Website and Data Privacy Policy
At Generation Hope (“Generation Hope,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), we value and protect your privacy while using our website, connected apps and online forms, and aim to ensure that you (“you” or “your”) are aware of how we collect, use, and share your personal information, as well as how you can manage the personal information we collect. This Privacy Notice pertains to your use of our website, generationhope.org, and the digital services provided through our website, linked online forms, and connected apps (“services” and “platforms”).
Generation Hope works to ensure all student parents have the opportunities to succeed, experience economic mobility, and build wealth, engages education and policy partners to drive systemic change and provides direct support to teen parents in college as well as their children through holistic, two-generation programming.
In this Privacy Notice, we outline the information we collect directly from Scholars, from mentors (also commonly referred to as Sponsors) and volunteers, and from other sources detailed below. Additionally, we describe the information collected about other individuals, such as speakers and participants at our events, donors, and individuals involved in our Student Parent Fellows program, and our cohort partners in FamilyU (and recipients of other technical assistance offered through our learning & innovation team).
If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or need clarification, please reach out to us using the contact details provided under ‘Contact Us’ below, prior to using or continuing to use our websites, connected sites, or services.
We retain the right to amend our Privacy Notice periodically, and any alterations will be posted here. We may also notify you of changes via prominent notices on our website, email, or both, especially if the changes significantly impact your rights. By using our websites, connected apps, and platforms following any modifications to this Privacy Notice, you indicate acceptance of these changes.
For individuals within the European Economic Area (“EEA”) or the United Kingdom (“UK”): If you are a resident of the EEA or UK, Generation Hope acts as the controller of the personal information collected from you through our websites, connected apps, services, and other interactions with you, in compliance with EU and UK data protection laws.
For individuals outside the EEA and UK: Your use of our websites, apps, and services implies acceptance of the terms outlined in this Privacy Notice. If you disagree with these terms, please refrain from using our website, apps, and platforms. Your utilization of our websites, apps, and services, and any privacy-related disputes, are subject to this Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service, including its applicable limitations on damages and dispute resolution, to the extent permitted by law. The Generation Hope Terms of Service are integrated by reference into this Privacy Notice.
Please navigate the following sections to delve deeper into our Privacy Notice.
1. TYPES OF INFORMATION COLLECTED
We may gather personal information from you, depending on your interactions with us or your utilization of our websites, apps, or services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Scholar Information: If you are a participant in the Scholar Program, we receive necessary information from you through the official application in order to register you to receive direct services from Generation Hope. This includes biographical details such as your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, bio, photo, birthdate, and other pertinent information. We also collect information related to your status as a U.S. Citizen, or recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and other information related to your immigration status when applicable. We also collect your educational data including enrollment information, transcripts, financial aid information, and details about your dependents. This information is only accessible to authorized staff at Generation Hope who are working to support your application and assist you through the Scholar Program. Upon acceptance in the program, some of your contact information may be shared with mentors, tutors, and individuals acting in an official capacity within your higher education institution for purposes of assisting you in your success in obtaining your degree.
Information from FamilyU Cohort participants and other institutions receiving technical assistance (non-profit, post-secondary education institutions including public, private, 2-year, and 4-year institutions): If you are a FamilyU Cohort participant, you agree to being amenable to data sharing with the larger student-parent field. Cohort institutions are encouraged to collect students’ parenting status and disaggregate the data across the intersecting identities of race, marital status, gender, sex, and student classification. This data is specific to the student parent population as a whole, and our use of it does not include personal information. We may request data for verification purposes via our platforms, and this information is only used to aggregate data to advance our goals related to systemic changes in higher education (ex: for reports, summaries, assessments, and for the purposes of disseminating broad data sets).
Contact Information: We collect your contact details, such as your name and email address, when you subscribe to newsletters, alerts, or download reports, and other communications, or if you're a Scholar, to provide mentor support and related services, as well as to facilitate connections with tutors, advisors, and (in some cases) social service providers. This information is essential for fulfilling your requests, and failure to provide it may hinder request fulfillment.
Payment and Billing Information: To process payments, including donations, we collect credit card information, donor advised fund information, banking details such as ACH, billing and shipping addresses. Providing some or all of this information is necessary for payment processing, and failure to do so may prevent payment processing.
Demographic Information: We may collect demographic details like age, race, preferred pronouns, and/or ethnicity, particularly if you participate in the Scholar Program, or serve as a volunteer, mentor, speaker, or Student Parent Fellow.
Event Information: When you register for our in-person or virtual events (e.g., as a Scholar, attendee, volunteer, a speaker, or a sponsor), we gather registration details related to your attendance, including contact information, scheduling information, dietary preferences, and accessibility requests. We may also collect additional information, such as your photograph, bio, birthdate, or other content you provide. Some of this information may be shared with other attendees through dedicated event websites and apps such as Cvent. Providing this information is essential for event registration, and failure to do so may hinder registration or service provision.
Protected Health Information (PHI): Protected health information (PHI) is personally identifiable medical or payment information related to health services. That includes:
Identifiable demographic or genetic information related to health
Information relating to the physical or mental condition of an individual
Payment or financial information related to healthcare
Generation Hope's Mental Health Coordinator provides free virtual support — both individual sessions and group sessions — for Scholars and their children. We maintain HIPAA compliance and do not share, transfer, or otherwise disclose any information related to your mental or physical health status. PHI is only collected and stored in secure environments and never transferred without express written consent for the purposes of facilitating connections with reputable HIPAA-compliant healthcare providers under extenuating circumstances such as mental health crises.
Device Information: When you visit our websites or use our apps, we collect device and browsing information, such as IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
2. HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION
At Generation Hope, information collection is a vital part of providing seamless access to our digital platforms and improving user experiences. We employ various methods to gather personal data:
Direct Engagement: When you register for an account, apply for our programs, download a report, access a learning platform, or donate, you provide personal information directly to us.
Online Interaction: Browsing our websites, using our apps, or participating in events allows us to collect data automatically on a limited, platform-specific basis. This includes device information, browsing patterns, and interaction details.
Social Media Channels: Engaging with Generation Hope on social platforms permits us to collect available personal data within platform guidelines. If you share your social profile on our platforms, associated information may be collected.
Cookie Usage: We utilize cookies to enhance browsing experiences and improve platform functionality. Cookies help us recognize users, tailor services, and analyze website traffic. You can adjust cookie preferences in your browser settings.
Analytics Tools: Tools like Google Analytics provide insights into user behavior and help us refine platform features. Information gathered includes IP addresses, visit times, and inbound referring sources.
Offline Sources: Occasionally, we collect data from offline interactions or external sources to update records and customize platform experiences.
3. UTILIZATION OF ACQUIRED INFORMATION
Generation Hope employs collected data for a variety of purposes depending on the end user. Here's how we put the gathered information to use:
Service Provision: Your data enables us to provide access to our services, manage accounts, process applications, background checks for volunteers and mentors, and facilitate donations. It forms the foundation for effective program delivery, engagement and communication.
Program Administration: For Scholars, mentors, and institutions, data aids in program administration, including application processing, participant support, aggregation of data, and program evaluation.
User Support: We utilize data to diagnose issues, analyze trends, and enhance platform performance. This ensures efficient problem resolution and ongoing improvement efforts.
Marketing Initiatives: With your consent, we may use data to send marketing communications, process donations, or showcase program participation. Your engagement supports our mission and fosters community involvement.
Analytics and Improvement: Data analysis helps us refine operations, improve platform features, and understand user preferences. This drives innovation and ensures continual enhancement of our sites and services.
Legal Compliance: We may process data to comply with legal obligations, respond to regulatory requests, or enforce terms of service. This ensures adherence to applicable laws and regulations.
Rights Protection: Data processing may be necessary to protect our legal rights or assist in dispute resolution. This safeguards our interests and ensures fair resolution of conflicts.
If you are a resident of the EEA, or UK, there are a number of legal bases in data protection law that permit us to use your personal information for the purposes described in this Privacy Notice, including that:
Expression of consent: You have provided your consent to us using your personal information for that purpose, such as to provide you with services, or deliver email newsletters;
Contract: We need to process your personal information to perform our services with you, or to take pre-service steps at your request, such as when you enter a contract for services;
Legal obligation: We need to comply with an EEA or UK legal obligation, including for example, responding to government or law enforcement information requests; and/or
Legitimate interests: The processing is necessary to pursue our legitimate interests or those of a third party, except where such interests are overridden by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms
5. SAFEGUARDING YOUR INFORMATION
Generation Hope is dedicated to securing your information through diligent measures. We maintain personal information in secure operating environments, employing robust security protocols. While we strive for utmost security, please understand that no transmission of data over the Internet or any public network can be guaranteed 100% secure. If you suspect any unauthorized use or security breach concerning your information, please reach out to us promptly so we can investigate and escalate appropriately.
6. PRIVACY CONCERNING CHILDREN
Our websites, apps, and services are not directed towards children under the age of 16. We do collect basic information about the children of applicants and participants in our Scholar Program to confirm eligibility for the program, arrange for child care at events, or provide services through our Next Generation Academy. This data is not transferred to third parties or otherwise made available. Overall data including the number of children we serve is shared externally, but any identifying information remains anonymous.
7. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
If you reside in the EEA or UK, you possess the following rights concerning our handling of your personal information, subject to applicable data protection laws:
Right of Access: Access and obtain a copy of your personal information, along with an explanation of its usage.
Right of Rectification: Request rectification, completion, or updating of inaccurate personal information.
Right of Erasure: Request erasure of personal information about you.
Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we refrain from using the personal information you provided, except for storage, under certain circumstances.
Right to Data Portability: Receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format, and transmit it to another controller.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing personal information, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent prior to withdrawal.
Right to Object: Challenge processing of your personal information based on legitimate interests or object to processing for direct marketing purposes.
To exercise these rights or address any concerns regarding your personal information, please contact us. You are also entitled to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority.
9. MANAGING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may periodically send promotional emails to you. You can opt out of these communications by following the instructions in the email. Please allow up to 7 business days for processing opt-out requests. Opting out of promotional emails does not affect receipt of emails related to your Scholar or mentor account or requested services.
11. CONTACTING US
For questions, comments, or suggestions, you can reach out to us using the following methods. We may need to verify your identity before addressing your request.
Email: comms@generationhope.org