Our Commitment to Privacy

Darpana Institute (“Darpana”) recognizes that protecting privacy is essential to ensuring human dignity and safety. Whether you are subscribing to our newsletter, signing up to volunteer or apply for a job, using any of our services, making a financial contribution, enrolling in training, or otherwise accessing our digital content (collectively, “Darpana Institute Activities”), your privacy is a priority, and we go to great lengths to protect it. The collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information will be consistent with the Darpana Institute’s mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering and difficulty discarding.

We know you care about your information, and we want you to be fully informed about our practices. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how we collect, use, and disclose your personal information when you engage in any Darpana Institute Activities. “Personal information” (or “personal data”) means information about you that you provided to us or that we obtained from other sources, and may include categories like your name, address, age, financial data, Social Security Number, employment information, and other types of information that could be used to identify you.

Each time you engage in any of the Darpana Institute Activities, you are indicating your acknowledgement, acceptance, and consent to the collection, use, management, and disclosure of your personal information as set forth in this Policy subject to applicable law. We may revise this Policy periodically at any time, and will let you know of any changes by posting a revised Policy on our website with a new effective date.

The Data We Collect

We may collect personal information and other data when you engage in any Darpana Institute Activities, including, for example, when you visit any of our websites or use any of our applications (mobile or otherwise), sign up to volunteer, apply for a job, make a financial or in-kind donation to the Darpana Institute, register for or receive training, apply for a job, access any of our services, and/or participate in Darpana Institute campaigns and events. The data we collect may vary depending on the Activity, and may come directly from you and/or indirectly from third parties that provide data to us. We may enter your personal data into one of our databases so we can contact you to obtain your input, provide information about our programs and events, request donations, or provide a more personalized online experience. Data we collect may include:

• Contact and Background Information: Depending on which of Darpana Institute’s Activities you are engaging in, we may require or collect personal data about you including contact information, health information, demographic information, educational and employment-related information, device information, and/or financial information. This information includes, but is not limited to, your name, mailing address, age, date of birth, email address, phone number, Social Security Number (or other Government-issued identification cards or numbers), health information and health history, biometric data, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, geolocation, information about any device you use to engage in any of the Darpana Institute Activities, other information you voluntarily disclose, and comparable information of a similar identifying nature.

• Financial Information: When you use our websites or apps to make a financial or in-kind contribution, register for a class or special event, sign up to volunteer, apply for a job, or make an appointment, we may collect payment and identity verification information, including your contact information and payment method, and any other information relevant to the transaction. If you pay using a credit card, we and our third-party payment processor may collect basic information such as credit card number and expiration date.

• Device and Usage Information: When you access Darpana Institute’s websites or applications, we may collect basic device information, website usage, form data, links and locations, and downloads to understand your interests and needs. This includes location (if provided), operating system, browser, IP and MAC addresses, device identifiers, and security status. We gather this data via automated means such as web tools (e.g., cookies, pixels, web beacons) and from trusted vendors. We use this information to improve your online experience, enhance our websites and applications, and engage with potential Darpana Institute supporters. You can limit data collection through browser settings or manage preferences on our site, though blocking cookies may affect website functionality.

• Information Stored on Your Device: When you give us permission, we may have access to information stored locally on your device, such as your contact list, including phone numbers, calendar information, and/or other media (e.g., photographs or video). For example, when you use our contact form, in addition to sharing your name, email address, date of birth, and zip code with us, you may also choose to include your photo. You may adjust your browser and device settings to prevent the collection of information, photos, or videos stored on your device.

• Information from Other Sources: We, or our service providers, vendors, and other companies and organizations we partner with, may deploy digital tools and/or tracking technologies for various purposes to support Darpana Institute’s mission, such as for fraud prevention and to advance our advertising and marketing campaigns. We may also collect information about you from additional online and offline sources including from social media activities, partner organizations, commercially available third-party sources, and other publicly available sources. We may combine this information with the personal and other information we have collected about you.

• Other Information: We collect feedback you provide to us, answers to surveys and questionnaires, and other information we are able to derive or draw inferences about you based on the information we have collected from you directly, through your device, or through third parties, such as research agencies and data companies.

How We Use Personal Data

We may use your personal information in accordance with applicable law in any number of ways, including to:

• Ensure we have accurate information about you;

• Manage our relationship;

• Process donations and purchase transactions;

• Verify your identity (such as when you access your account information);

• Prevent and protect against fraud and other risks, and to enhance the security of your account and Darpana Institute systems;

• Provide you the product, services, or opportunities you request;

• Respond to your requests and communicating with you;

• Manage your preferences;

• Perform analytics concerning your use of our websites or applications;

• Provide you tailored content and marketing messages, including fundraising and other Darpana Institute campaign messages;

• Operate, evaluate, and improve our programs (including developing new products and services; improving existing products and services; performing data analytics, accounting, auditing, recordkeeping and other internal functions) and campaigns;

• Support the growth and development of our volunteer community and financial donor base, including through targeted fundraising activities;

• Comply with and enforcing applicable legal requirements, relevant industry standards, contractual obligations, and our policies;

• Help you understand your personal health information;

• Perform our contractual obligations, and for any other purposes that you consent to, or that we may specifically disclose at the time you provide or we collect your information.

We may also use data that we collect on an aggregate or anonymous basis (meaning it does not identify any specific individual(s)) for various purposes, where permissible under applicable law, to help deliver products, services, and content to advance the Darpana Institute’s mission and for other related purposes. When required by applicable law, we will ask for your consent before using your personal information.

Sharing of Personal Data

The Darpana Institute does not sell, trade, or share our donors’ personal data with any other entity, except as otherwise described below or expressly disclosed to you. We do not send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations unless the donor has given us specific permission to do so. On occasion, the Darpana Institute may share your information with vendors, third parties, and other partners for the purpose of supporting our activities and programs. For example, we may share information with vendors that help us fulfill orders, manage data, and process donations and credit card payments. These vendors are bound by strict confidentiality rules and are permitted to use the information only to support Darpana Institute operations. We also strive to keep identifiable information private and only disclose information as required by law.

How We Secure Data

We use a variety of security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, destruction or disclosure. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to help prevent unauthorized access to and improper use of your personal data. We protect the security of credit card transactions using a number of measures such as encryption, access controls, network firewalls, and physical security. When we work with other companies to process credit card transactions, those companies also use encryption and other appropriate security measures.

Although the Darpana Institute has and maintains up-to-date procedures and tools in place to safeguard information in our possession, custody, or control, no website or electronic store of information can ever be completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the safety of all personal information. We are committed to accuracy and precision in processing your information, have procedures to check for errors, and periodically audit our systems to ensure we process your information securely and accurately. If you need to contact us to review your information or make corrections, please use this form.

Children’s Data and Parental Responsibility 

Darpana Institute is committed to protecting children, and has a variety of programs children may use under the supervision of a responsible adult. We hope that children and parents will visit our websites and use our apps and voice experiences together so they can jointly learn about Darpana Institute and opportunities for children to participate. Darpana Institute does not knowingly collect, use or disclose personal identifying information from a minor under the age of 13 without obtaining all necessary prior consent from a person with parental responsibility (e.g., a parent or guardian) consistent with applicable legal requirements. 

To Unsubscribe/Opt-Out

To unsubscribe from Darpana Institute phone calls, e-mails, texts or mail, or to let us know how you would like us to contact you, please send an e-mail to the following addresses: 

• Financial Donor Unsubscribe: support@darpana.info

• Newsletter Unsubscribe: support@darpana.info

Contact Us About Privacy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, you may send us an email at support@darpana.info or write to:

Darpana Institute
External Affairs Committee
1968 S. Coast Hwy, PMB #1827 Laguna Beach, CA 92651, U.S.A

[Effective Date: 01/01/2025]