Donor Privacy Policy

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Donor Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Arica Institute (“we,” “us,” “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of our donors and their personal information.

This Donor Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information about our donors and applies to all donations made online, by mail, in person, or through third-party platforms.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information about donors, where applicable and lawful:

  • Contact details: name, postal address, email address, telephone number.
  • Donation details: donation amounts, dates, payment method, and related transaction information.
  • Communication preferences and areas of interest.
  • Technical data when you donate or contact us online (such as IP address, device and browser information), as described in our general website privacy notice, where applicable.

We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal data from donors unless it is strictly necessary for a specific, clearly described purpose and permitted by law.

We collect Device Information using the following technologies:

  • “Cookies,” which are data files placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. For more information about cookies, including how to disable cookies, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie.
  • “Log files” track actions occurring on the Site, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet Service Provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps.
  • “Web beacons”, “tags”, and “pixels” are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the Site.

3. How We Use Donor Information

We use donor information only for legitimate organizational purposes, which may include:

  • Processing and acknowledging donations and issuing receipts or tax documentation.
  • Maintaining accurate donor records and financial reporting.
  • Communicating with donors about their gifts, impact, and updates on our programs, events, and fundraising campaigns, according to their communication preferences.
  • Complying with legal, regulatory, accounting, and reporting obligations (for example, obligations under tax or charity law).
  • Improving our fundraising and communications, including anonymized or aggregated analysis of giving patterns.

We do not use donor information for unrelated purposes without informing donors and, where required by law, obtaining their consent.

4. Sharing of Donor Information

We value donor trust and limit the sharing of donor information.

  • We do not sell, rent, or trade donors’ personal information, nor do we send mailings to donors on behalf of other organizations.
  • We may share donor information with trusted service providers (for example, payment processors, mailing services, database providers) who process data on our behalf only for the purposes described in this policy and under appropriate confidentiality and security obligations.
  • We may disclose donor information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, donors, or beneficiaries.

If we ever consider a change that would allow broader sharing of donor information, we will update this policy and, where legally required, seek donors’ consent before doing so.

5. Recognition and Anonymity

We may publicly recognize donors (for example, in annual reports, newsletters, or on our website) by listing their names and, where appropriate, giving levels, unless a donor requests anonymity.

  • Donors may request at any time that their gift be treated as anonymous, or that they not be publicly recognized.
  • We will honor donor requests for anonymity to the fullest extent allowed by law and our reporting obligations.

6. Legal Bases and International Compliance

Our processing of donor personal data is based on one or more of the following legal grounds, depending on the circumstances and applicable law:

  • The donor’s consent (for example, to receive certain types of communications).
  • Performance of a contract or steps taken at the donor’s request (for example, processing a donation or honoring a pledge).
  • Compliance with our legal obligations (for example, obligations under tax and accounting law).
  • Our legitimate interests in fundraising, managing donor relationships, and supporting our mission, balanced against donors’ privacy rights.

If you are located in the European Union, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process your personal data in accordance with those laws and respect your rights as a data subject, as described below.

Where donor data is transferred across borders (for example, from the EU to the United States), we take appropriate safeguards consistent with applicable law to protect that data.

7. Data Subject and Donor Rights

Depending on where you live and subject to applicable law, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal

  • The right to access and receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • The right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
  • The right to request deletion of your personal data, where there is no overriding legal or legitimate reason for us to keep it.
  • The right to restrict or object to certain types of processing, including direct marketing.
  • The right to withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on your consent, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
  • The right to data portability, in certain circumstances, to receive your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the “Contact Us” section below.

8. Data Retention

We retain donor information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, including satisfying legal, accounting, and reporting requirements, and in line with our internal data retention schedules.

When donor information is no longer needed, we will securely delete, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with applicable law.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect donor information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or disclosure.

These measures may include secure networks, encryption, access controls, staff training, and contracts with vendors that include data protection obligations.

While we take reasonable steps to protect donor information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children’s Information

We do not knowingly solicit or accept donations online from children under the age of 16 without verifiable parental or guardian consent, where required by law.

If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child in a way that is inconsistent with applicable law, we will take appropriate steps to delete that information.

11. Email and Marketing Preferences

We strive to send communications that are relevant and respectful of donors’ preferences.

  • Donors may opt out of receiving promotional or fundraising emails at any time by using the “unsubscribe” link in our emails or by contacting us directly.
  • Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you non-promotional messages related to your donations, such as receipts, confirmations, or important administrative notices.

12. Links to Other Websites and Third Parties

Our donation pages or communications may contain links to third-party websites or services (such as payment processors or fundraising platforms) that are not operated by us.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties, and we encourage donors to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

13. Changes to This Policy

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

When we make material changes, we will post the updated policy with a new “Last updated” date and, where appropriate, notify donors through our website or email.

Last updated: March 20, 2026

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Donor Privacy Policy, our handling of your personal information, or if you wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

Arica Institute, Inc.
27 North Main Street, Suite #6,
Kent CT 06757
United States

Email Correspondence
contact@arica.org

If you are located in the European Union, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with a supervisory authority, you may also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.