Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 8/1/2026
Last Updated: 8/1/2026

At the Native Conservation Initiative, we know your trust matters. When you reach out with a question, support our work with a gift, or join our newsletter, you share a bit of yourself with us. We take that responsibility seriously.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through our website, located at https://www.nativeconservationinitiative.org/ (the "Website"). It also covers how we use that information, how we protect it, and the choices you have. We've written it in plain language so you can understand your rights and make informed decisions.

Throughout this page, "Native Conservation Initiative," "NCI," "we," "us," and "our" refer to our organization. "You" and "your" refer to anyone who visits or uses the Website.

By using the Website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. Please also review our Terms and Conditions, which explain the rules for using our Website.

1. Our Commitment to You

Our mission is to share conservation resources and protect the native lands, waters, and wildlife we all share. Collecting personal information is never the goal. We gather only what we need to respond to you, process your donations, and keep you informed.

Here's our promise:

  • We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. Not now, not ever.

  • We collect only what we need to serve you and support our mission.

  • You stay in control of your information and how we communicate with you.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in two main ways: information you choose to share with us, and information gathered automatically when you visit the Website.

Information You Provide

You share information with us when you use one of three features on our Website:

  • Our contact form

  • Our donation page

  • Our newsletter signup form

Each is explained in detail in the sections below.

Information Collected Automatically

When you browse the Website, certain technical details may be collected automatically through cookies and similar tools. These can include:

  • Your IP address and general location (such as city or region)

  • Browser type and device type

  • Pages you visit and how long you stay

  • The website or search engine that led you to us

  • Date and time of your visit

This information helps us understand how people use our resources so we can make them more useful. You can learn more in Section 6, "Cookies and Analytics."

3. Contact Form

Our contact form gives you an easy way to ask questions, request resources, or share ideas with our team.

What we collect: When you submit the form, we collect your name, your email address, and any details you include in your message.

How we use it: We use this information to:

  • Respond to your questions and requests

  • Send you resources you've asked for

  • Follow up on conversations you've started with us

  • Improve how we support our community

Important to know: Submitting the contact form does not sign you up for our newsletter. We'll only add you to our mailing list if you choose to subscribe separately.

How it's stored: Contact form submissions are processed and stored through Squarespace's platform. Only authorized NCI team members can access them.

A helpful tip: Please avoid sharing sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, bank details, or government ID numbers, through the contact form. If you need to share something sensitive, send us a brief message first. We'll help you find a safer way to share it.

4. Donation Page

Every donation helps us create and share resources that protect native ecosystems. We want you to feel confident and secure each time you give.

What we collect: When you make a donation, we may collect:

  • Your full name

  • Your email address

  • Your billing address

  • Your phone number (if provided)

  • Your donation amount and frequency (one-time or recurring)

  • Payment details, such as your credit card, debit card, or other payment method

  • Any dedication, note, or designation you include with your gift

How payments are processed: Donations are processed securely through Squarespace and its third-party payment processors, such as Stripe or PayPal. These providers use industry-standard encryption to protect your payment information.

What we don't store: NCI does not see or store your full credit card number, security code, or bank account details. That information goes directly to the payment processor. We receive only limited details, such as your name, donation amount, and the last four digits of your card, so we can confirm your gift.

How we use donation information: We use it to:

  • Process your donation

  • Send you a receipt for your records and tax purposes

  • Manage recurring donations you've set up

  • Thank you for your support

  • Keep accurate financial records as required by law

  • Answer any questions about your gift

Third-party policies: Your payment information is also subject to the privacy policies of the processor you use. We encourage you to review them:

Donor privacy: We will never sell, rent, or trade donor information to other organizations. We will not share your name publicly as a donor without your permission.

5. Newsletter Signup

Our newsletter keeps you connected to new resources, conservation updates, and ways to get involved.

What we collect: When you sign up, we collect your email address. In some cases, we may also ask for your first and last name. Providing your name is optional.

How we use it: We use this information only to send you our newsletter and related updates about our work, resources, events, and opportunities to support our mission.

How it's managed: Our mailing list is managed through Squarespace Email Campaigns. Squarespace may collect basic data about how you interact with our emails, such as whether you opened a message or clicked a link. This helps us understand which resources matter most to you so we can share more of what's helpful.

You're always in control: You can unsubscribe at any time. Here's how:

  1. Click the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any newsletter email, or

  2. Email us at info@nativeconservationinitiative.org and ask to be removed.

Once you unsubscribe, we'll stop sending you newsletters. Please allow up to 10 business days for the change to take full effect. You may still receive essential messages related to donations or requests you've made, such as donation receipts.

6. Cookies and Analytics

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device. They help the site remember your preferences and work smoothly. They also help website owners understand how visitors use their pages.

How We Use Cookies

Our Website runs on Squarespace, which uses cookies to keep the site working and to provide basic analytics. These generally fall into two categories:

  • Necessary cookies: These keep the Website secure and working properly. For example, they help process donations, protect against spam, and remember your cookie preferences. The Website can't function well without them.

  • Analytics cookies: These help us understand how visitors use the Website. They show us which pages are popular, how people find us, and where we can improve. We use Squarespace Analytics, the platform's built-in tool, for this purpose. The information is reported in aggregate form, so it doesn't identify you personally.

To learn more about the specific cookies Squarespace uses, visit Squarespace's cookie policy at https://www.squarespace.com/cookie-policy.

Your Cookie Choices

You have options:

  • Cookie banner: When available, you can accept or decline non-essential cookies through the cookie banner on our Website.

  • Browser settings: Most browsers let you block or delete cookies. Check your browser's "Help" or "Settings" menu for instructions.

  • Keep in mind: Blocking necessary cookies may affect how parts of the Website work, including the donation page.

Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" setting. There's currently no shared industry standard for responding to these signals, so our Website may not respond to them. We'll update this policy if that changes.

7. How We Use Your Information

In summary, we use the information we collect to:

  • Respond to your messages and requests

  • Process donations and send receipts

  • Send newsletters to those who have subscribed

  • Improve our Website and resources

  • Keep our Website safe and secure

  • Meet legal, tax, and accounting requirements

We will not use your information for any purpose that is unrelated to these activities without first asking for your consent.

8. How We Share Your Information

We share information only when it's needed to run our Website and serve you. Here's when that may happen:

  • Service providers: We work with trusted partners who help us operate, including Squarespace (website hosting, forms, analytics, and email campaigns) and payment processors like Stripe and PayPal. These partners may access your information only to perform services for us.

  • Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, such as in response to a court order or legal process. We may also do so to protect the rights, safety, or property of NCI, our community, or others.

  • Organizational changes: If NCI merges with or transfers its operations to another nonprofit organization, your information may be transferred as part of that process. We would notify you of any such change.

Again, we never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone for marketing purposes.

9. Data Retention

We keep your information only as long as we need it. Here's what that means for each type of data:

Type of Information

How Long We Keep It

Contact form submissions

As long as needed to respond to you and maintain reasonable records.

Donation records

As long as required for tax, legal, and accounting purposes, generally up to 7 years

Newsletter subscriber information

Until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it

Analytics data

According to Squarespace's standard retention periods, in aggregate form

When we no longer need your information, we take reasonable steps to delete it securely or make it anonymous.

10. Data Security

Protecting your information is a responsibility we take to heart. We use reasonable safeguards to help keep your data safe, including:

  • Encrypted connections: Our Website uses SSL encryption, shown by the padlock icon in your browser's address bar. This protects information as it travels between your device and our Website.

  • Secure payment processing: Payments are handled by trusted processors that follow strict industry security standards (PCI DSS).

  • Limited access: Only authorized team members who need your information to do their work can access it.

  • Trusted platforms: We rely on Squarespace's security measures to protect stored data.

That said, no website or online system is 100% secure. While we work hard to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You can help, too, by using a secure internet connection and keeping your devices up to date.

If we ever learn of a security breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by law.

11. Third-Party Links

Our Website may include links to other websites, tools, and organizations we believe can support your conservation journey. We share them because we think they'll be helpful.

However, we don't control these sites and aren't responsible for their content or privacy practices. This Privacy Policy applies only to our Website. When you click a link that takes you elsewhere, we encourage you to review that site's privacy policy before sharing any personal information.

12. Children's Privacy

We care deeply about protecting young people online. Many of our resources may be shared in classrooms and family learning spaces, so we want to be clear about how we handle children's information.

Our Website is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13, in line with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

  • Children under 13 should not submit the contact form, sign up for the newsletter, or make donations.

  • If you're a parent or guardian and believe your child has shared personal information with us, please contact us at info@nativeconservationinitiative.org. We'll promptly delete it.

  • If we discover we've collected information from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, we will delete it as quickly as possible.

Educators and parents are always welcome to explore and use our resources with young learners. We just ask that an adult handle any communication with us.

13. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Your information belongs to you. You have the right to know what we hold and to decide how it's used. Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights:

  • Access: Ask what personal information we have about you.

  • Correction: Ask us to update or fix inaccurate information.

  • Deletion: Ask us to delete your personal information. We'll honor your request unless we're legally required to keep certain records, such as donation records for tax purposes.

  • Opt-out of emails: Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time.

  • Withdraw consent: Change your mind about any consent you've previously given.

  • Cookie choices: Manage cookies through our cookie banner or your browser settings.

How to Make a Request

Taking action is simple:

  1. Email us at [Insert Email Address] with the subject line "Privacy Request."

  2. Tell us what you'd like us to do (for example, access, correct, or delete your information).

  3. Include the name and email address you used with us so we can locate your records.

To protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before completing your request. We'll respond within 30 days. If we need more time, we'll let you know why.

We will never treat you differently for exercising your privacy rights.

Visitors Outside the United States

NCI is based in the United States, and our Website is hosted in the United States. If you visit from another country, your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S., where privacy laws may differ from those in your home country. If you live in a region with additional privacy protections, such as the European Union or United Kingdom, please contact us. We'll work with you to honor your rights under applicable law.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

As our organization grows and our tools change, we may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we'll post the new version on this page and update the "Last Updated" date at the top.

If we make significant changes, we may also share a notice on our Website or through our newsletter. We encourage you to check back now and then so you always know how your information is protected.

15. Contact Us

Have a question or concern about your privacy? We're here to help. Whether you want to update your information, make a privacy request, or simply understand our practices better, please reach out. No question is too small.

Native Conservation Initiative
Website: https://www.nativeconservationinitiative.org/
Email: info@nativeconservationinitiative.org

You can also reach us anytime through the contact form on our Website.

Thank you for trusting us with your information. Your support, curiosity, and care for the natural world make our work possible. We're honored to protect your privacy as we protect the lands and wildlife we all share.