Privacy Policy
We work with young people and families, so we hold the care of personal information as part of the mission, not an afterthought.
This Privacy Policy explains how sparkWILD Institute, a Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofit ("we," "us"), collects, uses, and protects information on sparkwild.org and in our programs. The WILD Navigation Company (wildnavigation.com) is a separate organization with its own privacy policy.
What we collect
When you contact us, subscribe, donate, or inquire about a program, we collect what you provide, such as your name, email, and the substance of your message. When you load the site, our hosting provider logs standard technical data (IP address, browser, pages viewed) for performance and security. We also use Cloudflare Web Analytics, a cookieless measurement tool that counts page views without setting cookies, fingerprinting your device, or tracking you across other sites. Donations are processed by our payment processor; we do not store full card numbers.
Young people and parental consent
This is the part we hold most carefully. Our public website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information through it. Participation in youth and family programs that involve minors happens only with the verifiable consent of a parent or guardian, under a separate enrollment notice that explains exactly what we collect, why, and how it is used. We collect the minimum necessary to run the program, we do not sell or rent it, and we do not use children's information for advertising. Parents and guardians may review, correct, or request deletion of their child's information at any time by emailing us.
How we use information
To respond to you, deliver and improve our programs, send communications you have requested, process and acknowledge donations, pursue our charitable and educational mission, and meet legal and grant-reporting obligations.
How we share information
We do not sell personal information. We share it only with service providers who help us operate (hosting, email, our payment processor) under obligations to protect it; with school or program partners where you have asked us to coordinate, and only as needed; and where required by law. We never share a child's information beyond what a parent or guardian has authorized.
Donor privacy
We hold our donors' trust as carefully as our families'. We never sell, rent, trade, or share donor lists. Your giving history stays between you and the Institute. You may give anonymously, ask to be left off any public acknowledgment, and ask us to stop contacting you for support at any time. Every gift receives a written receipt, and you may request a copy of the information we hold or its deletion, consistent with our charitable record-keeping obligations.
Your rights
You may ask what information we hold, ask us to correct or delete it, and ask for a copy. California residents have rights under the CCPA and CPRA, and residents of the EU and UK under the GDPR. We honor these requests for anyone who asks. Email andrea@sparkwild.org.
Legal basis, for EU and UK visitors
If you are in the EU or UK, the GDPR asks us to name why we process your data. For the cookieless analytics above, it is our legitimate interest in understanding and improving the site. For anything you send us on purpose, or for a child's participation in a program, it is consent, or our delivering what you asked for. Data reaches service providers in the United States under their standard contractual safeguards. You can object to the legitimate-interest processing at any time by emailing us.
AI in our programs
Where our educational work uses AI-based tools, including WILD×AI™ approaches adapted for learning, any output is for educational and developmental purposes and is not professional advice. We are deliberate about how and when young people engage with these tools, always with appropriate guidance.
Changes and contact
We will update this page and note the date below if our practices change. Questions or requests: andrea@sparkwild.org.