Privacy Policy

Cottage Hill Excellence Foundation ("CHEF," "we," "us," or "our") Effective Date: July 28, 2026

1. Introduction

Cottage Hill Excellence Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing merit-based scholarships. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you visit cottagehillfoundation.org (the "Site") or interact with us through it, including when you make a donation or sign up for our newsletter.

By using the Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

2. Information We Collect

a. Information You Provide Directly

  • Newsletter Sign-Up: When you subscribe, we collect your name and email address.
  • Donations: When you donate through the Site, our payment processor, Stripe, collects your name, email address, billing address, and payment card information to process the transaction. CHEF does not directly store your full card number; Stripe processes and stores this in accordance with its own privacy policy and PCI-DSS security standards. We retain the transaction details necessary for our records (name, amount, date) for accounting, tax receipts, and donor recognition.
  • Other Communications: If you contact us directly, we may retain the content of your message along with your contact information.

b. Information Collected Automatically When you visit the Site, we and our service providers automatically collect certain information via cookies and similar technologies, including your IP address, browser and device type, pages visited, time spent on the Site, and referring website. We use Google Analytics to collect and analyze this information. See our Cookie Policy for details on the cookies used and how to manage your preferences.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Process and acknowledge donations, including issuing tax receipts
  • Send our newsletter and program updates, if you've subscribed
  • Respond to inquiries
  • Understand Site usage and improve its content and functionality
  • Comply with legal and accounting obligations
  • Prevent fraud and protect the security of the Site

We do not sell your personal information.

4. How We Share Your Information

We share information only with:

  • Stripe — to process donations
  • Google (Google Analytics) — to analyze Site usage
  • As required by law, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of CHEF, our donors, or others
  • With your consent, or as otherwise disclosed when the information is collected

We do not share your information with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

5. Data Retention

We retain donor and newsletter subscriber information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes above, satisfy accounting and tax recordkeeping obligations, and maintain accurate donor records, unless a longer period is required by law.

6. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards to protect the information we collect. No method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Children's Privacy

The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Site. Scholarship applications and recipient information are collected and managed separately, outside the Site, and are not addressed by this Policy.

8. Your Choices

  • Newsletter: Unsubscribe anytime via the link in every email, or by contacting us.
  • Analytics: Opt out of Google Analytics tracking via the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
  • Cookies: Control cookies through your browser settings — see our Cookie Policy.

9. Illinois Residents

CHEF is based in Illinois, and the Site is primarily intended for an Illinois audience. Illinois does not currently have a comprehensive consumer privacy statute comparable to some other states; however, you may contact us at any time to ask what information we hold about you or to request its deletion, and we will respond as required by applicable law.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The Effective Date above indicates when it was last revised. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

11. Contact Us

Cottage Hill Excellence Foundation Email: john@cottagehillfoundation.org