Privacy Policy

Last Updated: September 15, 2026 · Effective: October 1, 2026

1. Introduction & Scope

This Privacy Policy describes how the Landes Community Foundation ("Foundation," "we," "our," or "us"), a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN: 23-3017584) headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal information. This policy applies to all information collected through our website (landescommunityfoundation.org), grant and scholarship application portals, donor management systems, email communications, and in-person interactions at our office located at 240 North Queen Street, Suite 310, Lancaster, PA 17603.

We are committed to transparency in our data practices and to complying with applicable federal and state privacy laws, including the Pennsylvania Breach of Personal Information Notification Act, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) where applicable, and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for any individuals located in the European Economic Area.

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information in the following categories, depending on your relationship with the Foundation:

Grant Applicants & Grantees

Organization name and address, contact person name and title, email addresses, phone numbers, IRS determination letters, financial statements (audited or Form 990), board member lists with affiliations, project narratives, budgets, and interim and final grant reports. For individual fellowship applicants, we additionally collect educational transcripts, professional resumes, and project proposals.

Scholarship Applicants & Recipients

Full legal name, date of birth, home address, email address, phone number, high school or college name, GPA and transcripts, FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR), Expected Family Contribution (EFC), personal statements, letters of recommendation, community service documentation, and enrollment verification from the recipient's educational institution.

Donors & Prospective Donors

Full name, mailing address, email address, phone number, gift amounts and dates, fund designations, payment information (processed through our secure payment processor; we do not store credit card numbers), estate planning documents related to planned gifts, and communication preferences.

Website Visitors

We collect standard web analytics data including IP addresses, browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, time spent on pages, and date/time stamps. This information is collected through industry-standard analytics tools and is used in aggregate to improve website functionality and user experience. We do not use this data to identify individual visitors.

3. How We Use Your Information

Personal information collected by the Foundation is used exclusively for the following purposes:

• Evaluating grant applications and managing the grantmaking process
• Reviewing scholarship applications and administering scholarship awards
• Processing charitable contributions and providing tax documentation
• Communicating with applicants, grantees, and donors about their programs, awards, and gifts
• Producing aggregate statistical reports on Foundation impact (no individual identification)
• Complying with IRS reporting requirements and state charitable solicitation regulations
• Improving our website, programs, and services based on usage patterns and feedback
• Responding to inquiries submitted through our website or other communication channels

4. Zero Third-Party Data Selling Guarantee

The Landes Community Foundation does not sell, rent, lease, trade, or otherwise transfer personal information to any third party for commercial purposes under any circumstances. This is an absolute and unconditional commitment that applies to all categories of personal information in our possession, regardless of the individual's relationship with the Foundation. We have never sold personal data and have a written organizational policy prohibiting the practice.

5. Information Sharing & Disclosure

We may share personal information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: We engage a small number of service providers (accounting firm, IT support, payment processor, email hosting) who process data on our behalf under strict confidentiality agreements. These providers are contractually prohibited from using personal information for any purpose other than providing services to the Foundation.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, court order, subpoena, or regulatory investigation. We will provide notice to affected individuals when legally permitted to do so.
• IRS & State Regulatory Compliance: We disclose aggregate grantmaking and financial data as required by IRS Form 990 and Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations reporting requirements. Individual donor information is not disclosed on public filings unless required by law.
• Grantee Recognition: We may publicly share the names of grant recipient organizations, award amounts, and project descriptions for the purpose of Foundation communications, annual reports, and community impact reporting. We will not publicly share individual scholarship recipient names without explicit written consent.

6. Data Security

The Foundation implements reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, modification, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encrypted data storage, secure socket layer (SSL) encryption for all web forms, password-protected access to application management systems, locked physical file storage for paper records, and annual security awareness training for all staff members. Our annual audit by Baker Tilly US, LLP includes a review of internal controls over information security.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for the minimum period necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, plus any additional period required by applicable law or regulation. Grant application files are retained for seven years following the completion or denial of a grant. Scholarship records are retained for seven years following the recipient's graduation or last enrollment. Donor records are retained for seven years following the most recent gift, or indefinitely for planned giving arrangements. Website analytics data is retained in aggregate form only and individual session data is purged after 26 months.

8. Your Rights & Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information held by the Foundation:

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Opt-Out: You may opt out of non-essential communications (newsletters, event invitations) at any time by contacting our office or using the unsubscribe link in any email communication.
• Portability: You may request a machine-readable export of your personal data.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Office Administrator at [email protected] or call (717) 555-0194. We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

9. California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect and how it is used, the right to request deletion, and the right to opt out of any sale of personal information. As stated in Section 4 above, the Foundation does not sell personal information and has never done so. To submit a CCPA request, contact us at [email protected].

10. European Residents (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation including access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and the right to object to processing. The legal basis for our processing of personal data is legitimate interest (grant evaluation, donor management), contractual necessity (grant agreements, scholarship awards), and legal obligation (IRS and regulatory compliance). To exercise your GDPR rights or to file a complaint, contact us at [email protected].

11. Changes to This Policy

The Foundation reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Material changes will be communicated through a notice on our website and, where appropriate, by email to affected individuals. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when the most recent revision was made.

12. Contact Information

For questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the Foundation's data practices, please contact:

Landes Community Foundation
Attn: Privacy Officer
240 North Queen Street, Suite 310
Lancaster, PA 17603
Phone: (717) 555-0194
Email: [email protected]