Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution (FFAME) Privacy Policy
Effective Date: October 15, 2025
This Privacy Policy explains how FFAME (the "Organization," "we," "us," or "our"), a non-profit research institution operating the website www.ffame.org (the "Site"), collects, uses, protects, and discloses information and data we collect from you when you use our Site.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our Site.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information that falls into two main categories:
A. Non-Personal Information (Automatically Collected)
When you visit our Site, certain non-personally identifiable information is collected automatically. This data helps us understand how visitors use our Site and allows us to make improvements. This information includes:
- Log Data: Your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, operating system, the pages you visit on our Site, the time and date of your visit, and the time spent on those pages.
- Device Information: Information about the device you use to access the Site (e.g., hardware model, device type).
- Referral Information: The website you were on before you came to our Site.
B. Personal Information (Voluntarily Provided)
We collect Personal Information only when you voluntarily provide it to us through various means, such as:
- Contact Forms: Your name, email address, phone number, and the contents of your message when you submit an inquiry or contact us.
- Newsletter/Mailing List Sign-ups: Your name and email address.
- Donation/Funding Forms: Your name, payment information (processed by a secure third-party service, see Section 4), and mailing address.
- Career/Volunteer Applications: Your name, contact details, resume, and any other information you choose to submit.
- Research/Survey Participation: Data, comments, or information you submit as part of a voluntary survey or research participation.
2. How We Use the Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To Operate and Maintain the Site: To ensure the Site functions properly and is secure.
- To Respond to Inquiries: To respond to your comments, questions, and requests submitted via contact forms.
- To Send Communications: To send you newsletters, updates, or information about our research, events, and mission, if you have opted in to receive them.
- To Process Transactions: To process any donations, grants, or payments you make to the Organization.
- For Internal Research and Analytics: To analyze Site usage, track trends, measure the effectiveness of our content, and improve the user experience.
- To Comply with Legal Obligations: To meet our legal and regulatory requirements.
3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
This Site does not use "cookies" or any similar tracking technologies.
4. Sharing of Information with Third Parties
We do not sell, rent, or trade your Personal Information to any third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as website hosting, analytics, email distribution, and secure payment processing (for donations). These third parties are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect the rights or property of FFAME, or protect the personal safety of users of the Site or the public.
- With Your Consent: We may share your information with any other party with your prior consent.
5. Security of Your Information
We take reasonable physical, electronic, and procedural measures to protect the Personal Information you provide to us from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. However, please remember that no transmission of data over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us.
6. Links to Other Websites
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., partner institutions, funding sources). If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party's website. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit.
7. Children's Privacy
Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Information from children without verification of parental consent, we take steps to remove that information from our servers.
8. Your Choices and Rights
You have the following rights regarding your Personal Information:
- Opt-Out of Communications: You can opt out of receiving future email communications from us by following the unsubscribe link provided at the bottom of any email we send.
- Access and Correction: You may contact us at the address below to request access to the Personal Information we hold about you and to request that we correct any inaccuracies.
9. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post any changes on this page and revise the "Effective Date" at the top of the policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting the information we collect.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
FFAME
Website: www.ffame.org
Email: contactffame@ffame.org
Address: 13709 Progress Blvd, Box 7, Alachua, FL 32615