This Privacy Policy describes the privacy practices of Independent Center (“IC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), a Virginia nonprofit corporation organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to information we collect through our website at www.independentcenter.org and any related subdomains, online forms, email communications, text messaging programs, and other digital services that link to this Policy (collectively, the “Site”).
As a social welfare organization, IC uses the Site to inform supporters about our mission, organize advocacy, share educational content, accept contributions, and communicate with members and the public. This Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and share it, and the choices you have. Please read it carefully.
This Site is intended for users located in the United States. It is not directed to individuals residing in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, and we do not knowingly offer goods or services to such individuals.
By accessing or using the Site, registering for email or text updates, making a contribution, or otherwise interacting with us, you agree to this Privacy Policy and to our Terms of Use, which appear below. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.
We collect information you voluntarily submit when you interact with us. Depending on the activity, this may include:
- Identifiers such as your first and last name, postal address, email address, and telephone number (including mobile number);
- Demographic information such as age, occupation, employer, and areas of interest;
- Payment information when you make a contribution, including billing address and the last four digits of your payment card (full payment card numbers are submitted directly to our third-party payment processor and are not retained on our servers);
- Content of messages, survey responses, petition signatures, event registrations, and other materials you submit;
- Any other information you choose to provide in connection with your use of the Site.
Some fields on our forms are mandatory and some are optional. If you do not provide mandatory information, we may not be able to complete the requested activity (for example, processing a contribution requires a payment method).
When you visit the Site, we and our service providers may automatically collect certain non-personally identifying information, such as your IP address, device type, browser type and version, operating system, referring and exit URLs, pages viewed, links clicked, and the date and time of your visit. We may combine this information with aggregated data from other users to analyze trends and improve the Site.
We may receive information about you from third parties, including affiliated organizations, public records, voter files, commercial data providers, social media platforms, and partners who co-sponsor events or campaigns with us. We use this information consistent with this Policy.
We use the information we collect for purposes that include:
- Operating, maintaining, and improving the Site and our programs;
- Sending you newsletters, alerts, advocacy calls to action, event invitations, fundraising appeals, and other communications consistent with our 501(c)(3) social welfare mission;
- Processing contributions and providing receipts and acknowledgments;
- Responding to your inquiries, comments, and requests;
- Conducting research, analytics, polling, and program evaluation;
- Personalizing your experience and tailoring content based on your interests;
- Engaging in lobbying, public education, issue advocacy, and other activities permitted for a 501(c)(3) organization;
- Preventing fraud, enforcing our Terms of Use, and protecting our legal rights and the safety of our users; and
- Complying with applicable legal obligations.
IC does not sell your personal information for monetary consideration. We may share your personal information in the following circumstances:
We share information with vendors and service providers that perform functions on our behalf, including website hosting, email and text-message delivery, payment processing, analytics, customer support, contribution processing, and database management. These service providers are authorized to use your information only as necessary to provide services to us.
We may share information with affiliated organizations (including any related 501(c)(3) educational entity, separate segregated fund, political committee, or other affiliated entity), and with coalition partners and allied organizations whose missions align with ours, for purposes including joint advocacy campaigns, event coordination, and shared programmatic communications. We make reasonable efforts to share information only with organizations whose use of the data is consistent with this Policy.
We may disclose information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is required by law, regulation, legal process, court order, subpoena, or government request; to enforce our Terms of Use or other agreements; to protect the rights, property, or safety of IC, our supporters, or others; to detect or prevent fraud or security issues; or in connection with the investigation of potentially illegal activity.
In the event of a merger, consolidation, reorganization, dissolution, transfer of assets, or other corporate change involving IC, your information may be transferred to a successor or affiliated entity.
We may share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you for any purpose, including with third parties, donors, the press, researchers, and the public.
Information you provide in connection with our text messaging program—including your mobile phone number and the fact that you opted in to receive messages—will not be shared with third parties for their marketing purposes and will not be sold, rented, or transferred to any third party. Mobile information may be shared only with service providers that help us operate the messaging program and only as necessary to deliver messages you have requested or to comply with law.
If you provide your mobile number and consent to receive text messages from us, you may receive recurring informational messages including event reminders, organization updates, advocacy alerts, and similar communications. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. For help, reply HELP or email us at hello@independentcenter.org. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP. Additional terms governing the text messaging program appear in the Terms of Use below.
We and our service providers use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, and similar technologies to operate and analyze the Site, remember your preferences, measure the effectiveness of our communications, and tailor content to your interests. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device that allows a website to recognize your browser.
We may use analytics and advertising services such as Google Analytics, Meta (Facebook) Pixel, and similar tools. These services may set their own cookies and collect information about your activity on the Site and across other websites over time. You can manage cookies through your browser settings, and you can opt out of certain advertising cookies through the Digital Advertising Alliance at aboutads.info or the Network Advertising Initiative at networkadvertising.org. Some features of the Site may not function properly if you disable cookies.
The Site may contain links to websites and services operated by third parties, including social media platforms, payment processors, petition tools, and partner organizations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site or service before providing them with information.
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Payment card transactions are processed by established third-party payment processors that use industry-standard encryption. Despite these measures, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You provide information at your own risk.
You can unsubscribe from our marketing and advocacy emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any such email or by contacting us at hello@independentcenter.org. We may continue to send you transactional or administrative messages (for example, contribution receipts) even after you unsubscribe from marketing emails.
You can stop receiving text messages from us at any time by replying STOP to any message we send.
To stop receiving postal mail from us, contact us at the address in Section 14.
Some browsers transmit “do not track” signals to websites. Because there is not yet a uniform standard for how these signals should be interpreted, the Site does not currently respond to such signals.
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended (“CCPA”), provides you with certain rights regarding the personal information we collect about you. Note that nonprofit organizations are generally not subject to the CCPA; however, we voluntarily extend the following protections to California residents:
- The right to request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources from which it was collected, the purposes for which it was collected, and the categories of third parties with whom it has been shared;
- The right to request that we delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions;
- The right to request correction of inaccurate personal information;
- The right to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information (we do not sell personal information for monetary consideration); and
To exercise these rights, email us at hello@independentcenter.org with “California Privacy Request” in the subject line. We will verify your request by asking you to provide information that allows us to reasonably verify your identity.
California Civil Code Section 1798.83 also permits California residents to request information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for those third parties’ direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, contact us at hello@independentcenter.org.
Residents of certain other states (including Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Montana, and others) may have rights under their state’s comprehensive privacy law similar to those described above for California, including the right to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of their personal information, and the right to opt out of certain processing. Most of these laws exempt nonprofit organizations, but IC will respond to reasonable requests from residents of these states. To submit a request, email hello@independentcenter.org with the subject “State Privacy Request” and identify your state of residence.
Nevada law provides certain Nevada residents with the right to opt out of the sale of certain categories of personal information to third parties who will license or sell that information to others. IC does not engage in such sales. If you are a Nevada resident and would like to submit a request, please contact us at hello@independentcenter.org.
The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at hello@independentcenter.org and we will take steps to delete that information.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Effective Date” at the top of this document and post the updated Policy on the Site. Material changes will be communicated through a notice on the Site or by email to subscribers, where appropriate. Your continued use of the Site after the effective date of the updated Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
Independent Center
Attn: Privacy Officer
PO Box 26141
Alexandria, VA 22313
Email: hello@independentcenter.org
These Terms of Use (the “Terms”) govern your access to and use of the website, online services, email communications, and text messaging programs operated by Independent Center (“IC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), a Virginia nonprofit corporation organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (collectively, the “Site”). By accessing or using the Site, signing up for our communications, making a contribution, or otherwise engaging with us, you agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference.
If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Site. We may modify these Terms at any time by posting a revised version on the Site. The revised Terms take effect when posted. Your continued use of the Site after a revision constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
The Site is intended for users who are at least 18 years of age and U.S. residents. By using the Site, you represent that you meet these requirements. We do not knowingly collect information from individuals under 13.
Certain features may require you to provide information such as your name, email address, and mailing address. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information and to update it as needed. You are responsible for any activity that occurs in connection with the information you provide.
By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails from IC, including newsletters, advocacy alerts, event invitations, fundraising appeals, and administrative messages. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the link in the email or by contacting hello@independentcenter.org.
By providing your mobile telephone number and opting in to our text messaging program, you agree to the following:
Mobile Messaging Program Consent
By signing up for our Mobile Messaging Program, you consent to receive the following types of text messages from the Independent Center:
- Polling/Voting Text Messages: Such as election reminders and opinion polls.
- Public Service Announcement Text Messages: Including legislative updates, member updates, and voter education.
Opt-In Methods
- Completing a sign-up form on our website and checking the text message consent box.
- Providing explicit consent in any other manner as indicated by the Independent Center.
Message Terms
- Messages may be sent using an autodialer or similar technology.
- Message frequency may vary depending on your interaction with the Program.
- Standard message and data rates may apply.
- Wireless carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
STOP Command
To stop receiving messages, text STOP at any time. You will receive a confirmation text confirming you have been unsubscribed. After this, you will no longer receive messages from the Program unless you opt back in.
HELP Command
For help, text HELP or contact us at hello@independentcenter.org or 703-797-1095. You will receive instructions on how to use the service.
Contributions to IC support our social welfare and advocacy programs. Because IC is organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, contributions are tax-deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. Contributions may not be used as a business expense deduction to the extent attributable to lobbying or political activity.
All contributions are processed in U.S. dollars. By making a contribution, you represent that the funds are your own, are not derived from a foreign national or any other source prohibited from contributing under applicable law, and are not being made in the name of another person. All contributions are final and non-refundable, except in our sole discretion and as required by applicable law. To request a refund or report an erroneous contribution, contact hello@independentcenter.org within 30 days of the transaction.
When using the Site, you agree not to:
- Violate any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation;
- Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity;
- Submit false, misleading, defamatory, harassing, threatening, obscene, or otherwise objectionable content;
- Interfere with, disrupt, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, our servers, or any associated networks or systems;
- Use any robot, spider, scraper, or other automated means to access or collect data from the Site without our prior written permission;
- Use the Site to transmit any viruses, malware, or other harmful code; or
- Use the Site for any commercial purpose not expressly authorized by us.
If you submit comments, suggestions, testimonials, petition messages, photographs, or other content to us through the Site or in connection with our programs (“User Content”), you grant IC a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute, and display that User Content in any media and in connection with our mission. You represent and warrant that you own or have the necessary rights to grant this license and that the User Content does not infringe the rights of any third party.
Your consent to receive text messages is not a condition of making any contribution to IC or of any other action. We will send messages only from numbers and short codes that we identify in our messaging program. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. By opting in, you confirm that you are the subscriber or authorized user of the mobile number you provide. If your number changes, you agree to notify us promptly. For supported carriers and additional information about the messaging program, contact hello@independentcenter.org.
The Site, including all content, design, text, graphics, logos, images, and software, is owned by IC or its licensors and is protected by U.S. and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may view, download, and print Site materials for personal, non-commercial use, provided you do not modify the materials and retain all copyright and other proprietary notices. Any other use requires our prior written permission.
IC, our logo, and any related names and marks are trademarks of IC. You may not use these marks without our prior written permission.
The Site may contain links to third-party websites and services. We provide these links for convenience and do not endorse or assume responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or operations of any third party. Your use of third-party websites and services is at your own risk and subject to the terms and policies of those third parties.
THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, MATERIALS, AND SERVICES MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SITE ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IC DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, AND UNINTERRUPTED OPERATION. IC DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SITE WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IC AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR THESE TERMS, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, STATUTE, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT IC HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IC’S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SITE OR THESE TERMS WILL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS (US$100).
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless IC and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your use of the Site; (b) your violation of these Terms or any applicable law; (c) any User Content you submit; or (d) your violation of any rights of another person or entity.
We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site, or any portion of it, at any time and for any reason, without notice. Sections of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including provisions regarding intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, and governing law.
These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to them or to your use of the Site will be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Alexandria, Virginia, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.
If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect, and the invalid or unenforceable provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving its intent.
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies or agreements posted on the Site or entered into between you and IC, constitute the entire agreement between you and IC regarding the Site and supersede any prior agreements regarding the same.
Questions about these Terms may be directed to:
Independent Center
PO Box 26141
Alexandria, VA 22313
Email: hello@independentcenter.org