Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with COTSA. You may voluntarily provide information such as:

• Name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Mailing address
• Organization or community affiliation
• Volunteer information
• Event registration information
• Donation information
• Communication preferences
• Information submitted through contact forms
• Messages, comments, or inquiries
• Information submitted through COTSA community programs or initiatives
• Photos, videos, testimonials, or other content submitted to COTSA

Please do not submit highly sensitive personal information through general website forms unless COTSA specifically requests that information for a legitimate organizational purpose.

Donations

COTSA may use third-party fundraising and payment platforms to securely process donations. These services may include Give Lively and payment processors or financial technology providers supported by the donation platform.

When you make a donation through a third-party platform, that provider may collect information such as your name, email address, billing information, donation amount, donation date, and payment information.

Payment card and banking information is generally processed directly by the applicable payment processor and is not stored directly on COTSA's website.

Third-party fundraising and payment providers maintain their own privacy policies and security practices. We encourage donors to review those policies before completing a transaction.

COTSA may receive donor information from these platforms, including your name, contact information, donation amount, date of donation, and other information you have authorized the platform to share with us.

We may use this information to process and acknowledge donations, provide donation receipts, maintain nonprofit financial records, communicate with donors, and support COTSA's charitable mission.

Programs, Communities, Volunteers & Events

COTSA organizes community initiatives, cultural activities, educational programs, events, volunteer opportunities, and other activities supporting Salvadoran and transnational communities.

When you register or participate, we may collect information reasonably necessary to:

• Register participants
• Coordinate events and activities
• Communicate event or program information
• Manage volunteers
• Organize community projects
• Maintain participation records
• Improve future programs
• Respond to requests from community members

Information collected for a specific program will be used primarily for administering that program and for legitimate nonprofit purposes.

Photography & Video

COTSA frequently participates in public community, cultural, educational, and nonprofit events.

Photographs, video, and audio may be captured at COTSA events and activities and may be used, when appropriate and legally permitted, to document and promote COTSA's nonprofit mission through our website, social media, reports, newsletters, educational materials, fundraising materials, and other communications.

When individual authorization is required by law or appropriate under the circumstances, COTSA may request additional consent or a media release. Parents or legal guardians should provide any required authorization involving minors.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

• Internet Protocol (IP) address
• Browser and device type
• Operating system
• Referring website
• Pages visited
• Approximate geographic region
• Date and time of visits
• Website interactions

We may use this information to understand how visitors use our website, maintain website security, diagnose technical problems, measure outreach, and improve our services.

Cookies & Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for website functionality, security, analytics, remembering preferences, measuring traffic, improving user experience, and supporting embedded third-party services.

Your browser may allow you to block, limit, or delete cookies. Disabling certain cookies may affect how some portions of the website function.

Analytics & Third-Party Services

COTSA may use third-party services to operate and improve its website and programs. These may include website hosting, analytics, email communications, social media, embedded maps or videos, fundraising platforms, payment processing, event tools, and other technology providers.

These providers may collect or process information according to their own privacy policies. COTSA does not control the privacy practices of independent third-party websites or platforms.

How We Use Information

COTSA may use information collected from you to:

• Operate our nonprofit organization
• Provide community programs and services
• Process and acknowledge donations
• Issue donation receipts
• Manage volunteers and participants
• Organize events
• Respond to questions and requests
• Communicate important organizational information
• Send newsletters and community updates
• Promote COTSA programs and initiatives
• Maintain our website
• Analyze and improve our programs and outreach
• Protect against fraud, abuse, or security threats
• Maintain records required for nonprofit administration
• Comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations

Email & Communications

If you subscribe to COTSA newsletters, announcements, campaigns, or other communications, we may use your contact information to communicate with you.

Marketing or promotional emails will provide an unsubscribe option when required. You may also contact us at info@cotsasv.org to request that we stop sending non-essential communications.

We may still send administrative or transactional communications when necessary, including donation confirmations, event information, or responses to requests you initiated.

How We Share Information

We may share information when reasonably necessary with:

• Service providers that help operate our website
• Donation and payment-processing providers
• Email and communication platforms
• Website hosting and technology providers
• Event or program service providers
• Professional advisers, accountants, or legal counsel
• Organizations working with COTSA on an authorized program or initiative

We may also disclose information when required by law or reasonably necessary to protect COTSA, our community, our systems, or the public.

Donor Privacy

COTSA respects the privacy of its donors. We do not sell or rent donor information.

Donor information may be used for legitimate nonprofit purposes, including donation processing, tax and accounting records, donor acknowledgment, fundraising communications, organizational reporting, and maintaining relationships with supporters.

Where donations are processed through an independent fundraising platform, information may also be processed according to that platform's privacy policy.

Data Security

COTSA uses reasonable administrative, organizational, and technical measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no website, online service, email system, or electronic storage method can guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

COTSA may retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide programs and services, maintain organizational and financial records, fulfill the purpose for which information was collected, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and protect against fraud or misuse.

Information that is no longer reasonably necessary may be deleted, anonymized, or securely archived according to applicable requirements.

Your Privacy Choices

Depending on applicable law and the circumstances, you may request that COTSA:

• Provide information about personal data we maintain about you
• Correct inaccurate personal information
• Update your contact information
• Remove you from promotional communications
• Delete certain personal information when legally permissible
• Address a concern regarding how your information is being used

Requests may be submitted to info@cotsasv.org. We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

Children's Privacy

COTSA's website is intended for a general audience and is not designed to knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without appropriate parental or guardian involvement.

Because COTSA participates in family, cultural, educational, and community activities, minors may participate in certain programs or events.

When personal information or authorization concerning a minor is required, COTSA may request consent from a parent or legal guardian as appropriate.

Social Media

COTSA may maintain profiles or publish content through third-party social media platforms. Information you post, share, comment on, or otherwise make available through those services is governed by the privacy settings and policies of the applicable platform.

COTSA is not responsible for the independent privacy practices of social media companies.

Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties, including nonprofit partners, government agencies, community organizations, fundraising services, social media platforms, and other resources.

A link from COTSA does not mean that COTSA controls the privacy or security practices of that website. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party website before submitting personal information.

International & Transnational Activities

COTSA's mission involves transnational communities and may include programs, partnerships, communications, or activities involving individuals and organizations in the United States, El Salvador, and other countries.

When information must be shared internationally for an authorized program or organizational purpose, COTSA will take reasonable steps to limit the information shared to what is appropriate for that purpose.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

COTSA may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our programs, website, technology, organizational practices, third-party services, or applicable legal requirements.

When changes are made, the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page will be revised.

Contact COTSA

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or COTSA's handling of personal information may be directed to us using the information below.