Privacy Policy

Effective Date: November 24, 2025 • Last Updated: November 24, 2025 • Version 1.0

Open Waters Network ("OWN", "we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. It applies to information collected through our website, scholarship applications, partnership forms, email communications, and any related services.

By using our website or submitting information to us, you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not submit personal information or use features that require it.

1. Information We Collect

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number (if provided) submitted via contact or partnership forms.
• Scholarship Application Data: Background experience, certifications, goals, demographic or geographic information if voluntarily provided.
• Donation Related: If donation functionality is enabled, limited data required for processing through a third-party payment processor (we do not store full payment details).
• Partner & Sponsor Information: Organization name, role, service offerings, and partnership objectives.
• Usage Data: Basic analytics (page views, referrers, device type) via privacy‑respecting tools or standard analytics platforms. No invasive tracking, retargeting pixels, or third‑party advertising networks.
• Optional Media: Photos or stories you voluntarily submit for impact reports or testimonials (always with explicit consent).

2. How We Use Information

• Evaluate and administer scholarship applications.
• Respond to inquiries and partnership requests.
• Provide program updates, safety resources, and impact stories.
• Improve website functionality and user experience.
• Generate internal, aggregated reports (non-identifying) to inform outreach strategy.
• Send optional newsletters only if explicitly opted‑in.

3. Legal Basis (If Applicable)

While OWN currently operates in the United States and is not formally subject to GDPR or similar regimes, we voluntarily align with good data stewardship practices. Where applicable, processing may be based on consent (forms), legitimate interest (program administration), or legal obligation (records retention for financial accountability through fiscal sponsorship).

4. Sharing of Information

• Service Providers: Email infrastructure, analytics, or payment processors acting under contractual obligations.
• Scholarship Review Volunteers: Limited application data solely for evaluation; bound to confidentiality standards.
• Legal / Compliance: Disclosures required by law, safety reporting, or fiscal accountability.
• No Sale: We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information.

5. Data Retention

Scholarship application data is retained for up to 3 years for longitudinal impact analysis unless removal is requested earlier. General inquiries are retained no longer than 12 months. Donation records are retained according to fiscal sponsor accounting requirements. Aggregated analytics may be stored longer in de‑identified form.

6. Your Choices & Rights

• Request correction or deletion of personal information (unless retention required by law or accounting rules).
• Opt out of non-essential emails at any time.
• Request clarification on data usage or categories stored.
• Withdraw consent for testimonials or media featuring you.

To exercise any of these, email privacy@openwatersnetwork.org.

7. Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational safeguards including access controls, credential rotation for backend systems, non-public application review workflows, and minimized data collection. No internet transmission is perfectly secure; users submit information at their own risk, but we work continuously to reduce exposure.

8. Children's Privacy

Our programs target adults and mature youth participants through guardianship structures. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we inadvertently collected such data, contact us for prompt removal.

9. Third-Party Services

Third-party providers (e.g., email, static hosting, analytics) may process limited technical data (IP address, user agent) strictly to deliver core functionality. We avoid invasive trackers and do not host advertising networks.

10. International Users

Our infrastructure currently operates primarily in U.S. regions. If you access the site from other jurisdictions you consent to data transfer to the United States subject to applicable safeguards.

11. Updates to This Policy

We may revise this policy to reflect operational, legal, or transparency enhancements. The "Last Updated" date will change. Material changes (e.g., new data categories or sharing practices) will be communicated via website notice or email when feasible.

12. Contact

Questions, requests, or concerns: privacy@openwatersnetwork.org • Mailing: Open Waters Network, Cold Spring, NY.

This policy is provided for transparency and does not constitute legal advice. Consult qualified counsel for binding compliance obligations.