Donor Privacy policy.
North Star Initiative is committed to protecting your privacy and security. We recognize that when you engage with North Star, you trust us with your information, and we take this responsibility seriously. We continually work hard to protect the data with which we are entrusted.
Consent and terms of agreement
By engaging with North Star Initiative, whether through a North Star representative, event, using this website, or other interaction, you signify your acceptance of our privacy policy, and we commit to abiding by it. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use our site or otherwise engage with North Star. This policy does not apply to your use of affiliated sites which link to North Star Initiative.
Changes to our privacy policy
We recommend you review our privacy policy regularly for updates. We reserve the right to make changes to this privacy policy without advance notice. If we do, we will post those changes on our website. Changes to this privacy policy are effective immediately upon posting. Your continued interaction with North Star and our website following the posting of changes to these terms will mean that you accept those changes.
Your information
This privacy policy applies to the personal data we collect and store about you. As permitted by law, we store data when necessary to provide a service to you. We obtain information about you through our online properties, marketing activities, personal interactions, and publicly available sources. North Star Initiative will not sell your information. We will not share your information for any purpose unnecessary for North Star to carry out our work, nor will we send you mailings or communications on behalf of other organizations.
Personal information
We collect personally identifiable information when you contact us via email or other means, donate, or otherwise provide us with your personal information. Personally identifiable information may include but is not limited to your name; email address(es); mailing address(es); phone number(s); age; place of employment; church affiliation; check, bank, or credit card information; or additional information as needed (e.g., to register for a North Star event). North Star also occasionally engages with third-party service providers to process and collect additional publicly available data.
We believe in relationships
When development representatives have a direct relationship with you, we retain data related to your meetings and interests. We use this information to customize the communications and interactions we deliver to you.
Non-personal information
North Star Initiative or its third-party contractors/services may collect non-personally identifiable information from you when you access one of North Star Initiative’s websites or digital platforms. Such information includes but is not limited to IP address, referral domain name address, browser type, device, operating system, and browsing behavior. This information cannot identify you personally and is only used in collective reporting. North Star Initiative uses Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Network for Good and other third-party resources to generate and view reports about online interactions and behavior. We use these reports to help provide visitors like you with a better online experience with North Star.
Usage of cookies
To collect this non-personal information, our digital platforms might use cookies (small text files that are typically stored on your browser cache or mobile device). Cookies may be used to monitor website use, offer you customized content and advertising, and inform us how we can serve you better.
You can always adjust your web browser settings to change your cookie preferences, but please note that rejecting or blocking all cookies may mean you cannot use certain features of our website or offerings.
How we use your information
We may collect and use your information
to fulfill your requests for services;
to contact you if necessary;
to remember your preferences and interests related to North Star;
to review and analyze website use and functionality;
to attend to problems with our websites, products and services, or organization;
to track aggregate trends within our donor base
to safeguard the security or integrity of our websites and organization; and
to tailor our offers and advertising to you about our work and how you can get involved.
Our primary purposes in collecting information are to accept donations, complete our organizational projects, inform you about North Star Initiative’s work, and provide you with a personalized experience. We may also use information for internal or analytical purposes (e.g., to learn more about North Star Initiative supporters or to respond to requests for information, merchandise, or improvements to our website and engagement strategies). We may inform you of other purposes at the point of collection (e.g., those applying for a job at North Star Initiative may be asked for additional information).
Online and offline transactions
When you share personal details to make a donation or register for an event, North Star Initiative collects the information needed to complete your transaction, receipt your gift, and communicate back to you. Credit card data is used only for contribution processing; we do not retain it. Rather, transactions are processed by third-party merchant account processors using PCI-compliant methods. Credit card data for recurring transactions is stored and processed by third-party merchant account processors using PCI-compliant methods.
Sharing your information
North Star Initiative will not sell, trade, or share your information with organizations who intend to use it to market their products or services to you. There may be instances when we share your information with others (e.g., in accordance with a project you’ve sponsored; as required by law or law enforcement; to cooperate with legal processes; to protect the security of an individual; or to protect North Star Initiative’s legal rights or against fraud, misconduct, or criminal action). We may also share your information with companies that provide us with services or with a successor legal entity.
Third-party links and/or content
You may see content on our site that links to other websites of our supporters, licensors, and other third parties (e.g., we may promote books or resources produced by North Star friends, partners, or staff if the content is consistent with our organizational values). We do not control the contents or links that appear on these sites. We recommend you review the privacy policies of any third-party sites or services before providing any of them with your personal information. We sometimes partner with third-party services to facilitate interactions with you. We commit to partnering only with third parties that meet our security and privacy standards.
Text Messaging
All the sections exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties
Access to your personal information
To access or correct your personal data on file with North Star or to remove your personal information from our distribution lists, contact us using the information at the end of this document.
Data security
Protecting your privacy and personal information is a top priority for us. We have taken careful physical, electronic, and managerial measures to provide safe transmission of information from your device to our servers to best secure your personal information. Access to personal constituent information is restricted only to staff as needed to perform their duties. When sensitive information, such as a credit card number, is entered into our online forms, the data is encrypted. A third-party commercial credit card processing institution manages this process. Our donation and order processing systems are routinely tested for PCI-compliance, and we adjust security settings and practices as needed.
The internet is not a completely secure communication channel, and visitors to our digital platforms use them at their own risk. However, North Star Initiative commits to complying with industry security standards with our online data capture methods.
If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please contact North Star Initiative:
PO Box 315
Lititz, PA 17543
717.568.2700
Last updated:
April 11, 2024