Privacy policy

The short version

We collect the least we can. We use it only to do the work described on this site. We do not sell it, rent it, or share it for advertising. If you want it deleted, email applications@theavidfoundation.org and we will do it.

Who we are

The AVID Foundation is a canadian-registered non-profit based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We are the data controller for the information described here. For any privacy question, contact applications@theavidfoundation.org.

What we collect, and why

School applications

When a school applies for a library we collect the school's name and address, its type and enrolment, a contact person's name, role, email and phone number, a description of the library space, the reason for applying, and optionally photographs of the space.

We use this solely to assess and administer library projects. We store it securely and we do not share it with third parties except as needed to deliver the programme — for example, sharing a shortlisted school's address with the local delivery partner who will carry out the refurbishment.

How long we keep it. Applications from schools we take on are retained for the life of the project and for seven years afterwards, because Canadian charity law requires us to keep records demonstrating how funds were used. Applications we do not take forward are deleted within 24 months, unless you ask us to keep you on file for a future cohort.

Enquiries and partnership messages

Your name, email address, organisation if you give one, and your message. We use it to reply to you and to keep a record of the conversation. Kept for three years, then deleted.

Mailing list

If you sign up for updates we keep your email address until you unsubscribe. Every email we send includes an unsubscribe link, and unsubscribing removes your address entirely.

Donations

We have not yet connected an online donation platform, so this website does not collect or process any payment information at all. Gifts are currently arranged by email, and we keep only what we need to acknowledge the gift and report on how it was used.

Donation records are kept for seven years, as required for Canadian financial and charity reporting.

Photographs of schools and children

We publish photographs of the libraries we build. This is central to our transparency, and it carries a duty we take seriously.

• We obtain written consent from the school before publishing any photograph taken on its premises.
• Where an identifiable child appears, we obtain written consent from that child's parent or guardian, in addition to the school's. Consent is specific about where the image may be used.
• We do not publish a child's full name alongside their photograph, and we do not publish images that reveal a child's home address, school timetable or other identifying detail.
• Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Email applications@theavidfoundation.org and we will remove the image from the site, usually within two working days.
• Where we have not obtained consent, we publish no photograph. Our publishing process blocks it rather than relying on anyone to remember.

Our child protection policy governs all activity conducted in or around schools, by us and by our delivery partners.

Analytics and cookies

This site currently runs no analytics and sets no cookies. We do not track you, and there is no consent banner because there is nothing to consent to.

Our web host keeps standard server logs, which include IP addresses, for a short period for security and troubleshooting. We do not use them to build any profile of you.

Fonts, embeds and third parties

The fonts on this site are served from our own domain, so loading a page does not tell Google or anyone else that you visited. We do not embed social media widgets, advertising trackers, or "like" buttons.

Form submissions are delivered through a form-handling service, which processes your message in order to email it to us.

Your rights

You can ask us to:

• tell you what information we hold about you;
• correct anything that is wrong;
• delete it, where we are not legally required to keep it;
• stop emailing you.

Email applications@theavidfoundation.org and we will respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Changes

If we change this policy we will update the date at the top. Material changes affecting how we use information you have already given us will be emailed to you where we hold your address.