a donation through our website or another donation platform.
  • Register for or attend an event.
  • Sign up for our newsletter or email communications.
  • Opt in to receive SMS/text messages.
  • Volunteer with our organization.
  • Complete a form, survey, application, or other online or paper form.
  • Contact us by email, telephone, mail, or through our website.
  • Participate in one of our programs or activities.
  • Otherwise voluntarily provide information to us.

We may also automatically collect certain technical information when you visit our website through cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies.

  1. How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information for legitimate nonprofit and organizational purposes, including to:

  • Process and acknowledge donations.
  • Provide receipts and other donation-related communications.
  • Register participants for events and programs.
  • Coordinate volunteers.
  • Send newsletters, updates, announcements, and other communications you have requested or that we believe may be relevant to your relationship with our organization.
  • Send SMS/text messages when you have opted in to receive them.
  • Respond to questions, requests, and inquiries.
  • Operate, maintain, and improve our website, programs, and services.
  • Conduct internal administrative, accounting, fundraising, and reporting activities.
  • Maintain appropriate records.
  • Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations.
  • Protect the security and integrity of our organization, website, systems, and users.

We do not sell your personal information.

  1. Sharing of Personal Information

We may share personal information with third parties when reasonably necessary to operate our organization and provide services to you.

For example, we may share information with:

  • Payment processors that process donations and payments on our behalf.
  • Email and communication service providers that help us send newsletters and other communications.
  • Event registration and management providers that help us administer events.
  • Technology, hosting, website, analytics, and security providers that support our operations.
  • Professional service providers, such as accountants, auditors, attorneys, or consultants, when appropriate.
  • Government authorities or other parties when required by law, legal process, or to protect our rights, safety, property, or the rights and safety of others.

These service providers generally receive only the information that is reasonably necessary to perform services on our behalf.

We do not sell, rent, or otherwise provide personal information to third parties for their independent marketing purposes.

  1. Donations and Payment Information

When you make a donation online, your payment may be processed through a third-party payment processor. We may receive information such as your name, contact information, donation amount, and transaction details, but payment card information may be collected and processed directly by the payment processor.  We do not retain credit/debit card information following the specific transaction or event for which it has been submitted.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party payment or donation platform you use.

  1. Email and Text Communications

If you subscribe to our email communications, we may use your email address to send newsletters, updates, fundraising communications, event information, and other messages related to our organization.

You may unsubscribe from marketing or informational emails by using the unsubscribe mechanism included in the email or by contacting us.

If you voluntarily opt in to receive SMS/text messages from us, we may use your telephone number to send the types of messages described at the time of opt-in. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out of text messages at any time by following the instructions provided in the messages, such as replying STOP.

We do not sell or share SMS/text messaging opt-in information with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

  1. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, remember preferences, understand website usage, and improve our online services.

We may use third-party analytics services to help us understand how visitors use our website. These services may collect information such as IP address, device type, browser type, pages visited, and referring websites.

You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

  1. How We Store and Protect Personal Information

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Depending on the information and circumstances, safeguards may include access controls, password protections, secure service providers, encryption or other security technologies, and limiting access to personal information to individuals who have a legitimate need to access it.

However, no method of transmitting or storing information electronically can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

  1. How Long We Keep Personal Information

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, maintain appropriate organizational and financial records, comply with legal and regulatory obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

The length of time we retain information may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

  1. Your Choices

Depending on applicable law and the nature of our relationship with you, you may have choices regarding your personal information.

You may:

  • Unsubscribe from email communications.
  • Opt out of SMS/text messages.
  • Contact us to request updates or corrections to certain personal information.
  • Ask questions about how we collect or use your information.

To make a privacy-related request, please contact us using the information below.

  1. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of eighteen without appropriate consent, where required by law.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us inappropriately, please contact us so that we can evaluate and address the situation.

  1. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of those websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party websites before providing them with personal information.

  1. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or organizational activities.

When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the most current information.

  1. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

The Genesis Foundation for Children
60 Temple Place, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Email: office@thegenfound.org
Phone: (617) 367-7070

Last Updated: 10/06/26

 

Donor Bill of Rights

The Genesis Foundation for Children takes great pride in its responsible fundraising practices. This Donor’s Bill of Rights is provided for current and future donors to ensure that we understand your expectations and to uphold your confidence in our organization.

The Donor Bill of Rights was created by the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel, Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education as well as being endorsed by a number of other organizations.

The Genesis Foundation embraces this Donor Bill of Rights and abides by its guidelines.

All Donors of The Genesis Foundation have the right:

I. To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.

II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.

IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

V. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.

VI. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.

IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.

X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.”