Privacy Policy

Barrier Breakers Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 1, 2025

At Barrier Breakers ("we", "us", or "our"), we are committed to safeguarding your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and protect the personal information you provide when using our services, including our website and programs. By accessing or using our services, you consent to the practices outlined in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect both personal and non-personal information when you interact with our services. This includes information you provide directly, as well as information collected automatically through your use of our website or programs.

Personal Information:
We collect the following personal information when you register for our services or engage with our programs:

  • Name

  • Gender

  • Date of birth

  • Contact details (email address, phone number, mailing address)

  • Academic background (GPA, standardized test scores, school information)

  • Payment information (processed through PCI-compliant third-party payment processors)

  • Other demographic data, such as ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, military affiliation, foster youth status, and parental academic background.

  • If you send a gift or make a donation to us, we may request your name, address, phone number, email address, and tax identification information for tax reporting purposes.

Additionally, as part of our programs, we collect information about your participation, including:

  • College application data (schools applied to, admitted to, and committed to)

  • Scholarship and funding details

  • Program participation details (sessions, meet-ups, webinars, resources used)

  • Career readiness resources

  • Satisfaction and promoter scores

  • Emergency fund usage, if applicable

Automatically Collected Information:
 We also collect non-personal information automatically through your use of our website and services, including:

  • IP address

  • Browser type and operating system

  • Pages visited and links clicked

  • Referral URL and browsing behavior

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  • To Provide Services: To provide and personalize our services to you, including admissions or academic counseling, mentorship, and other resources

  • To Communicate with You: To communicate with you about your account, program updates, and relevant opportunities

  • To Improve and Develop Our Services: We use your information to ensure our Site and Services are working as intended, to better understand how users access and interact with our Site and Services. This includes analyzing data on an aggregated or de-identified basis to improve the quality of our offerings, develop new services, and identify and correct any errors. We also use this data to conduct research and analysis that aligns with our mission to increase access to higher education for underserved students and further our educational goals.

  • To Facilitate Payment: To process payments and donations

  • To Prevent Fraud and Comply with Legal Obligations: Ensure legal compliance and protect the safety and rights of our community

  • For Outreach: To reach out with promotional content, event invitations, and updates (with your consent)

3. How We Share Your Information

We respect your privacy and do not sell your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your data in the following circumstances:

  • With Service Providers: To complete transactions, deliver services, and manage operations (e.g., payment processors, event organizers).

  • With Your Consent: If you agree to share your information for specific purposes (e.g., participation in events, partnerships).

  • For Legal Compliance: In response to legal requests or obligations, including subpoenas, court orders, or compliance with laws.

  • For Business Transfers: In case of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, where your data may be transferred to a new entity.

4. Other Uses (Beyond Barriers Platform)

As part of our services, particularly through the Beyond Barriers platform, if you participate in programs or events, any personal information you present or provide may be viewed by other participants or users of the platform. This may include information shared during presentations, discussions, or group activities.

Please be aware that we are not responsible for how other participants or users use your personal information once shared through the platform. We encourage you to be mindful of what personal information you disclose within these collaborative spaces.

5. Aggregate and De-Identified Information 

We may share aggregate or de-identified information about users and their use of our Services with third parties, primarily for research, grant funding, and similar purposes. This information is anonymized and cannot be linked back to any individual user. It may also be used publicly for marketing, advertising, or research to help us improve our services and promote our mission.

We do not sell or share personal information for third-party marketing purposes without your consent. Any data shared in this way is non-identifiable and is used solely to analyze trends, develop new services, and secure funding.

6. Program Participation and Recordings

If you participate in one of our programs or events, you may be given the opportunity to make presentations, in which you may provide personal information that is accessible to us and other participants. We may also take photographs or record such programs or events, in which case, your name, voice, likeness, and statements may be recorded.

We will normally ask for your consent to make such recordings. In all such cases, the personal information that you provide or that we record will be accessible to other participants or users of our services.

If you participate in our programs or any other events where food is provided, we ask you that you inform us whether you have any allergies. 

In addition, if you are providing personal information for third parties in connection with using our Services, you are responsible for ensuring that you have all required permissions and consents to provide such personal information to us for use in connection with the Services and that our use of such personal information to provide the Services does not violate any applicable law, rule, regulation or order.

7. Your Choices Regarding Your Personal Information

You have the right to control how we use your personal information:

  • Marketing Communications: We may send you marketing emails, but you can opt-out at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in the email. Please note that it may take up to 10 business days to process opt-out requests. You may still receive service-related communications.

  • Access, Correction, and Deletion: You may request access to your personal information, request modifications, or ask for deletion of your data by contacting us at info@barrierbreakers.org. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable laws. Please note that some information may remain in our systems for a period due to legal obligations or business needs. You can view our full Data Retention and Deletion Policy here.

8. Security of Your Personal Information

We take reasonable precautions to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. However, no security system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute protection of your data.

9. Cookies and Tracking Mechanisms

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to enhance your experience with our website and services. These technologies help us analyze usage patterns, improve functionality, and offer personalized content. By using our site, you consent to our use of these technologies.

Types of Cookies We Use:

  • Session Cookies: Temporary cookies that disappear once you close your browser or log out.

  • Persistent Cookies: Cookies that remain on your device even after you close your browser to track website usage over time.

You can manage cookie preferences in your browser settings, though disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our site.

10. Third-Party Services

We may use third-party service providers to help with our services. These providers include payment processors, hosting services, and event management platforms. Each of these third parties has its own privacy policy governing how they handle your data.

Third Party Analytics: ‍We use automated devices and applications, such as Google Analytics, to evaluate usage of our Site and our Services. We also may use other analytic means to evaluate our Services. We use these tools to help us improve our Services, performance and user experiences. These entities may use cookies and other tracking technologies to perform their services. We do not share your personal information with these third parties. 

‍Third-Party Links: ‍Our Site and Services may contain links to third-party websites.  Any access to and use of such linked websites are not governed by this Policy, but instead are governed by the privacy policies of those third party websites. We are not responsible for the information practices of such third party websites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third parties linked to or integrated into our services.

11. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. After this period, your data will be deleted or anonymized. Please refer to our Data Retention and Deletion Policy for more detailed information.

12. Your Data Rights

If you are a resident of the European Union, the UK, or other jurisdictions with data protection laws, you have certain rights regarding your personal data, including:

  • Right to access, correct, or delete your personal data

  • Right to object to processing or request restrictions

  • Right to data portability

You can exercise these rights by contacting us at info@barrierbreakers.org.

13. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under 13 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected such data, we will take steps to delete it.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically for any changes.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Barrier Breakers
Email: info@barrierbreakers.org