Citizens Union Foundation (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is a nonprofit organization based in New York City. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we collect, use, and safeguard the information you provide when you visit searchlight.citizensunion.org (the “Site”).

This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding the information we collect through this Site. Please read it carefully. By using the Site, you agree to the terms of this policy.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

When you contact us through our website’s contact form, we may collect:

• Your name
• Your email address
• Any other information you voluntarily include in your message

We do not require you to provide any personal information to browse the Site.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage through Google Analytics and similar tools, including:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website or link
• Approximate geographic location (city/country level)

This information is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies. It is aggregated and does not directly identify you as an individual.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiries and communications submitted through contact forms
• To send you our newsletter, program updates, and other communications from Citizens Union Foundation, if you have opted in or inquired about our work
• To understand how visitors use our Site and improve its content and functionality
• To fulfill our mission and communicate about our programs

3. Email Communications

If you contact us through the Site, we may add your email address to our mailing list to keep you informed about our work, events, and advocacy efforts. You can opt out of these communications at any time by:

• Clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any email we send you
• Emailing us directly at info@citizensunionfoundation.org

We will honor unsubscribe requests promptly, and will not send you further marketing or newsletter communications after you opt out. We may still send you a transactional reply to an inquiry you submitted.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Site uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to help us understand how visitors interact with our content. We use:

• Google Analytics cookies: These track aggregate, anonymized data about visitor behavior. Google’s privacy policy governs the use of this data. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
• Session cookies: These are temporary and expire when you close your browser.

Most browsers allow you to control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies will not prevent you from using our Site, but may limit some functionality.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information in limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We may share information with third-party vendors who help us operate the Site or send communications (such as our email platform). These vendors are contractually required to protect your information and use it only as directed by us.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights or the safety of others.
• Organizational successors: If our organization merges with or transfers its assets to another nonprofit, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the same privacy protections.

6. Data Retention

We retain contact form submissions and email correspondence for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to your inquiry and maintain our records. You may request deletion of your information at any time by contacting us.

7. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the information we collect from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

9. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access, correct, or request deletion of the personal information we hold about you
• Opt out of email communications at any time
• Request that we not use your information for certain purposes

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@citizensunionfoundation.org. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time.

Note: New York State’s SHIELD Act requires organizations that handle New York residents’ private information to maintain reasonable data security programs. We comply with these requirements.

10. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites, and this Privacy Policy does not apply to them. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the revised policy on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at info@citizensunionfoundation.org