1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Go Dharmic, along with its registered charitable entities in the United Kingdom, United States, and India (collectively, “Go Dharmic,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), is deeply committed to protecting the privacy and security of the personal information entrusted to us by our donors, volunteers, supporters, and website visitors (“you” or “your”).

This Global Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have regarding your information. This Policy applies to all information collected through our website (https://godharmic.com/) (the “Website”), as well as through offline interactions such as events, mail, or phone calls.

By using our Website or otherwise providing us with your information, you consent to the data practices described in this Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use our Website or provide us with your information.

2. What Information We Collect

We collect information to operate effectively and provide you with the best possible experience when you engage with our mission. The type of information we collect depends on the nature of your interaction with us.

2.1. Personal Data You Provide Directly:

• Identity and Contact Data: Your full name, email address, postal address, phone number, and salutation.

• Financial Data: Bank account or payment card details when you make a donation. Please note, this information is collected directly by our secure third-party payment processors and is not stored on our servers.

• Donation History: Records of your donations, including the amount, date, and campaign you supported.

• Communications Data: Your preferences for receiving communications from us, as well as any correspondence you send to us (e.g., emails, feedback, testimonials).

• Volunteer Data: Information you provide when applying to volunteer, which may include your skills, availability, and emergency contact details.

• Tax Information: Information required to process tax-related documentation, such as your PAN card number (in India for 80G receipts) or a Gift Aid declaration (in the UK).

2.2. Data We Collect Automatically (Technical Data):

• Usage Data: Information about how you use our Website, such as the pages you visit, the links you click, the time and duration of your visit, and the referring website.

• Device and Browser Data: Your Internet Protocol (IP) address, device type, operating system, browser type and version, time zone setting, and general geographic location. This data is collected through the use of cookies and similar tracking technologies. (Please see Section 6 for our Cookie Policy).

2.3. Data From Third-Party Sources: We may occasionally receive information about you from third-party sources, such as public databases, social media platforms (if you interact with our official pages), or third-party fundraising platforms that you have used to donate to Go Dharmic. We only use this data in accordance with this Policy.

3. How and Why We Use Your Information (Legal Basis for Processing)

We only use your personal data when the law allows us to. Our legal basis for processing your data depends on the purpose of the processing:

• To Process Your Donations and Maintain Records (Performance of a Contract / Legal Obligation): We use your identity, contact, and financial data to process your generous donations, issue receipts, and maintain financial records required by law in our operating jurisdictions (e.g., for tax, accounting, and audit purposes).

• To Communicate with You (Consent / Legitimate Interest):

  • We use your contact details to send you updates about our campaigns, newsletters, and fundraising appeals, where you have given us explicit consent to do so.

  • We may also send you essential administrative communications (e.g., donation confirmations, updates to our terms) based on our legitimate interest in keeping you informed about our relationship. You can opt-out of marketing communications at any time.

• To Administer and Improve Our Website and Services (Legitimate Interest): We analyze technical and usage data to administer our Website, protect it against fraud, understand how our supporters engage with our content, and improve the user experience.

• To Comply with Legal and Regulatory Obligations (Legal Obligation): We may be required to process your data to comply with legal requirements, such as fraud prevention, anti-money laundering checks, responding to law enforcement requests, or fulfilling our obligations to charity regulators.

• For Fundraising and Supporter Engagement (Legitimate Interest): We may analyze supporter data to better understand our donor base, allowing us to tailor our fundraising efforts and communications to be more effective and relevant.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

The trust of our supporters is paramount. We adhere to a strict policy regarding data sharing:

WE DO NOT SELL, RENT, OR LEASE YOUR PERSONAL DATA TO ANY THIRD PARTY FOR MARKETING PURPOSES. EVER.

We only share your information with trusted third parties who act as our service providers, under strict contractual terms, for the purposes outlined below:

• Payment Processors: To securely process your donations (e.g., Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay).

• IT and Cloud Service Providers: To host our Website, store our data securely, and manage our operational systems (e.g., cloud hosting providers, email service providers).

• Analytics and Marketing Partners: To help us understand website traffic and manage our communications (e.g., Google Analytics). These providers are contractually forbidden from using your data for their own purposes.

• Government and Legal Authorities: Where required by law or a court order, we may disclose your information to law enforcement agencies, regulators (e.g., the Charity Commission in the UK, the IRS in the US), or other public authorities.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Website uses cookies—small text files placed on your device—to distinguish you from other users. This helps us provide a good experience, improve our site, and understand user behaviour. We use the following types of cookies:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for the Website to function (e.g., enabling secure logins and donation processing).

• Performance/Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Website by collecting information anonymously (e.g., Google Analytics).

• Functional Cookies: Allow the Website to remember choices you make (e.g., language or region) to provide a more personal experience.

Upon your first visit to our Website, you will be presented with a cookie banner asking for your consent to place non-essential cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through your browser settings.

6. Data Security

We have implemented robust technical, administrative, and physical security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include:

• Encryption: Using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) / Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt data transmitted to and from our Website.

• Access Control: Limiting access to personal data to only those employees, volunteers, and contractors who have a legitimate business need to know.

• Regular Audits: Periodically reviewing our information collection, storage, and processing practices.

• Vendor Vetting: Ensuring our third-party service providers adhere to high standards of data security and privacy.

However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. International Data Transfers

Go Dharmic operates globally, which means your personal data may be processed in countries outside of your country of residence (e.g., data from a UK donor may be processed by a service provider based in the US). We ensure that any such transfers are lawful and that your data is protected to the standard required by applicable data protection laws, such as through the use of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or by ensuring the recipient country has an “adequacy” decision.

8. Data Retention

We will only retain your personal data for as long as is reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting, or reporting requirements. For example, financial and donation records are typically kept for 6-7 years to comply with tax and audit laws. Data held based on your consent for marketing will be kept until you withdraw that consent.

9. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on your location, you have specific rights concerning your personal data. We are committed to upholding these rights for all our supporters.

9.1. General Rights (Applicable to all):

• Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in our emails or by contacting us directly.

9.2. For Residents of the UK and European Economic Area (under GDPR):

• Right of Access: To request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

• Right to Rectification: To request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.

• Right to Erasure (‘Right to be Forgotten’): To request the deletion of your personal data, under certain conditions.

• Right to Restrict Processing: To request a halt on the processing of your data, under certain conditions.

• Right to Data Portability: To receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

• Right to Object: To object to our processing of your data (e.g., for direct marketing).

9.3. For Residents of California (under CCPA/CPRA):

• Right to Know: To know what personal information is being collected, used, shared, or sold.

• Right to Delete: To request the deletion of your personal information.

• Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: To direct us not to sell or share your personal information. (Note: Go Dharmic does not sell or share personal information as defined by the CCPA).

• Right to Correct: To request the correction of inaccurate personal information.

9.4. For Residents of India (under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023):

• Right to Access Information: To obtain a summary of the personal data being processed.

• Right to Correction and Erasure: To request the correction or erasure of your personal data.

• Right of Grievance Redressal: To have readily available means of registering a grievance.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Privacy Team at info@godharmic.com. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable law after verifying your identity.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Website and services are not directed at children under the age of 13 (or 16 in certain jurisdictions). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child without parental consent, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our records.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will post any changes on this page and update the “Last Updated” date at the top. For significant changes, we may also notify you via email.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, or if you wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

Attn: Privacy Team, Go Dharmic Email: info@godharmic.com

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority:

• UK: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

• India: Data Protection Board of India

• USA: Your State’s Attorney General or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)