Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 17, 2024 

The Canadian Foundation for Financial Planning™ (collectively, “the Foundation”, “our”, “we”, or “us”) understands that privacy is important to you. Integrity is one of our core organizational values and that means we are transparent, trustworthy, and accountable in all we do—including the vigilant protection of your privacy. Learn about privacy practices in this document.  

Scope  

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect the personal information of our donors, funding applicants, volunteers, and users. “Personal Information” is defined as any information about an identifiable individual.  

The Policy applies to all Personal Information collected by us:  

1. on www.canadianfoundationforfinancialplanning.ca and any other website or mobile application that links to this Policy (collectively, the “CFFP Sites”);  

2. when you engage with us via social media;  

3. when you use our services; 

4. when we otherwise interact with you (by email, telephone or otherwise)

(collectively, the “Services”). 

By using the Services, you agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of Personal Information in accordance with this Policy.  

If you have any questions about this Policy, or regarding our privacy practices, please contact the Foundation. 

What Personal Information Do We Collect?  

When you use our Services, we may collect or receive personal information about you to provide our Services and operate our business. We collect the following personal information: 

(a) Information You Provide to Us Directly 

We collect your Personal Information when you voluntarily provide it to us in connection with our Services. For example, we may collect your Personal Information if you:  

• Make a donation to the Foundation;  

• Submit a Funding Application;  

• Send us a question or comment by email;  

• Contact us by phone or visit our office;  

• Send us your resumé and/or job application;  

• Send us a volunteer application; or  

• Otherwise provide Personal Information through using the features of the CFFP Site that ask for Personal Information.  

We may also collect your contact information from FP Canada, our affiliated corporation, for the purposes identified in the section entitled “How Do We Use Your Personal Information?”.  

Personal information that the Foundation collects includes, but is not limited to:  

• Contact and Application Information: such as your first and last name; address; phone number; email address; administering institution; information contained on your resumé; and education and employment history.  

• Donation and Payment Information: including donation amounts and level and credit card information and banking information (see Payment Information section below for further details).  

• Your Communications: including Personal Information that you provided to us voluntarily.  

(b) Information Collected Automatically 

We may receive and store certain information about you and your device(s) automatically when you access or use our Services. This information may include: 

• Usage Data – We may also collect usage data that your browser sends whenever you visit our Service or when you access the Service by or through a mobile device. 

This usage data may include information such as your computer’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.

When you access the Service by or through a mobile device, this usage data may include information such as the type of mobile device you use, your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of your mobile device, your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser you use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data. 

• Location Data – We may use and store information about your location if you give us permission to do so (“Location Data”). We use this data to provide features of our Service, to improve and customize our Service. You can enable or disable location services when you use our Services at any time, through your device settings. 

• Site Preferences – We collect information about your preferences to make your use of the CFFP Sites more productive through the use of cookies.  

(c) Personal Information from Publicly Available Sources and Third Parties 

We may collect or receive personal information about you from publicly available sources, social network providers, marketing partners, and/or third parties. This may include: 

• Social Network Information – We may receive information about you from other services. For example, we receive certain information when you interact with our social media accounts.  

How Do We Use Your Personal Information?  

The Foundation will only use the Personal Information that we collect for the purpose for which it was collected. We use your Personal Information for the following purposes:  

• To identify and contact you when you submit a donation;  

• To respond to your questions that you: (i) send us by email or through the CFFP Site, or (ii) ask over the phone or in-person;  

• To communicate with you about projects, our charitable activities and other events and programs;  

• To support Foundation funded programs;  

• To process your payments for donations;  

• To contact you about the donation that you have submitted, and to send you, by email or mail, donation related communications;  

• To provide you with any subsequent donation related updates/interest;  

• To communicate with you about your job application or volunteer application or opportunity;  

• To support our business functions such as internal business processes, marketing and advertising;  

• To administer the relationship between you and us establish and maintain relations with you;  

• To enforce our contracts and legal agreements; to meet any legal or regulatory requirements;  

• To comply with applicable laws; and  

• For any other reasonable purposes for which you may have provided your express consent or in which your consent can be reasonably implied.  

When and to whom do we disclose Personal Information? 

Your Personal Information is not shared with third parties without your permission, except as described below. 

Our affiliates and/or partners: We may share information with and among our affiliates and/or partners to provide our Services and for other purposes outlined in this Policy.  Specifically, we have a service level agreement with FP Canada to provide support to the Foundation related to financial management, donor stewardship, marketing, and program support and as such the Foundation may share personal information with FP Canada for these purposes. All personal information shared with FP Canada will be protected under FP Canada’s privacy policy and subject to the terms of the Foundation privacy policy.  

Service providers: We may transfer (or otherwise make available) Personal Information service providers (including affiliates acting in this capacity) who perform services on our behalf.  We may use service providers to store and provide back-up, process payments, or provide data analytics and marketing services. Personal information may be maintained and processed by our service providers in the US, Canada or other jurisdictions. Our service providers are given the information they need to perform their designated functions, and we do not authorize them to use or disclose Personal Information for their own purposes. 

For example, we may share your Personal Information with our service providers that help us with our business operations or to support the Foundation, including:  

• To facilitate donations;  

• With our suppliers responsible for administering marketing and donor activities on our behalf; and  

• With service providers that help with our operations and the CFFP Site, including, without limitation, for donor services, monitoring and analyzing the CFFP Site activity, and operating and maintaining the CFFP Site. Such service providers and partner companies may only use your Personal Information for the purposes described in this Policy.  

Payment processor: When providing payment information with respect to a donation, you may provide the Foundation with a cheque or make an online payment through the CFFP Site. Online payments are processed through our third-party provider (Blackbaud eTapestry) (the “Third Party Payment Provider”), on behalf of the Foundation. The Third-Party Payment Provider will collect payment information directly from you, such as your credit card number and expiration date (“Payment Information”) and any other Personal Information necessary to process your payment. The Third-Party Payment Provider is PCI compliant, and all your Payment Information will be processed, stored, and transmitted in a secure environment. The processing of online payments is subject to the privacy policy of our Third-Party Payment Provider (see https://www.blackbaud.com/company/privacy-policy/north-america). 

Disclosures authorized or required by law: There are limited situations, such as court order, where we are legally required or authorized to disclose your Personal Information without your consent.  

Disclosures with consent: We may disclose your Personal Information in other circumstances with your consent.   

You can withdraw your consent to have your information shared at any time. To withdraw your consent, please contact the Foundation. 

How Long Will We Retain Your Personal Information?  

We will retain and use your Personal Information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal and professional obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies. When information is no longer required, it is destroyed in a secure manner, according to set procedures that govern the storage and destruction of Personal Information. 

What if we transfer your Personal Information to another jurisdiction?  

Your information, including Personal Information, may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of your state, province, country or other jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from your jurisdiction.

We are based in the Canada and, regardless of where you use our Services, the information collected as part of that use will be transferred to and maintained on servers located in Canada. Any information we obtain about you will be stored in accordance with Canadian privacy laws, regulations, and standards, which may not be equivalent to the laws in your country of residence. By using our Services, you consent to this collection, transfer, storage, and processing of information to and in Canada. 

We will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Policy and no transfer of your Personal Information will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of your data and other Personal Information. 

How do we safeguard Personal Information?  

Safeguards are in place to protect the security of your information. These safeguards include a combination of physical, technological and administrative security measures that are aimed at protecting Personal Information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.  Please note, however, that while we believe our security measures are appropriate, no security measures can guarantee absolute security of information. 

Do We Collected Non-Identifiable and Aggregated Information?  

Non-Identifiable and aggregated information is data and information that is aggregated or anonymized in such a manner that it cannot be connected to an individual. This may include demographic information of donors and funding applicants that we use to better understand and inform our fundraising activities. We may disclose such aggregated and non-identifiable information to third parties that provide services for us (e.g. a survey research firm). In some instances, the Foundation may collect non-identifiable data through cookies. This information is used to better understand and improve the usability, performance, and effectiveness of the CFFP Site, as is further described below under "Cookies, Web Beacons and Other Similar Technology”.  

How May I Access and Modify My Personal Information or Make a Complaint?  

Upon request, the Foundation will provide you with information regarding the existence, use and disclosure of Personal Information that the Foundation may hold. We will need to verify your identity before providing you with the Personal Information we hold about you and we will respond within the time periods provided for under applicable laws. There is no cost for such access request unless you require copies of records.  

In certain circumstances, the Foundation may not be able to provide you with access to your Personal Information if the information cannot be separated from the Personal Information of others, cannot be disclosed for reasons of security or commercial confidentiality, or is protected by legal privilege. If we cannot provide you with access to your Personal Information, we will advise you of the reasons access is being denied, unless we are prohibited by law from doing so.  

You may request to update and change your Personal Information either directly through your account or through the Foundation at the contact information set forth below. We shall endeavor to correct or complete any Personal Information that you advise us is inaccurate or incomplete. Where appropriate, the amended information shall be transmitted to third parties having access to such information. If you have any concerns about how your payment information is stored, please contact Blackbaud eTapestry at https://www.blackbaud.ca/company/contact-us.  

An individual shall direct all inquiries or complaints involving the Foundation’s handling of Personal Information or compliance with this policy or with applicable privacy legislation to our Privacy Officer.  

The Foundation will maintain procedures for addressing and responding to all inquiries or complaints from individuals about our handling of Personal Information. The Foundation shall investigate all complaints. The Privacy Officer will respond to all such inquiries or complaints within 14 business days of receipt. The Privacy Officer will make reasonable efforts to resolve all such complaints within 30 days of receipt of the initial complaint. If the Foundation finds a complaint to be justified, it will take appropriate measures, including, if necessary, amending its policies and procedures.  

For more information, please contact our Privacy Officer as follows: directly at 416-593-8587 or 1-800-305-9886 or by e-mail at foundation@canadianfoundationforfinancialplanning.ca or write to us at:  

Privacy Officer, c/o Canadian Foundation for Financial Planning  
902-375 University Avenue  
Toronto, ON  
M5G 2J5  
Canada  

Links to Other Sites  

The CFFP Site may contain links to other sites that are independently owned and operated by third parties. These other sites may have their own privacy policies and are not governed by this Policy. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, or the content of any sites owned and operated by any third parties. Other sites may collect and treat information collected differently, so we encourage you to carefully read and review the privacy policy of each site you visit.  

Cookies, Web Beacons and Other Similar Technology  

As you interact with the CFFP Site, we may use automatic data collection technology and services that record and collect information that identifies your computer, tracks your use of this CFFP Site, and collects certain other information about you and your surfing habits. This data collection technology may include cookies, web beacons and other similar devices on this CFFP Site to enhance functionality and navigation for our visitors.  

A cookie is a small data file that is placed on the hard drive of your computer so that your computer will “remember” information when you visit a site. Web beacons and tags are small strings of code that are used in conjunction with a cookie and allow us to record activity on our CFFP Site. Internet tags, graphic tags and similar web beacon type functions allow us to count the number of users who have visited a particular web page or to access certain cookies. We may use web beacons on this CFFP Site to count users and to recognize users by accessing our cookies. Being able to access our cookies allows us to personalize this CFFP Site and improve your experience at this CFFP Site. We may also include web beacons in HTML-formatted email messages that we send to determine which email messages were opened.  

Information tracked through these mechanisms includes but is not limited to: (i) your IP address; (ii) the type of web browser and operating system being used; (iii) the pages of the CFFP Site a user visits; and (iv) other sites a user visited before visiting this CFFP Site.  

You can reject or disable cookies by managing your browser settings and following the directions provided in your Internet provider’s help file. Please note that if you disable cookies, you may be unable to access some customized features on this CFFP Site. Cookies and web beacons do not collect or contain your Personal Information.  

Google Analytics  

The CFFP Site may use Google Analytics, a web analytics service of Google, Inc. ("Google"), or comparable technology. Google Analytics uses cookies to analyze how you use the CFFP Site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the CFFP Site (including your IP address) is sent to a Google server in the U.S. and stored there. Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the CFFP Site, compile reports on the CFFP Site activity for the CFFP Site operators and to provide other site activity related to internet services. Additionally, Google may transfer this information to a third party when required by law or in the case of a third-party processing information on Google's behalf. In no case will Google use your IP address in connection with any other information held by Google. You can set your internet browser to prohibit the installation of cookies, although we must point out that some features and functions of the CFFP Site will then be unusable. By using the CFFP Site, you consent to the processing of data about you collected by Google in the manner described and for the above-mentioned purpose. The consent for collection and storage of data can be withdrawn at any time in the future by clicking on the following link and installing the add-on: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en  

Furthermore, we use the cookies to carry out frequency assessments, page usage assessments and marketing assessments. For the aforementioned assessments, we utilize this cookie information without a link to your Personal Information, so it remains anonymous.  

Children’s Privacy  

We are committed to protecting the privacy of children and we do not knowingly solicit Personal Information from children under the age of 13. If you are under 13 years of age, then do not use the Services at any time. If a child has already provided us with Personal Information, his or her parent or guardian may contact us for the purpose of deleting this information.  

Email Communications  

We comply with Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL) and we will not send you electronic communications in contravention of this law.  

We will ensure that each email includes an opt-out feature and instructions on how to unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive future emails from us. You can unsubscribe using the link included in the email or by using the contact information set forth below. If you do not expressly consent to receiving electronic communications, we will only communicate with you for the limited purposes permitted under CASL.  

Privacy Policy Changes  

We will update this Policy from time to time to reflect any changes regarding how we collect, use, or disclose your Personal Information.  

We reserve the right to change or replace this Policy at our sole discretion at any time. Please check back from time to time to ensure that you are aware of any updates or changes in this Policy. We will indicate at the top of this page the date this Policy was last revised. Your continued access or use of the Services after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the Privacy Policy as revised and will be binding on you.