Introduction
The Darfur Emergency Committee ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or make a donation to support our humanitarian mission.
Our Commitment: We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We only use your information to process donations, provide receipts, and keep you informed about our humanitarian work (with your permission).
Information We Collect
Personal Information
When you make a donation or interact with our website, we may collect:
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address
- Donation Information: Donation amount, frequency (one-time or monthly), payment method
- Payment Information: Credit card details (processed securely by our payment processors; we do not store full credit card numbers)
- Tribute Information: Names and contact information for tribute gifts (if provided)
- Communication Preferences: Newsletter subscription status, communication preferences
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked
- Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address
- Cookies: Small data files stored on your device (see Cookies section below)
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Process Donations: Complete your donation transactions securely
- Provide Receipts: Send tax-deductible donation receipts via email
- Manage Recurring Donations: Process monthly donations and send confirmation emails
- Send Updates: Provide news about our humanitarian work and the Sudan crisis (only if you opt in)
- Respond to Inquiries: Answer questions submitted through contact forms
- Honor Tributes: Notify recipients of tribute gifts (if requested)
- Improve Our Website: Analyze usage patterns to enhance user experience
- Comply with Legal Obligations: Meet regulatory and legal requirements
- Prevent Fraud: Detect and prevent fraudulent transactions
How We Share Your Information
Service Providers
We share your information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our website and process donations:
- Payment Processors: Stripe, PayPal, or other secure payment gateways to process donations
- Email Services: SendGrid, Mailchimp, or similar services to send receipts and newsletters
- Database Hosting: Secure cloud hosting providers for storing donor information
- Analytics Providers: Google Analytics to understand website usage
These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for the specific services they provide to us.
UNHCR and Partner Organizations
We work closely with UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) and other humanitarian partners. We may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information about our fundraising efforts and impact, but we do not share your personal information without your explicit consent.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to:
- Comply with legal obligations
- Protect our rights and property
- Prevent fraud or illegal activity
- Protect the safety of our staff, donors, or the public
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information:
- Encryption: All payment information is encrypted using SSL/TLS technology
- PCI Compliance: We follow Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards
- Access Controls: Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
- Secure Storage: Personal data stored on secure, encrypted servers
- Regular Security Audits: Periodic reviews of our security practices
Important Note: While we take reasonable precautions to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us provide a better experience on our website.
Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality (e.g., donation processing)
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (Google Analytics)
- Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect website functionality. To learn more about cookies and how to manage them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
Your Rights and Choices
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link
- Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your information
- Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
- Object: Object to certain types of processing
To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@darfuremergencycommittee.org.
Newsletter and Communications
If you opt in to receive our newsletter or updates:
- We will send you periodic emails about our humanitarian work and the Sudan crisis
- You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email
- Unsubscribing from marketing emails will not affect donation receipts or important account notifications
- We typically send 1-4 newsletters per month
Children's Privacy
Our website is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.
International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. When we transfer your information, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your privacy.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Specifically:
- Donation Records: Retained for at least 7 years for tax and accounting purposes
- Email Addresses: Retained until you unsubscribe from our mailing list
- Contact Form Messages: Retained for 2 years unless otherwise required
- Analytics Data: Typically retained for 26 months
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., UNHCR.org, GoFundMe). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by:
- Posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
- Sending an email notification to our newsletter subscribers (for material changes)
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
- Email: info@darfuremergencycommittee.org
- Website: darfuremergencycommittee.org
- Mail: Darfur Emergency Committee, [Address to be added]
We are committed to resolving any privacy concerns you may have.
Governing Law
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of [Jurisdiction to be specified], without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
Your Continued Use: By continuing to use our website and services after changes to this Privacy Policy, you agree to the updated terms.