This Privacy Policy explains how Ndovu Films, a South Carolina nonprofit corporation exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“Ndovu Films,” “we,” “us”), collects, uses, and protects personal information through www.ndovufilms.org and related pages, forms, and checkout flows we operate (the “Site”), and in connection with our programs, donations, and communications. This Policy is incorporated into our Website Terms of Service. By using the Site, you agree to this Policy.
1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
1.1 Information you provide. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:
Contact information — name, email address, phone number, and mailing address, when you contact us, join a mailing list, inquire about partnerships or grants, or apply to a program.
Program enrollment information — for classes such as the First Time Filmmaker Intensive: name, contact details, age confirmation (whether you are 18 or older), emergency contact name and phone number, and any allergy or dietary information you choose to disclose.
Payment information — payments (tuition, donations) are processed by third-party payment processors such as Stripe. We receive confirmation details (name, email, amount, last four digits of the card) but we never receive or store full payment card numbers.
Donor information — name, contact details, and donation history, used to provide tax acknowledgments and maintain required records.
Submissions and applications — information you include in program applications, filmmaker open-call submissions, scholarship or grant applications, or other forms we expressly offer.
1.2 Information collected automatically. Like most websites, the Site and our service providers may collect standard technical data — IP address, browser and device type, pages visited, and referring links — through server logs and cookies or similar technologies, used for site operation, security, and understanding how the Site is used. We do not currently use Google Analytics or a comparable third-party analytics tool. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling them may affect some Site features.
1.3 Program recordings. Our educational programs are recorded on video, audio, and photography under the media release in the applicable enrollment terms. Recordings may include participants’ names, images, likenesses, voices, and performances and may be used as described in those terms, including on the Site and in promotional materials.
2. HOW WE USE INFORMATION
We use personal information to: operate the Site; process enrollments, donations, and payments; run our programs (including contacting emergency contacts if needed and being aware of disclosed allergies); provide donation acknowledgments and maintain records required of a 501(c)(3); respond to inquiries and applications; send program-related and, with opt-out available, marketing communications by email, phone, or text; improve the Site and our programs; protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats; and comply with legal obligations.
3. HOW WE SHARE INFORMATION — AND HOW WE DON’T
We do not sell personal information. We do not rent or trade our mailing lists.
We share information only with:
Service providers who process it on our behalf and only as needed to perform their services — such as payment processors (Stripe), email and productivity providers (Microsoft 365), website hosting, and form or scheduling tools. These providers are bound by their own contractual and legal obligations to protect your data.
Program collaborators, strictly as needed to operate a program you enroll in (for example, session logistics with a venue partner). Collaborators do not receive your payment details and may not use your information for their own marketing.
Legal and safety recipients — when required by law, subpoena, or legal process, or when necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of Ndovu Films, our participants, or others, including sharing emergency contact or medical-relevant information with first responders in an emergency.
A successor organization if Ndovu Films’ operations are transferred to a successor nonprofit, which will remain bound by this Policy.
4. COMMUNICATIONS AND YOUR CHOICES
Marketing emails include an unsubscribe link; you may opt out at any time and we will honor it promptly. Opting out of marketing does not stop transactional or program-critical messages (enrollment confirmations, schedule changes, safety notices) while you are enrolled. To opt out of texts, reply STOP.
5. DATA RETENTION
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes above, including: enrollment and acceptance records for as long as needed to administer programs and defend legal claims; donation records as required for tax and nonprofit compliance; and mailing-list data until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it. When information is no longer needed, we delete or de-identify it.
6. YOUR RIGHTS AND REQUESTS
You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, or ask what information we hold about you, by contacting us at partnerships@ndovufilms.org. We will respond within a reasonable time and honor requests except where we must retain information for legal, tax, safety, or record-keeping obligations (for example, donation records and signed releases). Depending on your state of residence, you may have additional rights under state privacy laws; we will honor verified requests as those laws require.
7. SECURITY
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to a small nonprofit — including reputable third-party providers, access limited to those who need it, and encryption in transit on payment pages. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a breach affecting your personal information occurs, we will notify you as required by applicable law, including South Carolina’s data-breach notification law.
8. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
The Site is intended for users thirteen (13) and older, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Program participants under eighteen (18) require parent or guardian consent under the applicable enrollment terms, and we collect minor participants’ information only in connection with that consented enrollment. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
9. THIRD-PARTY LINKS
The Site links to third-party sites and services (payment pages, social media, video platforms). Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not this one.
10. VISITORS FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
The Site is operated from the United States and intended for U.S. audiences. If you access it from elsewhere, your information will be processed in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those of your location.
11. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
We may update this Policy from time to time. The Effective Date above reflects the latest revision, and material changes will be posted on the Site. Continued use of the Site after posting constitutes acceptance.
Privacy questions or requests: Ndovu Films — 2607 Woodruff Rd Ste E PMB 3020, Simpsonville, SC 29681 — partnerships@ndovufilms.org — 828-242-6016