Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 1, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how the Goldfinch Foundation (“GFF”) collects, uses, and protects the personal information of users located in the United States who access thegff.org (the “Site”). By using the Service, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.‍ ‍

GFF is a United States-based nonprofit organization founded in honor and memory of Owen Willers. The Site is intended solely for users within the United States. If you are located outside the United States, please do not use the Service.‍ ‍

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms of Use, which govern your access to and use of the Service. Defined terms not otherwise defined here carry the meanings assigned in the Terms of Use.‍‍ ‍

This Privacy Policy describes how GFF collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information obtained from users of the Site. This Policy applies to individuals located in the United States who access or use the Site, make donations, purchase merchandise, register for events, sign up for newsletters, participate in GFF programs, or otherwise interact with GFF through the Site.‍ ‍

By accessing or using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use the Site or provide personal information to GFF.‍ ‍

Donations to GFF are processed through Givebutter, a third-party platform located at givebutter.com. GFF encourages all donors to review Givebutter’s privacy policy, available at givebutter.com/privacy, for information about how Givebutter collects and handles your data.‍ ‍

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact GFF at hello@thegff.org.

1. Information We Collect‍

GFF collects personal information in three ways, as described below. ‍

(a) Information You Provide Directly. When you interact with GFF through the Site or related channels, you may voluntarily provide information, including:

  • (a) Donations: full name, email address, mailing address, city, state, and country (collected and processed through Givebutter at givebutter.com).

  • (b) Merchandise Purchases: name, shipping address, email address, and payment information.

  • (c) Event Registration and Ticket Purchases: name, email address, and, for youth events, age of the participant.

  • (d) Newsletter Signup: email address.

  • (e) Young adults Ambassador Program Applications: name, age, school, and parent or guardian contact information.

  • (f)  Speaker Booking Requests: name, organization, and contact information.

  • (g) General Contact Forms: any information you choose to submit through contact or inquiry forms on the Site.

(b) Information Collected Automatically. When you visit the Site, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies, including your IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit. The Site is built on and hosted by Squarespace, Inc. (“Squarespace”). Squarespace automatically collects certain information from visitors to sites hosted on its platform (“Site Usage Information”), including IP addresses, browser type and version, device identifiers, pages visited prior to arriving at the Site, timestamps, clicks, scrolling behavior, browsing times, referral pages, and load times. Squarespace may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect this information for functionality, performance, security, and analytics purposes. For more information about how Squarespace collects and uses this data, please review Squarespace’s Privacy Policy at squarespace.com/privacy and its Cookie Policy at squarespace.com/cookie-policy.‍ ‍

(c) Information from Third Parties. GFF may receive information about you from third-party services, including Givebutter (which processes donations on GFF’s behalf) and social media platforms such as Instagram (@thegff24), LinkedIn, and YouTube (@theGFF24), to the extent you interact with GFF through those platforms.

2. How We Use Your Information

GFF uses the personal information it collects for the following purposes:

(a) Processing and fulfilling donations, merchandise orders, and event registrations, including payment processing, shipping, and order confirmations.

(b) Administering GFF programs, including the school-based mental health curriculum, the Young adults Ambassador program, speaking engagements, and community events such as the Sunrise 5K race, the Illumination art and music event, and the Wellness Summit.

(c) Sending newsletters, event announcements, fundraising communications, and other updates you have opted in to receive.

(d) Responding to inquiries submitted through contact forms, speaker booking requests, or other direct communications.

(e) Improving the functionality, content, and user experience of the Site, including through website analytics and usage data.

(f) Coordinating with schools, community partners, and other organizations as necessary to deliver GFF programming.

(g) Conducting fundraising outreach to support GFF’s mission of promoting young adults mental health, resilience, and wellness through the TANK framework (Tech, Activity, Nature, Kinship).

(h) Complying with applicable laws and regulations, legal processes and related government requests, enforcing GFF’s policies, and protecting the rights, safety, and property of GFF and its participants, sponsors, and other applicable stakeholders. ‍

GFF will use your information only in ways that are consistent with the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise permitted by applicable law. If GFF intends to use your information for a materially different purpose, GFF will notify you and, where required, obtain your consent before doing so.

3. Special Note Regarding Minors

The Goldfinch Foundation’s programs, including the school-based mental health curriculum, the young adults Ambassador program, community events, and related initiatives, primarily serve young adults between the ages of 13 and 19. GFF is committed to protecting the privacy of all minors who interact with our website and programs.

Children Under 13. GFF does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 without verified parental or guardian consent, in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”). If GFF learns that it has collected personal information from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, GFF will promptly delete that information.

Young adults Ages 13 to 17. For Young adults between the ages of 13 and 17 who participate in GFF programs, GFF will obtain parental or guardian consent where required by applicable law prior to collecting personal information. This includes, but is not limited to, the Young adults Ambassador program application process, event registration for youth-specific activities, and any program requiring submission of a minor’s personal details.

Parental and Guardian Rights. Parents and legal guardians may at any time: (a) review the personal information GFF has collected from their child; (b) request correction of inaccurate information; or (c) request deletion of their child’s personal information. To exercise any of these rights, please contact GFF using the information provided in Section 6 of this Privacy Policy. GFF will respond to verified requests within a reasonable timeframe.

4. How We Share Your Information

GFF does not sell, rent, or trade your Personal Information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information only in the limited circumstances described below.

(a) Service Providers: We share information with third-party vendors that perform services on our behalf, including Squarespace (website hosting, analytics, and commerce), Givebutter (donation processing), payment processors, shipping carriers, and email marketing platforms. These providers are authorized to use your information only as necessary to provide their services to GFF. Squarespace, as our website hosting provider, may process certain visitor data on our behalf and may independently collect Site Usage Information for its own purposes, including platform security and integrity. Squarespace’s use of such data is governed by Squarespace’s own Privacy Policy, available at squarespace.com/privacy.

(b) Program Partners: We may share limited information with schools, churches, and community organizations solely as needed to deliver GFF programs, such as the school-based mental health curriculum, Young adults Ambassador program, or speaking engagements. We share only the minimum information required for program coordination.

(c) Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information when required by law, regulation, subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of GFF, its participants, sponsors, and other applicable stakeholders.

(d) Organizational Transactions: In the event of a merger, reorganization, or transfer of GFF’s assets, your information may be transferred to the successor organization, which will remain bound by this Privacy Policy.

Donations to GFF are processed through Givebutter. When you make a donation, your information is collected and processed by Givebutter in accordance with its own privacy practices. We encourage you to review Givebutter’s privacy policy at givebutter.com/privacy before submitting a donation.

5. Cookies, Tracking Technologies, Third-Party Links, and Data Security

Cookies and Tracking Technologies. GFF uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on the Site to operate the website, analyze usage patterns, and improve user experience. These may include session cookies (which expire when you close your browser) and persistent analytics cookies (which remain on your device for a set period). Because the Site is hosted on the Squarespace platform, Squarespace may place its own cookies on your device when you visit the Site. Some of these cookies are necessary for the Site to function properly (such as cookies that maintain your shopping cart or session), while others are used by Squarespace for analytics and performance monitoring. Squarespace’s cookie practices are described in its Cookie Policy, available at squarespace.com/cookie-policy. GFF may also use additional third-party analytics tools to collect information such as pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs. You may manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain website functionality, including features powered by the Squarespace platform.

Third-Party Links and Services. The website is built on the Squarespace platform and contains links to third-party websites and services, including Givebutter (givebutter.com), Google Calendar, Instagram (@thegff24), LinkedIn, and YouTube (@theGFF24). Squarespace itself operates under its own privacy policy (squarespace.com/privacy) and terms of service (squarespace.com/terms-of-service). These third-party sites and platforms operate under their own privacy policies and terms of use. GFF is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of any third-party website, platform, or service, including the Squarespace platform. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit through links on the Site.

Data Security. GFF employs reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the personal information we collect from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include encryption of sensitive data during transmission and restricted access to personal information on a need-to-know basis. No method of electronic transmission or data storage is completely secure, however, and GFF cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

6. Your Rights, Data Retention, and Contact Information

6. Your Rights, Data Retention, and Contact Information

6.1 Your Rights and Choices. You may exercise the following rights with respect to your Personal Information:

  • (a)  Opt Out of Marketing Communications: You may unsubscribe from GFF newsletters and promotional emails at any time by using the “unsubscribe” link in any such email or by contacting GFF at the address below.

  • (b) Access and Correction: You may request access to the Personal Information GFF holds about you and ask that inaccurate information be corrected.

  • (c) Deletion: You may request deletion of your Personal Information, subject to any legal obligations requiring GFF to retain certain records.

  • (d) Cookie Management: You may adjust your browser settings to refuse or delete cookies. Disabling cookies may limit certain features of the Site.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact GFF using the information provided in Section 6.4 below. GFF will respond to verified requests within a reasonable timeframe.

6.2 Data Retention. GFF retains Personal Information only as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as required by applicable law. When Personal Information is no longer needed, GFF will securely delete or anonymize it.

6.3 Changes to This Privacy Policy. GFF may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When changes are made, GFF will post the revised policy on the Site with an updated effective date. Your continued use of the website after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

6.4 Contact Information. If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact GFF at:

The Goldfinch Foundation Email: hello@thegff.org Mailing Address: hello@thegff.org.