Purpose
 

Giving 10 is committed to protecting the privacy and dignity of all applicants, grant recipients, donors, and participating employees. Personal information will be collected and used only when reasonably necessary to administer the Giving 10 Hardship Grant Program.
 

Applicant Confidentiality

All hardship applications and supporting documents are confidential. Giving 10 will not tell an applicant’s employer:

• Whether the employee applied for assistance.

• Whether the application was approved or denied.

• The nature of the employee’s hardship.

• The amount requested or awarded.

• Any personal, financial, medical, or family information provided.
   

Employers may receive general program reports, but these reports will not identify individual applicants or recipients.
 

Use of Information

Giving 10 may collect information necessary to:

• Confirm program eligibility.

• Verify a documented financial hardship.

• Evaluate an application fairly and consistently.

• Confirm bills or expenses with vendors.

• Make approved payments directly to vendors.

• Prevent fraud or misuse of charitable funds.

• Maintain required financial, tax, audit, and program records.
   

Giving 10 may track hardship categories, requested amounts, decisions, award amounts, and program outcomes. This information may be used to identify trends, guide staff, improve policies, and ensure decisions are based on documented evidence. Personally identifying information will be removed from reports whenever practical.
 

Disclosure of Information

Giving 10 will never sell, rent, or trade personal information.

Information may be shared only when reasonably necessary to verify an expense, issue an approved vendor payment, work with an authorized professional or service provider, prevent fraud, respond to a legal requirement, or address an immediate threat of harm.

Only the minimum necessary information will be disclosed.

 

Access and Security

Access to confidential information is limited to authorized Giving 10 personnel, grant reviewers, board members, professional advisers, and service providers who need the information to perform their responsibilities.

Anyone with access to confidential information must protect it from unauthorized disclosure. Individuals with a conflict of interest involving an applicant must not participate in reviewing or deciding that application.

Giving 10 will use reasonable physical, administrative, and electronic safeguards to protect confidential records.
 

Record Retention
Giving 10 will retain records for the period required by its record-retention policy and applicable law. Records that are no longer needed will be securely destroyed. De-identified program information may be retained for reporting, research, and program improvement.
 

Violations and Privacy Concerns

Suspected privacy breaches or unauthorized disclosures must be reported immediately to the Executive Director. Giving 10 will investigate the matter, take reasonable corrective action, and provide any legally required notifications.