Privacy Policy - Terms and Usage of the Information
The Ross Foundation, herein The Ross Foundation, realizes the importance that security and confidentiality plays for nonprofit organizations, including public charities, government entities and private/community/family foundations, that are communicating with each other through this online environment. Therefore, The Ross Foundation worked extensively in making sure that it remains as a secure environment where various constituents can share information securely. In order to achieve these goals, The Ross Foundation has put the following privacy policy in place.
Clarifying the language within this policy, The Ross Foundation defines public charities and government entities as "Nonprofits" while private/community/family foundations as "Foundations".
Audiences
The Online Application System serves a variety of audiences in assisting, communicating and researching the nonprofit sector. The audiences involved in utilizing the Online Application System for its intended use are the following:
General Public
Involves individuals, businesses, Nonprofits, government, economic research and The Ross Foundation.
The Ross Foundation
Includes the group that oversees the operations of this online collection agent.
Nonprofits
Includes public charities
Government Entities
Includes federal, state and local entities
Economic Research
Includes private and government supported entities
Each audience utilizes the information within the Online Application System to address a specific need or understanding about the nonprofit sector.
Nonprofit Information
The Online Application System follows the general practices of the IRS Business Master File of Exempt Entities and IRS Form 990 documents on nonprofit organizations that are available to the general public. This includes information relating to organizational, classification, financial and board activities of a nonprofit. The Secretary of State of each state government also provides information to the general public about nonprofit organizations in a similar manner. Government entities also follow similar practices with the nonprofit community as it is a public entity.
Under these guidelines, the chart listed below shows what information is available to the general public and what information is available only to specific audiences based on the function that information serves to the target audience.
| Type of Information | General Public | The Ross Foundation | Nonprofits | Government | Economic Research |
| Organizational | X | X | X | X | X |
| Classification | X | X | X | X | X |
| Financial | X | X | X | X | X |
| Account | | X | | | |
| Board | X | X | X | X | X |
| Grantor | | X | | | X1 |
| Staff | X3 | X | X3 | X3 | X1 |
| Client | X4 | X | X2 | X2 | X2 |
| Request | X5, 7 | X | X5, 7 | X5, 7 | X1 |
| Grantor(s) of Requests | | X | | | X1 |
| Foundations of Specific Requests | X6, 7, 8 | X | X6, 7, 8 | X6, 7, 8 | X1 |
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The purpose of the Online Application System is to serve as a collection agent and communication vehicle for The Ross Foundation and their Grantees through a variety of ways:
- Collection of detailed information that is specific to a Nonprofit that assists them in the evaluation of the way their Nonprofit operates and provides a medium for the Nonprofits to request financial support from The Ross Foundation.
- Assists The Ross Foundation in having one central place where they can receive requests from a variety of Nonprofits through one common form of communication. It also functions as a vehicle in which The Ross Foundation can keep track of communication with the Nonprofits and the types of requests that they receive from the Nonprofits.
Website Information
The Ross Foundation utilizes information from web users to better understand the needs and uses of the Online Application System by evaluating the following information:
Login Information
Helps keep track of the web pages viewed by registered users of a Nonprofit based on the login identification number of the individual. This associates the login identification number with a Nonprofit and the name of the contact that is using it. The information will only be used by The Ross Foundation. It will not be available to the General Public, Government Entities, other Nonprofits or Economic Research Groups.
Extended Log Format
The Online Application System uses the extended log format that websites utilize to track information about the web user. The information collected through this format includes:
- Date / Time
- Pages viewed by web user
- Where users of the website come from
- Length of stay of a web user
- IP address of a web user that derives from the web user connecting to the Internet through their internet service provider.
Cookies
The Online Application System uses cookies to track web users that visits the website based on the login identification that resides in the Online Application System database. When you close your web browser, the cookies used for the given instance of your web browser disappears. The cookie will also expire after 10 hours of no activity if the web browser remains open during that time period.
Security
The Online Application System uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) as a security mechanism throughout a web user's visit within the Online Application System. All pages are secure using SSL security with the understanding that the majority of the information is sensitive to a specific organization. Security is evident by the HTTPS website address for all web pages that the user visits and the DigiCert logo at the bottom of each webpage.
SSL Certificates
Questions
Feel free to contact The Ross Foundation via email if you have questions about the privacy policy.