Privacy Statement

© Copyright 2011-2023, Charles Koch Foundation.
All Rights Reserved.

Effective July 19, 2016

Charles Koch Foundation (“Foundation”) recognizes that visitors to our website (the “Foundation Site”) should know how we collect, use, and maintain information we collect or may collect about them. The Foundation is strongly committed to protecting the privacy of the Foundation Site and people who communicate with us. This Privacy Statement seeks to help you better understand (a) how we collect and use your information; (b) how we share and protect your information; (c) your choices regarding our use of such information; and (d) your ability to access and correct your information.

This Privacy Statement applies when you visit the Foundation Site or share your personally identifiable information with us, as discussed below. By using the Foundation Site, you accept this Privacy Statement and the Terms of Use, both of which may be updated by us at any time. If you do not agree to this Privacy Statement for any reason, please do not use the Foundation Site or share your personally identifiable information with us as discussed below. Please note that this Privacy Statement applies only to the Foundation Site and not to any other website linked to ours or other web-based resources linked therefrom. We do not control the privacy policies or practices of others. We encourage you to ask questions and read the privacy policies of other websites before you disclose any personal information to them. Please note that this Privacy Statement may change from time to time.

A Special Note about Children

We encourage everyone to visit the Foundation Site and learn about the Foundation. Children, however, are not eligible to register to use the services of the Foundation, and we ask that minors not submit any personal information to us. If you are a minor, you may use this service only in conjunction with a parent or guardian. Parents or guardians should become knowledgeable about software and other tools so they can assure that children’s use of the Internet reflects parental preferences and requirements.

California Residents

If you are a California resident, you may ask us to refrain from sharing your information (whether collected online or offline) with our affiliates for their marketing purposes, if the affiliates are separate legal entities. Please tell us your preference by contacting us as indicated in the “Complaints or Questions” section of this Privacy Statement.

Security

Although the Foundation Site has certain security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information you provide, no email or web transmission is completely secure against interception or incorrect routing. Thus, there is always the risk that unauthorized persons may access or use your personally identifiable information. If you are worried because your communication is very sensitive, do not send it electronically. Please consider this prior to submitting any information to us via the Foundation Site. You use the Foundation Site and send us such information at your own risk.

Although we take reasonable measure to protect your privacy on the Foundation Site, we need your help. You have control over your own privacy. Think carefully before providing any personal or financial information online. If you desire to remain anonymous when you write to us or send us submissions you should not tell us your name, the names of other users, or of your friends. To fully protect your privacy, you should try to exclude any information that you think may identify you or others.

Remember that we cannot protect your privacy once you leave the Foundation Site, such as by hyperlink. We do not control the privacy policies of other websites. So when you visit other websites, check each site’s privacy policy, and be careful about the information you submit or share. In addition, you should only forward our email messages or other website information (such as our job postings) to others through the buttons or links provided within the email or the Foundation Site. When you use your email system’s forwarding capabilities, others may be able to take actions in your name and/or access your personal information.

How We Collect Information

The Foundation collects both personally identifiable information and non-personally identifiable information from you in a number of ways. Personally identifiable information is generally information that identifies you, such as your name, telephone number, postal address, email address, and birth date. Non-personally identifiable information is information that does not personally identify you, including anonymous information and aggregate data. The Foundation uses this information to understand better how visitors use the Foundation Site, research our visitors’ demographics, interests, and behavior, provide visitors with customized services and information, improve our promotional and outreach efforts, and for other similar purposes.

I. Personally Identifiable Information

There are certain actions and areas of the Foundation Site that require you to provide personal information, which may include: (a) requesting educational materials; (b) joining the Foundation Site or creating a user account; (c) submitting a comment; and (d) applying for a Foundation educational program.

The personal information we collect may consist or include, but is not limited to, requesting your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, email address, username, and birth date. By submitting personal information to us, you agree that we may use the information in accordance with this Privacy Statement. We will update this Privacy Statement as we deem necessary. You should be sure to reread this policy in its entirety from time to time.

If you do submit information to us, we will use that information for the purposes for which it was submitted. For instance, if you join the Foundation Site and ask to be placed on our email list, we will use your email address to send you alerts and other messages about topics and developments we think may be of interest to you. Likewise, for any web-based educational projects we may collect and use personally identifiable information in connection with such educational efforts. In order for us to convey educational information to you, we may require a user to provide a name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, email address, username, and birth date. Information collected may be used for the promotion of our educational activities.

We may also use your information in other ways, such as to contact you about other activities or as otherwise disclosed to you at the point of collection, and we may share or transfer your information with our affiliates and any other organizations or entities for similar purposes. Additionally, to the extent required by applicable federal or state law, we will provide this information to others. We may share personally and non-personally identifiable information with third parties that help manage the Foundation Site and databases, as well as with our affiliates or other third parties.

For example:

  • If you post a comment on the Foundation Site, we will post the screen name under which the submission was made. Certainly, any information you include in a posting will be viewable by any visitor to the Foundation Site.
  • If in connection with certain aspects of the Foundation Site you provide us with your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, email address, or username, we may use this information to contact you about issues that we believe may be of interest to you. We may also share or transfer this information to other organizations.

By submitting this information to us, you give us permission to receive it, review it, edit it, store it, post it on the Foundation Site, and use it in appropriate settings designed to advance the educational mission of Foundation. To protect your privacy, we strongly urge you to not include any identifying information in your submissions.

You should be aware that we use third-party vendors to provide services on the Foundation Site and in our offline business operations. The information that you submit on the Foundation Site may be provided to those vendors on a confidential basis so that those vendors can provide services (such as maintaining our databases, sending email messages to our visitors, or otherwise facilitating our educational activities) on our behalf.

We also reserve the right to share personal information you provide with legal authorities if it is, in our sole opinion, necessary to investigate, prevent, or otherwise take action regarding suspected fraud, situations involving threats or potential harm, or if otherwise required by law (such as by a subpoena, court order, or other legal means). In the event that we reasonably believe that you have violated this Privacy Statement or the Terms of Use governing your use of the Foundation Site, we reserve the right to use any information we have collected about you in connection with any efforts we make or made by any of our agents on our behalf.

User Comments

Please be aware that any personal information you provide in connection with comments you contribute to the Foundation Site or any other interactive features we may offer will be visible to other users and visitors to those websites.

Polls, Surveys, Sweepstakes, Giveaways, Contests, and Promotions

Foundation may request information from you via online polls, surveys, sweepstakes, giveaways, or contests. Participation in polls, surveys, sweepstakes, giveaways, or contests is voluntary; you have a choice whether or not to disclose information required to enter. Information requested may include personal contact information such as your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, email address, username, birth date, and/or similar information. We may share this information with our affiliates, vendors, and other organizations or entities. Contact information will be used to notify winners and award prizes. Contact information may also be used to contact you with further information about Foundation, as well as the information about third parties whose activities relate to the educational mission of Foundation. Survey information, and related information you provide to Foundation, may be used for the purposes of monitoring or improving use of and satisfaction with the Foundation Site.

Online Advertisements

Foundation may run online advertisements on third-party websites to attract visitors to the Foundation Site or to alert the public to opportunities related to our educational mission. Our advertising vendors may use cookies and clear GIFs on the Foundation Site and on the third-party sites on which our ads appear, which allow the advertising vendor to track certain information about user behavior, such as “click-stream data.” Any use of information by an advertising vendor is governed by their terms of use and privacy policy, so you should familiarize yourself with these policies prior to responding to online advertisements.

Text Messages and Other Points of Contact

If you sign up to receive text messages from us, Foundation may collect, store, and use your mobile phone number to send you such messages. We may also collect and store other personally identifiable information, such as your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, email address, username, and/or similar information you may opt to provide to us. If you provide us with your email address, we may use it to send you email newsletters and updates from Foundation. In addition, as noted above, we may share this information with our affiliates, vendors, and other organizations or entities.

Email Newsletters and Updates

If you sign up to receive email newsletters and updates from Foundation and its affiliates and/or organizations that aid or share Foundation’s educational mission, we may collect, store, and use your email address to send you information from Foundation. We may also collect and store other personally identifiable information you give Foundation, including but not limited to your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, email address, username, birth date, and/or similar information you may opt to provide us. If you provide us with your mobile phone number, Foundation may use it to send you text messages. In addition, as noted above, we may share this information with our affiliates, vendors, and other organizations or entities to advance Foundation’s educational mission.

Facebook Conversion Tracking and Custom Audiences

Foundation may use Facebook Conversion Tracking or Custom Audiences to alert you to educational information. If you do not want to receive this information on Facebook, please use the functionality of Facebook to remove the information you do not want to receive.

Employment Opportunities

You may choose to apply for employment, an internship position, or to participate in an educational program with Foundation through online application forms we may provide, or by sending us, by email or otherwise, a resume and letter (containing personally identifiable information). Any information you provide to us in this regard may be viewed by Foundation and any third parties who assist Foundation in recruiting, selection, and similar services for the purpose of evaluating your application and/or responding to your employment-related inquiry. Foundation may share any or all of the materials you submit related to job opportunities with its affiliates, other organizations, and third party service providers.

Other Communications

You may decide to contact Foundation, by email or otherwise, with other inquiries or to provide feedback. Any personally identifiable information you provide in connection with such inquiries or feedback may be collected and used by Foundation for the purpose of processing and responding to your inquiries or feedback.

Client acknowledges that it may receive influencer contact details and other personal information from Cision as part of Company Data, and that it may use those details to contact influencers. To ensure that appropriate privacy information is made available to influencers, Client will identify Cision as a source of personal data in Client’s publicly facing privacy policy and will provide a link to Cision’s privacy policy at www.cision.com/us/legal/privacy-policy/. Such notice will take substantially the following form: “[Client] obtains contact details and other personal information regarding media contacts and influencers from a variety of sources including Cision. If you wish to know more about how such information is collected and used, please refer to Cision’s privacy notice at www.cision.com/us/legal/privacy-policy/.”

II. Non-Personally Identifiable Information

Foundation gathers certain broad information about the use of the Foundation Site, including the number of unique visitors, the frequency with which they visit, and the programs and services preferred. We look at the data in summary form, rather than on an individual basis. We gather this information so we can learn how many people visit the Foundation Site, see which pages are the most and least viewed, identify which websites are referring visitors to the Foundation Site, and related information. The data helps us determine the extent to which visitors use certain parts of the Foundation Site. Thus, we use this information to help us in restructuring the Foundation Site to better meet the needs of our users.

In connection with these activities we may use some of the below mentioned tools.

Cookies

We use cookies to track usage and to enhance the efficiency of user interaction with the Foundation Site, gain insight into and customize your use of the Foundation Site, and help maintain the Foundation Site’s proper operation. Cookies are small files placed on the hard drive of your computer; each website can send its own cookie to your browser if your browser preferences allow it. You can configure your browser to accept all cookies, reject all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set. (Each browser is different, so check the “Help” menu of your browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences.) You are always free to decline our cookies if your browser permits, although that may prevent you from using certain features on the Foundation Site. Please note that several companies offer utilities designed to help you visit websites anonymously.

Generally, we will not allow third parties to place any cookies, web beacons, or other similar devices on the Foundation Site. Foundation may allow third parties to place cookies on the Foundation Site, such as the below-referenced Google Analytics, in order to improve services Foundation provides to advance our educational mission. We do not control devices that may be placed on the Foundation Site by third parties. Foundation is not responsible for any other websites accessible from or linked to this website, including their privacy policies or information collection practices.

Google Analytics

Foundation uses Google Analytics, a service that uses cookies and tracking code to analyze how visitors use the Foundation Site. The information collected (including your browser and operating system, IP address, pages visited on our website, and time spent here) is transmitted to and stored by Google. Google uses this information to evaluate visitors’ use of the Foundation Site in an aggregate manner. Google compiles reports on website activity and provides other related services. Google may transfer this information to third parties that process information on its behalf or as required by law.

Foundation’s use of Google Analytics may include:

  • Google’s Display Advertising (e.g., Remarketing, Google Display Network Impression Reporting, the DoubleClick Campaign Manager integration, or Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting). Using the Google Ads Settings, you can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize Google Display Network ads.
  • Remarketing with Google Analytics to advertise online, which means third-party vendors, including Google, may show Foundation’s ads on sites across the internet. Foundation and third-party vendors, including Google, use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) together to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on someone’s past visits to the Foundation Site.
  • Google Display Network Impression Reporting or the DoubleClick Campaign Manager integration, which means Foundation and third-party vendors, including Google, use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookies) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) together to report how Foundation’s ad impressions, other uses of ad services, and interactions with these ad impressions and ad services are related to visits to the Foundation Site.
  • Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting, which means that Foundation may use, to the extent permitted by applicable law, data from Google’s interest-based advertising or third-party audience data (such as age, gender, and interests) through Google Analytics.

IP Addresses

We collect and analyze traffic on the Foundation Site by keeping track of the IP addresses of our visitors. An IP address is the unique numeric identifier assigned to each computer browser accessing the internet. An IP address, by itself, cannot identify you personally. When combined with other information provided by your Internet Service Provider, however, your IP address can be used to identify the computer originating a message.

How to Update Your Information, Unsubscribe, or Contact Us

We wish to maintain your information accurately, and to allow you to make choices about how we use it. If you wish to review the contact information we have on file for you, correct your contact information, provide a change of address, or inform us how you wish your contact information to be used, please contact our staff. You may contact us by email at email@charleskochfoundation.org.

If you do not want to receive any email from us in the future, click the “unsubscribe” reference in any email we send you. Otherwise, you may email us at email@charleskochfoundation.org with the subject line reading “UNSUBSCRIBE” to complete the opt-out process, or send a letter to the below address requesting that we unsubscribe you from our contact lists. Note that absent a specific request your records will remain in our database, but your email address and other information used to contact you will be deactivated.

Modifications to this Privacy Statement

We may amend or change this Privacy Statement at any time. In the event of any material change, Foundation will post a clear notice of such a revision to this Policy on the Foundation Site or email you such notice at an email address you have provided to Foundation.

Complaints or Questions

If you have any questions or concerns about how we have used information we have collected about you, please contact us by email at email@charleskochfoundation.org or by mail at:

Charles Koch Foundation

c/o Website Queries
1320 N. Courthouse Road, Suite 500
Arlington, VA, 22201