Privacy Policy

The Black Child Development Institute of Ohio (“BCDI Ohio,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information entrusted to us by children, families, caregivers, educators, professionals, community members, volunteers, members, donors, partners, and visitors to our website.

This Privacy Policy explains how BCDI Ohio collects, uses, protects, and shares information when you visit bcdiohio.org (the “Website”), communicate with us, register for events or programs, subscribe to our communications, participate in our programs, submit a referral or inquiry, become a member, make a purchase or donation, or otherwise interact with us.

By using the Website, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

Black Child Development Institute of Ohio is an Ohio-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and advancing the quality of life for Ohio’s children and families through education and advocacy.
BCDI Ohio provides and supports programs and initiatives involving early childhood education, health and wellness, family engagement, professional development, literacy, trauma-informed care, and policy advocacy.

For privacy-related questions, you may contact us at:
Black Child Development Institute of Ohio
Email: info@bcdiohio.org
Phone: 216-202-5172
Website: https://www.bcdiohio.org/

2. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with BCDI Ohio.
Information You Provide Directly

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide, including:
Name
Email address
Mailing address
Telephone number
Organization or employer
Professional or educational information
Membership information
Event registration information
Volunteer information
Program participation information
Information submitted through contact or inquiry forms
Information submitted through referral forms
Information provided when requesting resources or services
Donation and transaction information
Information provided when purchasing products or registering for paid activities
Communications you send to us
Any other information you voluntarily provide

Some programs or referral processes may request information concerning a child, family, caregiver, educational needs, behavioral or developmental concerns, or services being requested. We collect such information only when it is reasonably necessary for the applicable program, referral, service, or organizational purpose.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Website, certain information may be collected automatically by the Website or by third-party technology providers. Depending on the Website's configuration, this information may include:
Internet Protocol (IP) address
Browser type and version
Device type
Operating system
Pages viewed
Links clicked
Date and time of visits
Referring website
General geographic information
Website usage and interaction information
Cookies and similar technologies

This information may be used for website operation, security, analytics, troubleshooting, and improving our Website and services.

3. Cookies and Similar Technologies

BCDI Ohio and its website service providers may use cookies, pixels, tags, local storage, and similar technologies.
These technologies may help us:
Keep the Website functioning properly;
Remember preferences;
Understand how visitors use the Website;
Improve Website performance;
Measure communications and outreach;
Protect the Website against fraud or misuse; and
Support certain Website features.
You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of portions of the Website.
Third-party services integrated into the Website may also use cookies or similar technologies subject to their own privacy policies.

4. How We Use Information

BCDI Ohio may use personal information for legitimate organizational purposes, including to:
Provide programs, resources, referrals, and services;
Respond to questions and requests;
Register participants for events, trainings, and programs;
Process memberships;
Process purchases, donations, or other transactions;
Communicate with members, participants, families, caregivers, educators, partners, donors, and supporters;
Send newsletters and other communications when permitted;
Provide requested information and resources;
Coordinate volunteers and community engagement;
Evaluate and improve our programs and services;
Conduct organizational administration;
Maintain and improve the Website;
Detect, prevent, and address fraud, security incidents, and misuse;
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations; and
Protect the rights, safety, and security of BCDI Ohio, our participants, and others.
We do not sell personal information for money.

5. Email Communications and Newsletters

If you subscribe to a BCDI Ohio newsletter or other communication, we may use your email address to send you newsletters, organizational updates, event information, program information, advocacy communications, and other communications consistent with your relationship with BCDI Ohio.
You may unsubscribe from promotional or newsletter communications at any time by using the unsubscribe mechanism included in the communication or by contacting us at info@bcdiohio.org.
Even if you opt out of certain communications, we may continue to send administrative or transactional communications when necessary.

6. Program, Referral, and Family Information

Certain BCDI Ohio programs may involve referrals, family support, early childhood services, behavioral health resources, professional development, or connections to community providers.
Information submitted through a referral or program form may include information about a child, parent, caregiver, educator, or family.
We use this information to:
Evaluate or process a request;
Facilitate an appropriate referral or connection;
Coordinate services or resources;
Communicate with the person making the request;
Administer and evaluate programs;
Meet program, contractual, grant, or reporting requirements; and
Protect the safety and well-being of participants.

Where appropriate, information may be shared with a service provider, partner organization, funder, governmental entity, or other organization involved in providing or administering the requested service.
We seek to limit information shared to what is reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose.
Submitting information through a referral form does not guarantee that BCDI Ohio or another organization will be able to provide services.

7. Children’s Privacy

BCDI Ohio's mission and programs concern children and families. However, the Website is generally intended for parents, caregivers, educators, professionals, organizations, and other adults rather than for children under 13 to independently use as an online service.
We do not knowingly request or collect personal information directly from children under 13 through the Website except where such collection is necessary for a specific program or activity and is conducted in accordance with applicable law and appropriate authorization requirements.
If BCDI Ohio knowingly collects personal information online from a child under 13 in circumstances covered by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), we will follow applicable COPPA requirements, including requirements concerning parental notice, consent, access, deletion, security, and retention.
Parents and legal guardians who believe that their child has provided personal information to BCDI Ohio through the Website may contact us at info@bcdiohio.org.
We will take reasonable steps to review the request and, where required by applicable law, delete or otherwise address the child's information.
Parents and guardians should understand that information provided to BCDI Ohio in connection with a program, referral, event, school, community partner, or service provider may also be subject to the privacy practices of that separate organization.

8. How We Share Information

BCDI Ohio may share personal information in limited circumstances, including with:

Service Providers

We may use third-party vendors to operate our Website and organization, process payments, send email communications, host information, administer events, provide technology services, or perform other services on our behalf.
These providers may access personal information only as reasonably necessary to perform services for BCDI Ohio.

Program and Community Partners

When necessary to provide a requested service, referral, resource, or program, we may share relevant information with participating service providers, community organizations, or program partners.
Professional Advisors
We may share information with attorneys, accountants, auditors, insurers, consultants, technology providers, and other professional advisors when reasonably necessary to provide their services to BCDI Ohio.

Legal and Safety Requirements

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:
Comply with applicable law, regulation, subpoena, court order, or legal process;
Respond to a lawful request from a governmental authority;
Protect the rights, property, or safety of BCDI Ohio or another person;
Investigate fraud, security incidents, or misuse; or
Address an emergency or other situation involving safety.

Organizational Transactions

If BCDI Ohio undergoes a merger, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, transfer of assets, or similar organizational transaction, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.

9. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Website may contain links to websites, social media platforms, payment processors, registration platforms, service providers, community partners, or other third-party websites and services.
BCDI Ohio does not control the privacy practices of those third parties. When you leave our Website or interact directly with a third-party service, that third party's privacy policy and terms may apply.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party website or service before providing personal information.

10. Payments, Donations, Memberships, and Purchases

If you make a donation, purchase, membership payment, registration payment, or other transaction through the Website, your payment may be processed by a third-party payment processor.
BCDI Ohio generally does not need to receive or store your full payment-card number. Payment information may be collected and processed directly by the applicable payment processor.
The payment processor's privacy policy and terms govern its processing of payment information.

11. Data Security

BCDI Ohio takes reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
However, no method of transmitting or storing information electronically can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Accordingly, while we work to protect personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Data Retention

BCDI Ohio retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to:
Provide services and administer programs;
Maintain appropriate organizational records;
Meet contractual, grant, financial, tax, legal, or regulatory obligations;
Resolve disputes;
Enforce agreements; and
Protect the security and integrity of our organization and systems.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected.
When information is no longer reasonably necessary, BCDI Ohio will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy, or de-identify it, subject to applicable legal and organizational requirements.

13. Your Privacy Choices and Rights

Depending on applicable law and the circumstances in which we collected your information, you may have rights concerning your personal information.
These may include the ability to:
Request access to personal information we maintain about you;
Request correction of inaccurate information;
Request deletion of personal information;
Opt out of certain communications;
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
Request information about how your information is used or shared; and
Exercise applicable rights concerning children's information.

To make a privacy request, contact info@bcdiohio.org.
We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests. We will respond to valid requests within the time required by applicable law.
Nothing in this Privacy Policy limits rights that cannot lawfully be waived under applicable law.

14. Ohio Privacy and Data Security

BCDI Ohio is committed to handling personal information in accordance with applicable federal and Ohio privacy and data-security requirements.
Ohio law includes requirements concerning the security and protection of personal information and procedures relating to data breaches. BCDI Ohio maintains reasonable safeguards appropriate to the information it handles and will provide notices required by applicable law in the event of a qualifying security incident.

15. Data Breach Notification

If BCDI Ohio experiences a security incident involving personal information, we will investigate the incident and take reasonable steps to contain and remediate it.
Where notification is required by applicable law, BCDI Ohio will provide notice to affected individuals and/or governmental authorities in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

16. Information From Other Sources

BCDI Ohio may receive information about you from sources other than the Website, such as:
Program partners;
Community organizations;
Event registration platforms;
Membership systems;
Payment processors;
Publicly available sources;
Referral partners; or
Individuals who interact with BCDI Ohio on your behalf.

We may combine information received from these sources with information we collect directly, where reasonably necessary for legitimate organizational purposes.

17. Social Media

BCDI Ohio maintains a presence on social media and may provide links to social media platforms through the Website.

If you interact with BCDI Ohio through a social media platform, that platform may independently collect and process your information according to its own privacy policy.
BCDI Ohio is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of third-party social media platforms.

18. Accessibility and Privacy Requests

BCDI Ohio seeks to make its Website and communications accessible to the communities we serve.
If you need assistance accessing this Privacy Policy or want to submit a privacy-related request in an alternative format, contact:

info@bcdiohio.org

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

BCDI Ohio may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, programs, technology, legal requirements, or other circumstances.

When we update the policy, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.
We encourage visitors to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

20. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or BCDI Ohio's privacy practices, please contact:

Black Child Development Institute of Ohio
Email: info@bcdiohio.org
Phone: 216-202-5172
Website: www.bcdiohio.org/

Important Notice: This Privacy Policy is intended as a general website privacy notice and should be reviewed by qualified legal counsel before publication. BCDI Ohio should ensure that the final version accurately reflects every third-party service connected to the Website, including its website host, analytics tools, email marketing platform, payment processor, event-registration systems, referral platforms, cookies, embedded content, and any systems used to collect or store program participant information.