Children of the Nations International (COTNI) is committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of our donors. Personal information provided to COTNI is used solely to support and strengthen our relationship with each donor and to advance the mission and vision of COTN.
This policy describes what information we collect, how we use it, with whom we may share it, and how donors can review, correct, or limit the use of their information. It applies to information collected through our website, written communications, and direct donor interactions.
Donor information may include, but is not limited to:
Name, mailing address, phone number, and email address
Date of birth
Gift details and giving history
Child sponsorship details
Mailing and communication preferences
Bank account or credit card information, when a donor gives electronically
Most data is provided directly by the donor when registering, making a donation, completing a survey, or communicating with COTNI. We may also collect limited data automatically through website cookies and similar technologies (see Section 7).
COTNI uses donor information to:
Process donations and manage donor accounts
Issue gift receipts and acknowledgments for tax purposes
Communicate updates about COTN programs, child sponsorship, events, and giving opportunities
Personalize donor engagement in a manner consistent with each donor’s interests and capacity
Conduct research and analytics to serve donors more effectively as faithful stewards of their time, talent, and treasure
Bank account and credit card information is used solely to process the donor’s contribution and is not retained for any other purpose.
COTN does not sell or rent donor names, mailing lists, email lists, or any donor records to any individual or organization — under any circumstances.
We do not make unsolicited fundraising phone calls to interrupt a donor’s privacy. We do not use donor data for purposes unrelated to our mission.
As part of our commitment to being responsible stewards of donor relationships, COTNI shares certain donor giving information with trusted third-party service providers. This sharing is done exclusively to:
Conduct donor analytics that help us engage donors in a thoughtful, relevant, and personalized manner
Facilitate communications with donors on COTNI’s behalf
Better understand donor capacity and philanthropic interests so we can provide meaningful opportunities to support the mission and vision of COTNI
All third-party partners are required to:
• Use donor data solely for the purposes specified by COTNI
• Maintain industry-standard data security practices
• Refrain from using or sharing donor data for any independent purpose
COTNI does not authorize any third party to sell or otherwise distribute donor information beyond the scope described in this policy.
Right to Opt Out of Third-Party Sharing
You may request at any time that your name, address, and giving information not be shared with third-party service providers. To opt out, contact us using the information shared in section 6. We will honor all such requests promptly.
COTN takes the security of donor information seriously and maintains multiple safeguards to protect personal data:
Donor information is stored in a password-protected donor management system that adheres to industry standards for donor identity protection.
Access to donor data is restricted to authorized COTN staff and approved third-party service providers on a need-to-know basis.
Electronic payment information (credit card and bank account data) is processed through secure, encrypted systems and is not retained beyond the transaction for which it was provided.
Third-party service providers with access to donor data are contractually required to maintain appropriate security standards.
COTN regularly reviews its data security practices to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable standards.
While no system can guarantee absolute security, COTN is committed to implementing and maintaining reasonable and appropriate safeguards to protect donor information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse.
Note: At least once a year, COTNI’s written appeals to existing donors will include a means by which donors may indicate that they do not wish their name and address shared outside the organization. New donors will receive this notice in their gift acknowledgment or first-follow-up appeal within the same calendar year.
Every donor is entitled to the following rights with respect to their personal information:
Donors may request a copy of the personal information COTNI holds about them. Requests for printed copies sent by mail may incur a small fee.
Donors may request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected or updated at any time by contacting COTNI by mail, email, or phone.
Donors may request that COTNI erase their personal data, subject to applicable legal and recordkeeping requirements.
Donors may request that COTNI limit how their personal data is processed, under certain conditions.
Donors may object to COTNI’s processing of their personal data, under certain conditions.
Donors may request that COTNI transfer their data to another organization or directly to them, under certain conditions.
If a donor prefers not to receive mailings, emails, or other marketing communications from COTNI, they may notify us at any time by mail, email, or phone and will be removed from the relevant list. If a donor updates their email address in their donor profile, any previously selected email preferences will carry over to the new address.
COTNI will respond to all data rights requests within one month of receipt.
When you visit the COTNI website, we may collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior data automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
COTNI uses cookies to:
Keep users signed in and remember preferences (functionality cookies)
Understand how visitors use our website (analytics)
Support interest-based advertising across other websites (advertising cookies)
For advertising cookies, COTNI may share limited data with third-party advertising partners. This may result in relevant advertising being shown to you on other websites based on your browsing activity on cotni.org.
You may configure your browser to refuse cookies or remove existing ones. Note that disabling cookies may affect certain website features. For more information, visit allaboutcookies.org.
The COTNI website may contain links to external websites. This privacy policy applies only to cotni.org. COTN encourages donors to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites they visit.
COTN complies with applicable federal and state data protection and privacy laws. COTN is registered in multiple states and is committed to honoring the privacy rights of donors in all jurisdictions in which it operates. Donors in states with specific privacy protections (such as California) may have additional rights under applicable law.
For questions about this policy, to exercise a data right, or to update your donor preferences, please contact us:
Email: info@cotn.org
Phone: 360-698-7227
Mail:
Children of the Nations
P.O. Box 3970
Silverdale, WA 98383
COTN is committed to being a faithful steward of your trust, time, talent, and treasure.
Glossary of Terms:
Donor — Any individual, household, foundation, church, or organization that has made a financial gift to COTNI, is actively sponsoring a child, or has expressed interest in supporting COTNI's mission by providing personal information (e.g., signing up for communications or creating a donor profile).
Personal Information (or Personal Data) — Any information that identifies or could reasonably identify a specific individual, including name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth, and financial account details.
Donor Record — The complete set of personal information, giving history, communication preferences, and sponsorship details associated with a specific donor in COTNI's donor management system.
Third-Party Service Provider — An external organization engaged by COTN to perform specific functions on its behalf, such as donor analytics, wealth screening, or communications — including providers like Windfall.
Donor Management System — The secure software platform COTN uses to store, manage, and process donor information, which adheres to industry standards for data security and donor identity protection.
Giving Information — Data related to a donor's financial contributions, including gift amounts, dates, frequency, and payment method.
Opt-Out — A donor's expressed preference to stop receiving certain types of communications from COTNI, which COTNI is obligated to honor promptly.