Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2025  |  Last Updated: October 14, 2026

Introduction

The Foundation of Change (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and your rights regarding that data when you use our website and services at thefoundationofchange.org.

Our Core Commitment

Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Registration Information: Full name, email address, phone number, date of birth, and mailing address - used for certificate issuance and court verification.
• Coursework Data: Article progress, time-on-task measurements, reflection responses, and assessment answers - used to track completion and verify hours.
• Payment Information: Processed exclusively through Stripe, a PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. We never store credit card numbers, CVVs, or full payment card data on our servers.
• Usage Analytics: Page views, selected interactions, and performance measurements, together with technical information processed by analytics and advertising-measurement providers.
• Fee Waiver Documents: If you request a Second Chance Fund fee waiver yourself, you upload one document, such as a benefits notice or a court fee-waiver order, showing your name, the program, the agency or court that issued it, and a date, with other details covered. We use it only to decide your request. It is never sent by email, only authorized staff can open it, our review tool logs each time they do, and we delete it as soon as we approve or deny your request, or automatically after 7 days if it has not been reviewed. We keep a record of the program, our decision, and the dates.
• Communication Records: Messages sent through our contact form or customer support channels, including any attachments you send. Please do not send benefit cards, identity documents, Social Security numbers, or medical records. Fee waiver documents are accepted only through the secure upload described above, never by email.

How We Use Your Information

We use information for the following purposes:

• Administering our community service and educational programs
• Processing payments and managing your account
• Deciding Second Chance Fund fee waiver requests
• Issuing certificates of completion with unique verification codes
• Generating hour logs for court and probation officer verification
• Responding to verification requests from courts, attorneys, and probation officers
• Communicating with you about your account and program updates
• Measuring website use, performance, and advertising results

Data Security

We implement robust security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encrypted Storage: Program account records are stored using Supabase infrastructure. Fee waiver documents are held in private storage that is not publicly accessible until they are deleted. Support correspondence and attachments may also be held in our email systems. A service provider certification does not certify all Foundation practices.
• Secure Authentication: User accounts are protected through industry-standard authentication protocols with secure password hashing.
• PCI Compliance: Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe (PCI DSS Level 1), for payment card processing. Our systems retain transaction references and payment status needed to administer enrollments and refunds.
• Access Controls: Personal data access is restricted to authorized administrative personnel on a need-to-know basis.

Data Sharing & Third Parties

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

• Court Verification: We respond to verification requests from courts, probation officers, and attorneys to confirm certificate authenticity and hours completed.
• Payment Processing: Stripe receives payment data necessary to process your transaction. Stripe's privacy policy governs their use of this data.
• Service Providers and Measurement: We use Supabase for account records and fee waiver document storage, Vercel for hosting and performance tools, email services for support, and Google and OpenAI technologies for analytics or advertising measurement. These providers may process technical information when their services load. See their applicable privacy notices.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental regulation.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information and coursework records for a minimum of 7 years from the date of certificate issuance, as these records may be needed for court verification purposes. Deletion requests are subject to applicable retention and preservation requirements. Records relevant to a dispute, investigation, or legal obligation may need to be preserved beyond normal retention periods. Fee waiver documents are not kept for this period: we delete each one as described above and keep only the record of the program, our decision, and the dates.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your data (subject to our legal retention obligations)
• Opt out of non-essential communications

Cookies & Tracking

Our website uses essential cookies for authentication and session management. We also use Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Ads tags, Vercel performance tools, and an OpenAI advertising-measurement pixel. These technologies may process browser or device information, page URLs, identifiers, and events. Browser settings may let you limit cookies or tracking. We are reviewing the configuration and applicable consent requirements.

Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for individuals aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Your continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data rights, or have concerns about how your information is handled, contact us at: