Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2025
Last Updated: January 1, 2025

Introduction

The Esther L Heit Foundation ("ELH Foundation," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at heitlfoundation.com, engage with our philanthropic programs, or interact with us in any capacity.

As a private grantmaking foundation dedicated to philanthropy, voluntarism, and supporting religious organizations, we understand the importance of maintaining the trust and confidence of our donors, grant applicants, volunteers, and community partners. We are committed to transparency in our data practices and compliance with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our website and services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our website or services.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you interact with our foundation. This may include:

  • Contact Information: Name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and other similar contact data
  • Grant Application Information: Organization details, tax identification numbers, project descriptions, financial information, and supporting documentation submitted as part of grant applications
  • Donation Information: Payment details, donation amounts, giving preferences, and acknowledgment preferences
  • Volunteer Information: Skills, interests, availability, background check information (where required), and volunteer activity records
  • Communication Records: Correspondence, inquiries, feedback, and other communications you send to us
  • Professional Information: Job title, organization affiliation, professional credentials, and areas of expertise

Information Automatically Collected

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activities. This information may include:

  • Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, and hardware model
  • Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring website addresses, and other navigation patterns
  • Location Information: General geographic location based on IP address
  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Information collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to enhance user experience and analyze website performance

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including publicly available databases, social media platforms, data analytics providers, and other organizations with whom you have authorized information sharing. This information helps us verify the accuracy of our records, enhance our understanding of your interests and preferences, and improve our services.

How We Use Your Information

The ELH Foundation uses the information we collect for various legitimate purposes related to our philanthropic mission and operational needs:

Grantmaking and Program Administration

  • Processing and evaluating grant applications and proposals
  • Conducting due diligence and verification of applicant organizations
  • Monitoring grant compliance and program outcomes
  • Communicating with grantees regarding application status and requirements
  • Maintaining records for reporting and compliance purposes

Donor Relations and Fundraising

  • Processing donations and issuing tax receipts
  • Acknowledging contributions and expressing gratitude
  • Providing updates on foundation activities and impact
  • Inviting participation in foundation events and initiatives
  • Maintaining donor records and preferences

Volunteer Management

  • Coordinating volunteer activities and assignments
  • Matching volunteers with appropriate opportunities
  • Conducting necessary background checks and screenings
  • Tracking volunteer hours and contributions
  • Recognizing and appreciating volunteer service

Communications and Engagement

  • Responding to inquiries and providing customer support
  • Sending newsletters, updates, and educational materials
  • Notifying you about changes to our services or policies
  • Conducting surveys and gathering feedback
  • Promoting foundation events and initiatives

Website and Service Improvement

  • Analyzing website usage patterns and user behavior
  • Improving website functionality and user experience
  • Troubleshooting technical issues and maintaining security
  • Developing new features and services
  • Conducting research and data analysis

Legal and Compliance

  • Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
  • Maintaining accurate financial and tax records
  • Protecting against fraud, security threats, and illegal activities
  • Enforcing our terms of service and policies
  • Responding to legal requests and preventing harm

How We Share Your Information

The ELH Foundation respects your privacy and does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

Service Providers and Business Partners

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our foundation, conducting our business, or serving our stakeholders. These service providers include payment processors, database management services, email service providers, website hosting companies, data analytics firms, and professional advisors such as accountants and attorneys. All service providers are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of your information and may only use it for the specific purposes we authorize.

Grantees and Partner Organizations

We may share relevant information with organizations that receive grants from the foundation or with whom we collaborate on philanthropic initiatives. This sharing is limited to information necessary for program administration, collaboration, and impact measurement.

Legal Requirements and Protection

We may disclose your information when required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request. We may also share information when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety, or the rights, property, or safety of others, including to prevent fraud, security threats, or illegal activities.

Public Disclosure

As a private grantmaking foundation, we are required by law to make certain information publicly available, including our annual tax returns (Form 990) and information about grants awarded. This public disclosure may include the names of grant recipients, grant amounts, and project descriptions. We may also publicly recognize donors and volunteers who have given permission for such recognition.

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, dissolution, or similar transaction involving the foundation, your information may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to the same privacy protections outlined in this policy.

With Your Consent

We may share your information for any other purpose with your explicit consent or at your direction.

Data Security

The security of your personal information is of paramount importance to the ELH Foundation. We implement comprehensive administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Our security measures include:

  • Encryption of sensitive data both in transit and at rest using industry-standard protocols
  • Secure socket layer (SSL) technology for all data transmissions through our website
  • Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
  • Restricted access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
  • Employee training on data protection and privacy best practices
  • Secure backup systems and disaster recovery procedures
  • Multi-factor authentication for access to sensitive systems
  • Regular software updates and security patches

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we continuously work to maintain and improve our security practices. If you have reason to believe that your interaction with us is no longer secure, please contact us immediately using the contact information provided below.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. The specific retention period depends on the nature of the information and the purposes for which it is processed.

Generally, we retain:

  • Grant application and award information for a minimum of seven years after the grant period ends, or longer as required by law
  • Donation records permanently for tax and historical purposes
  • Volunteer records for the duration of the volunteer relationship plus seven years
  • Website usage data for up to two years
  • Communication records for as long as necessary to maintain our relationship with you

When we no longer need your information, we securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention and destruction policies. Some information may be retained in backup systems for a limited period as part of our disaster recovery procedures.

Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Correction

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete information. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law.

Deletion

You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions. We may need to retain certain information for legal compliance, to complete transactions, resolve disputes, or for other legitimate purposes. When deletion is not possible, we will inform you of the reasons.

Opt-Out of Communications

You may opt out of receiving promotional emails from us by following the unsubscribe instructions included in each email or by contacting us directly. Please note that even if you opt out of promotional communications, we may still send you non-promotional messages related to your relationship with the foundation, such as grant-related communications or administrative notices.

Cookie Preferences

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. Please note that disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our website. You can also use browser plugins or extensions to manage cookie preferences.

Data Portability

In certain circumstances, you may have the right to receive a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to request that we transfer this information to another organization.

Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided at the end of this policy. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. 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 as quickly as possible.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately so we can take appropriate action. For volunteer programs that may involve minors, we obtain appropriate parental consent and implement additional safeguards to protect children's privacy and safety.

Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not operated or controlled by the ELH Foundation. This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected by our website and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites or services before providing them with your personal information. The inclusion of a link to a third-party website does not imply endorsement of that website or its content by the ELH Foundation.

We may use third-party services such as social media platforms, payment processors, and analytics providers. These services may collect information about you according to their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of these services to understand how they handle your information.

International Data Transfers

The ELH Foundation is based in Helena, Montana, United States. If you are accessing our website or services from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.

These countries may have data protection laws that differ from the laws of your country. By using our website and services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and other countries as described in this Privacy Policy. We take appropriate measures to ensure that your personal information receives an adequate level of protection in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other California privacy laws. These rights include:

  • The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
  • The right to request deletion of your personal information
  • The right to opt out of the sale of your personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
  • The right to non-discrimination for exercising your CCPA rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within the timeframes required by law.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

The ELH Foundation reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy on our website and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.

For significant changes that materially affect your rights or how we handle your personal information, we may provide additional notice through email or prominent notice on our website. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Your continued use of our website and services after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. If you do not agree with the changes, please discontinue use of our website and services and contact us to discuss your concerns.

Contact Information

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

Esther L Heit Foundation

520 S Harris St
Helena, MT 59601
United States

Phone: +1 (640) 235 0215

Email: mail@heitlfoundation.com

We are committed to working with you to obtain a fair resolution of any privacy concerns. We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days of receipt.

Acknowledgment and Consent

By using the ELH Foundation website and services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described herein. You also acknowledge that you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.

Thank you for trusting the Esther L Heit Foundation with your personal information. We are honored to serve our community through philanthropy, grantmaking, and voluntarism, and we remain committed to protecting your privacy while advancing our mission to support religious organizations and other worthy causes.

For more information about our foundation and services, please visit our homepage or review our Terms of Service.

To learn more about our grantmaking programs and how to apply, visit our Services page or contact us directly.