Privacy Policy

Golden State Guardians Foundation Privacy Policy
Effective Date: July 2, 2025

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1. Purpose and Scope

The Golden State Guardians Foundation (“Foundation,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to serving veterans and their families. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information obtained through calvfwfoundation.org and any related sub-domains, online donation forms, mobile applications, email communications, and social-media pages we control (collectively, the “Site”). It also describes your rights and choices under applicable privacy laws—especially the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act (together, “CCPA/CPRA”).

By accessing or using the Site, you consent to the practices described below. If you do not agree, please refrain from using the Site.

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2. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

1. Process Donations & Transactions – including credit-card processing, tax-receipt issuance, and gift acknowledgment.
2. Operate & Improve the Site – monitor usage, debug, and enhance user experience.
3. Communicate with You – respond to inquiries, send newsletters, event invitations, advocacy updates, and administrative notices.
4. Administer Programs & Grants – verify eligibility, fulfill service requests, and measure impact.
5. Comply with Legal Obligations – IRS reporting, state charity regulations, fraud prevention, and law-enforcement requests.
6. Marketing & Fundraising – deliver targeted content or appeals (you may opt out at any time).
7. Protect Rights & Safety – investigate suspicious activity, enforce our Terms of Use, and secure our assets.

We will not use personal information for materially different, unrelated, or incompatible purposes without updating this Policy and, where required, obtaining your consent.

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3. Cookies, Analytics, and Tracking Technologies

We employ first- and third-party cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to:

• keep you logged in and remember preferences;
• compile aggregate statistics through services such as Google Analytics;
• measure campaign effectiveness; and
• deliver interest-based advertising (primarily on social-media platforms).

Most browsers let you block or delete cookies. Doing so may affect Site functionality. You can also install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to prevent data collection by Google Analytics.

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4. Disclosure of Information

We never sell personal information. We may share it only:

• Service Providers & Vendors – e.g., payment processors (Stripe, PayPal), email-marketing platforms, cloud-hosting services—under contracts that prohibit use beyond our instructions.
• Affiliated VFW Entities – the VFW Department of California or local Posts, solely to coordinate joint programs or events.
• Legally Required Parties – government authorities, regulators, or courts when compelled by law or to protect rights, safety, or property.
• Successors – in connection with a merger, reorganization, or transfer of Foundation assets; your information would remain subject to this Policy.

We may share aggregated or de-identified data that cannot reasonably identify you.

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5. Your Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you reside in California, you have the right to:

1. Know what categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect, use, and disclose.
2. Request Deletion of personal information, subject to legal obligations (e.g., donation-tax records).
3. Correct inaccurate personal information.
4. Opt Out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising (we do not sell, but you may still opt out of certain analytics/advertising cookies).
5. Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information to strictly necessary purposes (we already do).
6. Non-Discrimination for exercising your rights.

How to Exercise Your Rights:
Calll (916) 481-9286. We will verify your identity (and authority, if acting as an authorized agent) before fulfilling requests.

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6. Data Security

We apply reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards—such as SSL/TLS encryption, access controls, and routine security audits—to protect personal information.

No system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

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7. Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, comply with legal and accounting obligations, and resolve disputes.

Donation records are kept for at least seven (7) years per IRS requirements.

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8. Third-Party Links

The Site may link to external websites or social-media platforms. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.

Review each site’s policy before providing personal information.

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9. International Visitors

Our operations and servers are located in the United States. By using the Site from outside the U.S., you consent to the transfer and processing of your information in the U.S.,

which may have different data-protection laws than your country.

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10. Updates to This Policy

We may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Effective Date” at the top and, if material changes occur, provide notice (e.g., prominent banner or email).

Your continued use of the Site after such changes constitutes acceptance.

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If you have questions, concerns, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or our data-handling practices, please reach out using the contact information above—we will gladly assist you.

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Thank you for supporting California’s veterans. Your trust and privacy are vitally important to us.