Privacy Policy

Updated: March 27, 2023

The Simms/Mann Institute for Education and Community Development, the Simms/Mann Family Foundation, and the Simms Mann Institute Products LLC (collectively, with all of their subsidiaries and affiliates, “SMI,” “we”, “us” or “our”) are committed to protecting the privacy of our users’ personal information. This Privacy Policy applies with respect to the information that we collect from our website, located at www.simmsmanninstitute.org (the “Site”).

This Privacy Policy forms part of our Terms of Use (“Terms”). To read our Terms, please visit https://www.simmsmanninstitute.org/terms-conditions/. If you don’t agree to our Privacy Policy, please do not use the Site.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to the use of personal information by third parties whose website may be linked to our Site or who otherwise independently collect information from you.

When we refer to “you” or “your,” we mean the person accessing the Site. If the person accessing the Site acts on behalf of, or for the purposes of, another person, including a business or other organization, “you” or “your” also means that other person, including a business organization.

Acceptance of this Privacy Policy

By accessing the Site, you agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy, including the transfer of information pertaining to you from the country where you reside to the United States and our use of tracking technologies as described in this Privacy Policy. SMI reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time for any reason and will mark new versions with a corresponding effective date.

Each time you use the Site, the then-current version of the Privacy Policy will apply. Accordingly, your continued use of the Site following a change in the Privacy Policy represents your consent to the then-current Privacy Policy to the fullest extent permitted by law. We suggest that you regularly review this Privacy Policy and our Terms for changes and to ensure that you understand and accept our privacy practices and your obligations in accessing and using the Site.

What Information Do We Collect?

From time to time, we may collect information about you in a number of ways, including tracking your activities through your IP address, computer settings or most-recently visited URL. We also collect personally identifiable information, such as your name and email address when you voluntarily submit such information to us, by, for example, signing up for our newsletters.

What Do We Use Your Information For?

In general, we—directly and through third-party service providers such as Mailchimp and/or Constant Contact—will only use the information you provide to us for the purpose for which such information was provided, by way of example for receiving newsletters. Your information may also be used in the following ways:

  • to deliver to you information about SMI, its programming, and its objectives;
  • to deliver to you information about other entities who support SMI’s goals and objectives, trend analysis, pattern detection, and site administration;
  • contacting you regarding an inquiry on the Site that you have initiated;
  • non-personal demographic data may be used to tailor your experience at our site and show you content we think you might be interested in, this information may also be shared with others on an aggregate non-personal basis;
  • developing, operating, maintaining, enhancing, and providing all of the features and services found on our Site now and in the future;
  • understanding and analyzing the usage trends and preferences of our users, to improve the way our Site works, and to create new features and functionality;
  • other purposes necessary to carry out our obligations under this Privacy Policy or our Terms.

Do We Use Cookies?

Yes. Cookies are small files that a website or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser (if you allow) that enables the websites or service providers systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. This information may include log file information such as Internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, browser language, pages viewed, and the date and time of a visit.

We use cookies to compile aggregate data about Site traffic and Site interaction so that we can offer better Site experiences and tools in the future. We may contract with third-party service providers to assist us in better understanding our Site visitors. These service providers are not permitted to use the information collected on our behalf except to help us conduct and improve our business.

If you prefer, you can choose to have your browser warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or reject certain cookies, or you can choose to turn off all cookies via your browser settings. Like most websites, if you turn your cookies off, some of our services may not function properly.

The types of cookies we use are:

  • Session Cookies. We use session cookies to operate our Site and for security purposes.
  • Persistent Cookies. We use persistent cookies to remember your preferences and various settings.

On the Site we may also use “Strictly Necessary Cookies,” “Performance Cookies,” “Functional Cookies,” “Targeting Cookies,” and “Social Media Cookies.” These cookies collect information related to your browsing sessions that are used to tailor your online experience, as well as for advertising, analytics, and improving the Site. The cookie preferences you select relate to the following types of cookies:

  • Strictly Necessary Cookies: are necessary for the Site to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the Site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personal information.
  • Performance Cookies: allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our Site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the Site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our Site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.
  • Functional Cookies: enable the Site to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our web pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
  • Targeting Cookies: may be set through our Site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Do We Use Other Tracking Technologies?

We may also use third-party vendors, such as Google Analytics, to advertise to our users online. These third-party vendors may display SMI’s advertisements on other websites based on your Internet usage. More specifically, these vendors may use first-party cookies, third-party cookies and other tracking technologies, including, but not limited to, Google Analytics, Hotjar, Facebook Pixel, Facebook Custom Audience, Facebook Connect, Google Adwords, and others, together to inform, optimize and serve ads based on your past visits to the Site or another site affiliated with SMI’s services. You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising by using Google’s Ads Settings.

How Is Your Information Shared?

SMI may share information about you as follows:

  • We may provide users’ personal information to third-party service providers, consultants and affiliates, which may include our independent contractors, for purposes of, including, without limitation data tracking; maintenance or development of our Site; development of new products, services; customer service; or other contracted promotional opportunities provided to our users.
  • We may share information, which is aggregated and anonymized regarding your online browsing preferences to evaluate our Site or allow our third-party service providers and vendors that we work with to better serve our users. We will not share your personal information in these instances, other than as described in this Privacy Policy.
  • We may also share your personal information in connection with law enforcement requests or in response to investigations, subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims, or as otherwise required by law.
  • We may also disclose your information to an affiliated or unaffiliated third party as part of reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, bankruptcy (or similar proceedings), transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of Institute’s business or operations, including those of its subsidiaries or divisions. Any third party to which Institute transfers or sells the Products and Services or related assets will have the right to continue to use the personal and other information that you provide to us.
  • We may share your information as otherwise authorized by you.

How Can Users Limit Information Collected?

While we work hard to use and disclose our users’ personal information only for the purposes identified above, you can choose not to provide personal information or limit the personal information obtained by us as follows:

  • You may have your contact information removed from our marketing lists to inform users of new or relevant products, services and special offers by clicking on the unsubscribe link in any communication received from us, or by emailing us at privacy@simmsmanninstitute.org
  • You may limit the collection of “cookies” through your browser settings. However, this may disable our ability to provide you with the most relevant products or information regarding the Site and/or Services.
  • You may limit the ability of Google Analytics to track your online activity, as outlined above.

How Do We Protect Your Information?

Our Site has industry standard security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. While there is no such thing as “perfect security” on the Internet, we will take all reasonable steps to insure the safety of your personal information.

How Can You Correct or Update Information Shared With SMI?

SMI allows its users the option to change or modify information previously provided. This may be done by e-mailing the information to privacy@simmsmanninstitute.org. Unfortunately, to the extent that such information is also stored in other databases, we cannot always ensure that such corrections or deletions will reach the other databases. We will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that your information is removed from or corrected in our records.

Children Under the Age of 13

Our Site and Services are not designed for children, and we do not knowingly collect information from any person under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, you are not permitted to sign up for newsletters on the Site or to otherwise submit any personal information to SMI. If you provide information to SMI through the Site, Services or offline, you represent that you are 13 years of age or older.

Notice of Privacy Rights of California Residents

If you are a resident of the state of California, the following rights are available to you under the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Right to access
You have the right to request that we disclose the categories of personal information collected, the categories of sources from which personal information is collected, the business or commercial purpose for collection, the categories of third parties with which we share personal information, and the specific pieces of personal information that we have about you. You also have the right to request that we provide your personal information to you in a readily useable format.

Right to request deletion
You have the right to request that we delete personal information that we collected from you. Note, however, that certain requests to delete personal information may be denied if we are required or authorized to retain the information as a matter of law, the information is necessary for detecting security incidents, exercising free speech, protecting or defending against legal claims, or for internal uses reasonably aligned with consumer expectations, including, but not limited to, to provide a customer requested product or service.

Right to non-discrimination
You have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment by SMI for exercising these privacy rights. We do not offer financial incentives related to the provision of data.

Authorized agent
You have the right to designate an authorized agent to make these requests on your behalf. To exercise any of these rights, please e-mail us at privacy@simmsmanninstitute.org. To protect your privacy, you will be required to provide authenticating information prior to making changes or gaining access to your information.

Sales of Personal Information
SMI does not sell your personal information.

International Users

If you are visiting the Site from outside of the United States, your connection may be made through and to servers located in the United States, and all information you provide may be processed and maintained in our web servers and internal systems located within the United States. The data protection and other laws of the United States and other countries might not be as comprehensive as those in your country, but please be assured that we take steps to ensure that your privacy is protected. By using our Site, you understand that your information may be transferred to our facilities and those third parties with whom we share it as described in this Privacy Policy. By using the Site, you authorize the export of personal information to the United States and its storage and use as specified above when you provide such information to us. This Privacy Policy and our legal obligations are subject to the laws of the State of California and the United States, regardless of the location of any user. Any claims or complaints must be brought in accordance with the Choice of Law/Arbitration Clause set forth in the Terms (available at https://www.simmsmanninstitute.org/terms-conditions/).

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy you can contact us at privacy@simmsmanninstitute.org.