Privacy Policy

Welcome to the Theodor Lessing Foundation’s (the “Foundation”, “us”, “we”, “our”) Privacy Policy (the “Policy”). In this Policy, we explain what personal data we collect, how we use and protect your personal data, with whom we may share it and the rights that you may have in connection with it. This Policy is incorporated into our Website Terms & Conditions. This Policy applies to personal data we collect, including through our website  (the “Website”), our events and programs registrations, mobile applications, online portals, surveys, job applications, applications, and any other point of collection (collectively, the “sites”). In addition to applicable laws, additional policies disclosed to you at the time of collection may also apply (e.g., in connection with a specific event or program). By using our sites and/or by providing personal data to us (by any means, whether directly to us when applying for employment, grants or fellowships, attending events or programs, on our website, or in any other interaction with the Foundation), you consent to our use of the personal data in accordance with this Policy.

By visiting our Website, you are accepting the practices described in our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Website.

Please note: We do not sell your personal data, however we may share it under limited circumstances as listed under the Sharing your data paragraph below.

How to contact us

If you have any questions about this Policy, if you have a disability that prevents you from accessing this Policy electronically in this format and require it to be provided in an alternate format (e.g., audio, large print), or if you have questions about your personal data handled by us, you may contact us by sending an e-mail through our Contact page or writing to:

Attn: Privacy Policy – Theodor Lessing Foundation PO Box 1274 Wilson WY 83014

Data we collect

We collect personal data from you when you voluntarily provide it to us, and when you visit our sites, certain information is automatically collected from you (subject to applicable consent requirements). We collect personal data that you provide to us in various ways including online, by telephone, and offline, including when you visit our events in person as a guest of the Foundation. The types of personal data we may collect from you are described below.

Data you provide directly to us

Contacting Us – When you contact us via phone, email or in person, for any reason including when you: submit a job inquiry; interact with us regarding applications, programs, activities or events; participate in surveys, panels or research; register for and participate in our programs, activities, initiatives and events; interact with our sites; or in conjunction with any other place where you knowingly volunteer information to us, we may collect the following types of data from you:

Name, address, date of birth, email address and telephone number;
Organization name, address, email address and telephone number;
Survey responses;
Demographic information
Preferences, information about a disability or requests for accommodations to the extent disclosed to us; and other information or content that you may choose to provide. 
Website Visits – When you visit the Website, or sign up for our email newsletter via the Website, we may collect the following types of data from you:
Name and email address; and Any other information that you may choose to provide.

Employment Applicants – If you apply for a position with the Foundation you may be asked to create an account on our Workday portal and we may collect the following types of data during the application process:

Name, address, email address, and telephone number;
Resume, work history, work authorization status, education, skills, professional licenses, permits or certifications and references;
Optional demographic information, such as gender identity, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious affiliations; and any other information you choose to provide during the application process.

If we offer you employment, you may be required to complete a background check and other screenings prior to beginning work, as permitted or required by applicable law.

Grant or Fellowship Applicants – If you apply for a fellowship or grant from the Foundation, or if your employer or organization includes information about you in a grant application or annual report, we may collect the following types of data during the application process:

Name, address, date of birth, email address, telephone number;
Citizenship information and visa information;
Resume, work history, qualifications, education, skills, professional licenses, permits or certifications and references;
Tax identification/national identification numbers, bank account information for payments;
Demographic information, such as gender identity, race/ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation; and any other information you choose to provide during the application process.

Suppliers – If you are a third-party who provides products or services to the Foundation you may be asked to create an account on our Workday supplier portal and we may collect the following types of information from you:

For individual suppliers: name, address, email address, telephone number, citizenship information, visa information, W-9, tax identification numbers, bank account information for payments.

For organizations that are suppliers: organization name, address, email address and telephone number, W-9, tax identification numbers and bank account information for payments; and other information that you may choose to provide. 

Data automatically collected

Consistent with most websites, and subject to applicable consent requirements for non-essential cookies, we use cookies and pixel tags to collect such activity information. Cookies are small text files used to collect information and allow the Website to function, and pixels are transparent images that allow us to understand how users interact with our Website. 

Unless otherwise required by law, necessary cookies will be placed when you visit the sites. At this time, our Website to does have the ability to permit you to opt-out of targeting, performance, and/or functional cookies when you visit the site by changing your consent preferences. However, you can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. If, however, you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of the sites may become inaccessible or not function properly. Please note that browser-management tools for cookies are outside of our control and we cannot guarantee their effectiveness. 

Information we receive from third parties

We may receive the following information from third parties:

Information about your participation in programs, events, activities or social media (e.g., from event organizers providing services to us, event organizers unaffiliated with the Foundation who have rented space in our Center for Social Justice, program leaders or participants, including in annual reports, videos and photographs);
Information from publicly available sources;
Service providers, consultants, or vendors providing services to the Foundation;
Work and qualification information and/or contact information submitted by your employer or organization in connection with a grant or fellowship application or reporting;
Contact information submitted by your employer or organization in connection with registering as a Foundation supplier through our supplier portal;
Employment verification (from your previous employer if you provide us with contact information on a grant or fellowship application or in connection with applying for a position);
Education information (from your previous academic institutions if you provide the names of institutions on a grant or fellowship application or in connection with applying for a position);
Education information (from your previous academic institutions if you provide the names of institutions on a grant or fellowship application or in connection with applying for a position);
Reference information (from any references you provided on a grant or fellowship application or in connection with applying for a position).

How we use the data we collect

We may use the personal data you provide us:

To disburse grant or fellowship funds;
To send email newsletters;
To process your grant or fellowship applications;
To administer or run programs, grants, fellowships or events;
To disburse supplier payments;
To respond to your inquiries and/or requests;
To improve our programs and the efficacy of our grantmaking and operations;
To recommend you or your organization for other fellowships, grants, or other opportunities;
To solicit grant or fellowship applications;
For compliance, fraud monitoring and security;
To provide you information relevant to the programs, grants, fellowship or other activities we think might interest you or your organization;
To process your employment application, including assessing your qualifications for a job, conducting reference checks, communicating with you about your application and conducting background checks if we offer you a position, as permitted or required by applicable law;
To send you information regarding changes to our terms and policies;
For other purposes disclosed at the time of collection or otherwise compatible with our charitable purposes and applicable law.

We may use data that we collect automatically from our sites:

To administer, maintain and improve our sites;
To understand how you found out about us and what services and products may interest you so we can improve our products and services and deliver to you the type of content, features and promotions that you are most relevant to you;
To understand the demographics of our site visitors;
To perform data traffic, e-commerce and other trend analyses;
For fraud monitoring and prevention and other security purposes.
We may combine this information with data we receive from publicly available sources.

Additionally, we may use your information as we believe to be necessary or allowed: (a) under applicable law; (b) to comply with legal process and our legal obligations; (c) to respond to requests or requirements from public, law and government authorities (including national security and law enforcement requirements) and private parties; (d) to enforce our terms and conditions; (e) to protect our operations; (f) to protect our rights, privacy, safety or property, and/or that of you or others; (g) to allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain; (h) to prevent or stop activity we may consider to be, or to pose a risk of being, illegal, unethical, or legally actionable activity; and/or (i) other legitimate purposes such as conducting investigations or responding to governmental or other regulatory requests for information or investigations and for dispute management purposes.

It is always your choice whether to provide your personal data. However, some personal data must be provided to participate in certain programs, activities, or events (such as to sign up for a newsletter, apply for a job, or register to participate in one of our events), so the decision not to provide information might limit or eliminate such functions of our sites or your ability to participate in such programs, activities, or events. Please do not disclose more personal data than is requested.

To the extent required by applicable laws, we will seek your separate consent for collecting and processing your sensitive personal data. “Sensitive personal data” has different definitions under applicable law, but in general includes, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation, social security number, driver’s license, or other government issued identification number, financial account, including credit card information. Please do not provide the Foundation any sensitive personal data unless specifically requested and necessary for your interactions with the Foundation.

Sharing your data

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share your personal data in the following circumstances:

Within the Foundation: We may share your personal data within the Foundation.

Our vendors and service providers: We use a variety of vendors and service providers that help us with our financial, legal, administrative, operational and logistical activities such as maintaining our sites, email and document management, shipping, payment processing, managing our institutional and individual relationships and facilitating programs or events. We require these companies and individuals to use your information only as necessary to provide the applicable services to us.

Organizational and funding partners, grantees, co-sponsors, co-hosts: We may also occasionally share your personal data with our organizational and funding partners, grantees, or co-sponsors or co-hosts of our programs, activities, initiatives, and events from time to time. Although our treatment of your personal information is governed by this Policy, our partners’, grantees’, co-sponsors’, or co-hosts’ treatment of your personal information will be governed by their respective privacy practices.  

Legal requirements: We may also disclose your personal data when we reasonably believe it is required by law, subpoena or other legal process, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements, as well as to honor user access rights, as applicable.

Protection of rights: We may transfer personal information to protect our rights, privacy, safety or property, including our employees, contractors and agents, when we are required or permitted to do so by law.

At your request: We may transfer information to a third party if you request us to do so.

Fraud detection: We may disclose information when we believe in good faith that it is necessary to investigate fraud.

Do not track

Some browsers have a “Do Not Track” feature. At this time, the Website does not respond to these Do Not Track requests or similar signals that users may employ. 

Links to third-party sites

As a convenience to you, the sites may contain links to other websites or link with other platforms. The Foundation does not control these third-party sites and is not responsible for their privacy practices or content. You should refer to the privacy statements of such third-party sites to find out how they collect and use your information.

Social media

We may maintain a social media presence, such as a Facebook page, an Instagram page, and a Twitter (X) feed presently or at some future date. In such event, you can interact with us through social media, such as by posting content, sharing material from our sites, and using our social media plug-ins. When you interact with us using social media, we may receive information such as your user ID, your profile picture, photos you post, and similar information, which is often determined by your privacy settings at social media sites. We may use the information for the same types of purposes we describe throughout this Policy. Your use of social media sites is primarily governed by the site operators’ privacy policies and terms of service, and the information you share with us and with others is largely controlled by the privacy settings you have established at those sites.

Your choices regarding your personal data

Any request for a copy of or to delete your Personal Information may be made in writing and we will endeavor to respond within a reasonable period in compliance with applicable data protection legislation. If you wish to review, update, correct, or remove the information we have for you, please contact us through our Contact page.

Children under 13 and minors under 18

The Foundation does not knowingly collect information from or about children without verifiable parental consent. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 13 may have provided personal information through the Website, please contact us, and we will take all reasonable measures to delete such information from our databases and to not use such information for any purpose (except where necessary to protect the safety of the child or others as required or allowed by law). 

The Foundation also does not knowingly collect information from or about minors under the age of 18. Minors under 18 years of age may have the personal information that they provide to us through the Website deleted by reaching us through our Contact page requesting deletion.  Please note that, while we make reasonable efforts to comply with such requests, deletion of your personal information does not ensure complete and comprehensive removal of that data from all systems.

Retention Period

We will store your personal data until it is no longer needed to fulfill the purpose(s) for which it was collected or as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal, regulatory, tax, accounting or other requirements.

Individuals in the US and California

California Users – Shine the Light Disclosure

California residents who provide personal information in obtaining products or services for personal, family, or household use are entitled to request and obtain from us once a calendar year information about the customer information we shared with third parties for their own direct marketing purposes, including the categories of information and the names and addresses of those businesses with which we have shared such information.  As discussed elsewhere in this Privacy Policy, we do not currently share the personal information of California residents with third parties for their own direct marketing purposes.  However, if you have further questions about our privacy practices and compliance with California law, please contact us using the contact information in this Policy.

Changes to This Policy

We may update portions of this Policy from time to time and will alert you that changes have been made by indicating on the Policy the date it was last updated. You can find the date of the last update at the top of the Policy. When you visit this Website, you are accepting the current version of this Policy as posted on the Website at that time. We recommend that you revisit this Policy on occasion to learn of any changes.