Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

At Elgol Fund for Nature, we are committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all visitors to our website and applicants for our grants. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information in compliance with data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and other relevant legislation. 

By using our website or submitting an application, you consent to the collection and use of your personal data as described in this policy. 

2. Information We Collect 

We collect the following types of information from users: 

2.1 Personal Data Provided by You 

When you apply for funding or fill out any forms on our website, we collect personal data, including but not limited to: 

• Name 
• Contact Information (email address, phone number, mailing address) 
• Organisation Information
• Details related to the grant application (including project details, funding needs, etc.) 

2.2 Automatically Collected Data 

When you visit our website, we may collect some non-personally identifiable information automatically, including: 

• IP Address
• Browser Type and Version
• Pages Visited
• Time and Date of Visit
• Cookie Data

3. How We Use Your Data

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes: 

• To process and evaluate your grant application. 
• To communicate with you regarding your application or any other inquiries you make. 
• To comply with legal obligations and ensure adherence to grant-giving guidelines. 
• To improve our website and provide a better user experience. 
• To fulfill charitable and reporting requirements, such as internal audits or reports to donors. 

We will not use your personal data for any purposes other than those stated in this policy unless we obtain your explicit consent. 

4. Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data

We rely on several legal bases for processing your personal data: 

• Consent: When you submit your personal data for grant applications, you are consenting to its processing. 
• Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract (e.g., your grant application). 
• Legal Obligation: We may process data to comply with legal obligations (e.g., regulatory requirements). 
• Legitimate Interest: We may process data for purposes such as improving our services, as long as it does not override your fundamental rights. 

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your data in the following situations: 

• Service Providers: We may share your information with third-party service providers who help us operate our website or process your application (e.g., web hosting providers, payment processors, or auditors). 
• Legal Compliance: We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law, or to respond to legal processes, governmental requests, or to protect our legal rights. 

In cases where data is shared, we ensure that the third parties involved are compliant with relevant data protection laws. 

6. How We Protect Your Data

We take the security of your personal data seriously and employ a range of measures to protect it, including: 

• Data encryption during transmission (e.g., SSL certificates for website forms). 
• Secure storage of personal data in restricted-access databases. 
• Access controls that limit data access to authorized personnel only. 
• Regular reviews and updates of our security practices to mitigate risks. 

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal data, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. 

7. Data Retention

We will only retain your personal data for as long as is necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, including any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. 

• Grant application data: We typically retain personal data related to grant applications for 7 years to comply with legal and reporting obligations. 
• Other personal data: We may retain other personal data for as long as is necessary to provide you with services or support, or as required by law. 

8. Your Data Protection Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data: 

• Right to Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. 
• Right to Rectification: You may ask us to correct any inaccuracies in your personal data. 
• Right to Erasure: In certain circumstances, you may request that we delete your personal data. 
• Right to Restriction: You may ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data in certain situations. 
• Right to Data Portability: You may request that we transfer your data to another organization. 
• Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your personal data under certain conditions. 
• Right to Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw your consent at any time for any processing based on consent. 

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at elgolfundfornature@outlook.com. 

9. International Data Transfers 

If you are accessing our website from outside the United Kingdom, please be aware that your personal data may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in a country different from your country of residence.

10. Changes to Our Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. Any updates will be posted on this page, and we encourage you to review this policy regularly. 

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us through our email elgolfundfornature@outlook.com.