Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 1 July 2026
Last Updated: 15 June 2026

GrowMind – Swasti Foundation (“GrowMind,” “Swasti Foundation,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect information when you visit our website, contact us, donate, volunteer, participate in our programs, subscribe to our communications, or otherwise interact with us.

By accessing or using our website and services, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy to the extent permitted by applicable law.

1. Who We Are

GrowMind – Swasti Foundation is a foundation/organization working toward social impact, education, awareness, support, and community development initiatives. Through our website and activities, we may engage with donors, volunteers, beneficiaries, students, parents/guardians, partners, supporters, and members of the public.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is handled, you may contact us at:

GrowMind – Swasti Foundation
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Email: info@swastifoundation.org
Phone: +91-20-3592-8211
Website: https://swastifoundation.org

If applicable under local law, details of our Grievance Officer or Data Protection Contact are provided in Section 15 below.

2. Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal data collected through:

  • Our official website;
  • Contact forms and inquiry forms;
  • Donation forms and fundraising pages;
  • Volunteer registration forms;
  • Event registrations;
  • Newsletter and email sign-ups;
  • Surveys, feedback forms, and assessments;
  • Social media interactions where we direct you to this policy;
  • Offline interactions that are later entered into our systems.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites, services, or platforms linked from our website. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of those third parties before sharing information with them.

3. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal data depending on how you interact with us:

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

You may provide us with personal information such as:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Postal address
  • Organization/company name
  • Job title or profession
  • Age or date of birth (where relevant)
  • Gender (only where necessary and lawful)
  • Identification details (if required for compliance or volunteering)
  • Donation details
  • Communications you send to us
  • Feedback, testimonials, stories, or responses submitted through forms
  • Volunteer application details
  • Event participation details
  • Educational or program participation details
  • Emergency contact information (if required for events/programs)

3.2 Donation and Payment Information

If you make a donation, register for a paid event, or contribute financially, we may collect:

  • Donor name
  • Contact details
  • Donation amount
  • Transaction reference number
  • Billing address
  • Donation history
  • Purpose or campaign selected
  • Tax-related information, where required

Note: Payment card/banking details are typically processed by secure third-party payment gateways. Unless stated otherwise, we do not store your full debit/credit card information on our own servers.

3.3 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device information
  • Operating system
  • Pages visited
  • Time spent on pages
  • Date and time of visit
  • Referral source
  • Website usage patterns
  • Cookies and similar tracking technologies

3.4 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties such as:

  • Payment processors
  • Event registration platforms
  • Email or communication service providers
  • Social media platforms
  • Partner organizations
  • Volunteers or referrals
  • Publicly available sources

We will handle such information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

4. How We Collect Information

We collect personal data in several ways, including when you:

  • Visit our website;
  • Fill out a contact form;
  • Subscribe to our newsletter or updates;
  • Donate to our foundation;
  • Enroll in or inquire about our programs;
  • Register as a volunteer, intern, mentor, or participant;
  • Submit an application, story, or testimonial;
  • Send us emails, messages, or calls;
  • Participate in surveys, events, workshops, or campaigns;
  • Interact with us on social media;
  • Accept cookies or use tools integrated into our website.

5. Why We Use Your Information

We may use your personal data for the following purposes:

5.1 To Provide and Improve Our Services

We use personal data to:

  • Respond to your inquiries;
  • Manage relationships with supporters, beneficiaries, and volunteers;
  • Process registrations and applications;
  • Organize programs, events, workshops, and outreach activities;
  • Improve our website, services, and user experience;
  • Understand community needs and impact.

5.2 To Process Donations and Maintain Records

We may use your data to:

  • Process donations and acknowledgments;
  • Issue receipts and donation records;
  • Maintain financial and audit records;
  • Comply with accounting, taxation, and regulatory requirements;
  • Communicate with donors about campaigns and impact updates, where permitted.

5.3 To Send Communications

We may use your contact information to send:

  • Newsletters
  • Foundation updates
  • Program announcements
  • Invitations to events or campaigns
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Administrative notices
  • Responses to requests and support queries

Where required by law, we will send promotional or non-essential communications only with your consent, and you may unsubscribe at any time.

5.4 For Safety, Compliance, and Protection

We may process personal data to:

  • Prevent fraud, misuse, or unauthorized activity;
  • Protect users, beneficiaries, staff, volunteers, and the public;
  • Enforce our website terms and policies;
  • Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests;
  • Investigate complaints, incidents, or security concerns.

5.5 For Research, Impact, and Reporting

Where appropriate and lawful, we may use information to:

  • Measure program reach and effectiveness;
  • Create anonymized or aggregated reports;
  • Improve planning, strategy, and resource allocation;
  • Support grant reporting and stakeholder accountability.

Where possible, such reporting will use anonymized or aggregated information rather than personally identifiable data.

6. Legal Basis / Grounds for Processing

Depending on the applicable law in your jurisdiction, we may process your personal data based on one or more of the following grounds:

  • Your consent;
  • Performance of a contract or pre-contractual steps;
  • Compliance with legal or regulatory obligations;
  • Protection of vital interests;
  • Our legitimate organizational interests, where permitted and balanced with your rights;
  • Other lawful grounds recognized under applicable data protection laws.

If consent is the basis for processing, you may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal and operational limitations.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies, pixels, tags, and similar technologies to improve functionality, analyze traffic, remember preferences, and help us understand how users engage with our website.

7.1 Types of Cookies We May Use

We may use:

  • Essential cookies – required for basic website operation;
  • Performance/analytics cookies – help us understand website usage;
  • Functional cookies – remember your settings and preferences;
  • Communication/marketing cookies – if applicable, to deliver relevant outreach or campaign performance measurement.

7.2 Managing Cookies

You may control or disable cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

If your website uses a cookie banner or consent management tool, users will be able to choose their preferences through that tool where required by law.

8. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. We may share personal information only in the following circumstances:

8.1 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party vendors and service providers who support our operations, such as:

  • Website hosting providers
  • Cloud storage providers
  • Payment gateways
  • Email and newsletter tools
  • CRM/database providers
  • Event management tools
  • Analytics providers
  • IT and cybersecurity providers

These service providers may access personal data only as necessary to perform services on our behalf and are expected to protect it appropriately.

8.2 Legal and Regulatory Disclosures

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or if such disclosure is reasonably necessary to:

  • Comply with legal obligations;
  • Respond to lawful requests by public authorities;
  • Protect our rights, property, or safety;
  • Prevent fraud or abuse;
  • Enforce our policies or agreements.

8.3 Partners and Collaborators

Where relevant to our programs or events, we may share limited information with partner organizations, facilitators, or collaborators, but only to the extent necessary and subject to appropriate safeguards.

8.4 Organizational Changes

If GrowMind – Swasti Foundation undergoes restructuring, merger, reorganization, transfer of operations, or another similar change, personal data may be transferred as part of that process subject to legal and confidentiality obligations.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including for legal, regulatory, accounting, reporting, and operational reasons.

The retention period may depend on:

  • The nature of the information collected;
  • The purpose for which it was collected;
  • Legal, tax, audit, or compliance requirements;
  • Whether you continue interacting with us;
  • The necessity to resolve disputes or enforce agreements.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete, anonymize, or securely dispose of it in accordance with applicable law and our internal practices.

10. Data Security

We take reasonable technical, administrative, and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Such measures may include, where appropriate:

  • Restricted access controls;
  • Password protection and authentication measures;
  • Secure hosting environments;
  • Encrypted transmission where supported;
  • Role-based access to sensitive information;
  • Staff and volunteer awareness on privacy and confidentiality;
  • Monitoring and incident management processes.

However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. While we work to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Children’s Privacy

Protecting children’s privacy is important to us.

If our programs involve children, students, minors, or young beneficiaries, we may collect only the information reasonably necessary for participation, safeguarding, communication, administration, or legal compliance.

Where required by law or good practice, we will seek consent from a parent, guardian, school, or authorized representative before collecting or processing a child’s personal data.

We do not knowingly collect more personal data from children than is necessary for the relevant purpose. If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us without appropriate authorization, please contact us so we can take appropriate steps.

12. Sensitive Personal Data

Some of our activities may involve sensitive or special categories of information, such as health-related details, disability-related information, background verification details, demographic information, or other confidential data, but only where strictly necessary and lawful.

Where we collect sensitive information:

  • We will do so only for a legitimate and clearly communicated purpose;
  • We will seek consent where required;
  • We will apply heightened confidentiality and access controls;
  • We will avoid collecting such information unless genuinely necessary.

If you submit sensitive information voluntarily, you acknowledge that you have chosen to share it for the relevant purpose unless otherwise prohibited by law.

13. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on the laws applicable to you, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data, including the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you;
  • Request correction or updating of inaccurate data;
  • Request deletion of personal data, subject to legal limitations;
  • Withdraw your consent where processing is based on consent;
  • Object to certain types of processing;
  • Request restriction of processing in certain situations;
  • Request a copy of your data where applicable;
  • Opt out of marketing or non-essential communications;
  • Lodge a complaint with an appropriate authority where available.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 15. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

We will respond within a reasonable period and in accordance with applicable law.

14. Third-Party Links, Social Media, and External Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, donation portals, videos, social media pages, and external services. Those third parties have their own privacy practices, and we are not responsible for their content, privacy notices, or security.

If you engage with us through third-party platforms such as social media, your interactions may also be governed by the privacy policies of those platforms.

We encourage you to review third-party privacy policies before sharing information with them.

15. Contact Us / Grievance Officer

If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at:

Privacy Contact / Grievance Officer
GrowMind – Swasti Foundation
Yogendra Singh Rajput
Pune, Maharashtra, India
Email: info@swastifoundation.org
Phone: +91-20-3592-8211

If applicable law grants you the right to complain to a regulator or data protection authority, you may also do so through the appropriate authority in your jurisdiction.

16. International Data Transfers

If our service providers, tools, or technology systems process data in countries other than the country where you are located, your personal data may be transferred across borders.

In such cases, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and that your personal data continues to receive an adequate level of protection consistent with applicable law.

17. Email Communications and Unsubscribe

If you subscribe to updates from GrowMind – Swasti Foundation, we may send you communications about our work, campaigns, events, volunteering opportunities, fundraising efforts, impact stories, or important notices.

You can opt out of non-essential emails at any time by:

  • Selecting the “unsubscribe” link in our emails; or
  • Contacting us at [Insert Email Address].

Please note that even if you opt out of promotional communications, we may still send you service-related or administrative messages where necessary.

18. Testimonials, Photos, Stories, and Media Content

If you submit a success story, testimonial, photograph, video, audio, or any other media content to us, we may use it for communication, awareness, educational, fundraising, or reporting purposes, subject to the permissions you provide and applicable law.

Where required, we will seek appropriate consent before publishing identifiable stories, photographs, or videos, especially where children or vulnerable individuals are involved.

You may contact us to request removal of your identifiable content, subject to operational, archival, or legal limitations.

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

  • Changes in law or regulatory requirements;
  • Updates to our website or operations;
  • New services, campaigns, or tools;
  • Improvements in our privacy practices.

When we make significant changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date above and may take additional steps where required, such as posting a notice on our website.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed.

20. Consent

By using our website, submitting your information, contacting us, donating, registering, subscribing, or otherwise engaging with GrowMind – Swasti Foundation, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection and use of your information as described herein, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Where consent is required by law for specific processing activities, we will request such consent separately.