Privacy Notice

Lowcountry Trade Foundation

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

The Lowcountry Trade Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to expanding access to vocational education through scholarships and community partnerships. We respect the privacy of our website visitors, scholarship applicants, donors, volunteers, and community partners.

This Privacy Notice explains what information we may collect through our website, how we use and protect that information, and the choices available to you.

1. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following information:

Contact Information

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number, if provided

• Organization or business name, if applicable

Scholarship Application Information

If you apply for a scholarship, we may collect information needed to evaluate your application, such as educational and vocational training information, career goals, eligibility responses, and supporting documents requested under the applicable scholarship guidelines.

Donation Information

If you make a donation, the payment service provider may collect information needed to process your contribution. We may receive information such as your name, contact details, donation amount, transaction confirmation, and donation history.

Website Information

Our website and the services used to operate it may collect certain technical information, such as browser or device information and website usage data, subject to the applicable service settings and privacy policies.

2. How We Use Information

We may use information we collect to:

• Respond to questions and requests.

• Review and administer scholarship applications.

• Communicate with applicants about their applications.

• Process, acknowledge, and document charitable contributions.

• Communicate with donors and community partners.

• Operate, maintain, and improve our website and programs.

• Maintain appropriate organizational, financial, and administrative records.

• Meet applicable legal and reporting obligations.

We will use information for purposes reasonably related to our charitable mission and the reason it was provided.

3. How Information Is Shared

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

We may share information with authorized individuals who help administer our programs and with service providers when reasonably necessary to operate our website, collect applications, process donations, or maintain organizational records.

For example, our website, form, and donation service providers may process information according to their own privacy policies and service terms.

We may also disclose information when required by law or when reasonably necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of the foundation or others.

We do not intend to publish identifiable scholarship application information or share applicant records for unrelated promotional purposes without appropriate permission or another lawful basis.

4. Scholarship Applicant Privacy

Scholarship applications may contain personal and educational information. Access to application records should be limited to authorized individuals who need the information to administer or evaluate the scholarship program.

We ask applicants to provide only the information requested in the official application instructions.

Please do not submit Social Security numbers, bank account details, passwords, or other unnecessary sensitive information through general website contact forms.

If supporting documents are required, applicants will be provided with instructions for submitting them through an appropriate channel.

5. Donations and Payment Security

Donations may be processed through a third-party fundraising or payment service provider.

Payment information is handled according to the provider's privacy and security practices. We do not intend to store full payment card numbers or security codes in our own records.

Please review the applicable payment provider's privacy notice before submitting payment information.

6. Information Security

We take reasonable administrative and technical steps to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss.

These measures may include limiting access to records, using account security controls, and selecting appropriate services for collecting and storing information.

No website, electronic transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We encourage users to avoid sending sensitive information through unsecured or inappropriate channels.

7. How Long We Keep Information

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this notice, administer scholarship and donation activities, maintain appropriate organizational records, and meet applicable legal or recordkeeping obligations.

Retention periods may differ depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

When information is no longer needed, we intend to securely delete it or otherwise dispose of it appropriately, subject to applicable retention requirements.

8. Your Choices and Requests

You may contact us to ask about personal information you have provided or to request a correction or deletion where appropriate.

Some information may need to be retained to administer a scholarship, document a charitable contribution, comply with legal obligations, or maintain required records.

We will review requests and respond as appropriate under applicable law and our recordkeeping responsibilities.

9. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may link to third-party services, including scholarship application forms and donation platforms. Those services may have their own privacy policies, security practices, and terms of use.

We encourage visitors to review the applicable notices before submitting personal information through a third-party service.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is intended for individuals seeking information about vocational education, scholarships, donations, and community partnerships. We do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13 through a process intended for them without addressing applicable legal requirements.

If you believe a child has provided personal information inappropriately, please contact us so we can review the matter.

11. Changes to This Privacy Notice

We may update this notice as our programs, website, or information-handling practices change. The latest version will be posted on this page with its effective date.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Notice or how your information is handled, please contact:

Lowcountry Trade Foundation

Email: lowcountrytradefoudnation@gmail.com

Website: www.lowcountrytradefoundation.org

We appreciate your trust and your interest in our mission to expand access to vocational education and build stronger communities.