Privacy policy

Who we are

The BS Foundation (Business Showcase Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This privacy policy explains what personal information we collect on this website and how we use it.

Information we collect

We collect information in three ways.

Donations via GiveButter

Donations are processed through GiveButter, a third-party platform. When you donate, GiveButter collects information on our behalf, which may include:

• Name
• Email address
• Payment information, processed and stored by GiveButter rather than by us
• Donation amount and date

GiveButter handles payment processing and data security for all transactions. Their privacy policy governs how they handle your payment data. We receive a record of the donation but do not store your payment card details.

Business submission form

When you submit your business for consideration, we collect:

• Your name
• Business name
• Email address
• Type of business
• Your story, meaning the submission text
• Website or social link, which is optional

This information goes to our internal review system and is read by our committee to evaluate entries each quarter.

Website analytics via Google Analytics

With your consent, this site uses Google Analytics 4, a service provided by Google LLC, to understand how people use it. Nothing from Google loads and no analytics cookie is set until you choose “Allow analytics” on the banner. If you do, Google Analytics sets cookies in your browser and collects information such as:

• Pages viewed, time on page, and how you arrived (for example, a search or a link)
• Approximate location, such as country and city, derived from your IP address
• Device, browser, operating system, and screen size
• A randomly generated identifier that distinguishes your browser from others

Google Analytics does not log or store full IP addresses. We do not send it your name, email address, or anything you type into the donation or submission forms, and we do not use it to identify you personally.

We do not enable Google's advertising features, and we do not use analytics data for advertising or remarketing. Google processes this data under Google's privacy policy.

Cookies and your choices

The only cookies we set are the Google Analytics cookies described above, and only if you allow them. Analytics is currently off.

• Change your mind at any time. Open cookie settings or use the “Cookie settings” link in the footer. Withdrawing consent stops analytics and deletes the cookies, and does not affect anything done before.
• Browser signals. If your browser sends Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track, we treat that as a “no” and do not ask.
• Google’s own opt-out. You can also install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

The site works the same whether or not you allow analytics. Your choice is remembered in your browser’s local storage on this site. Embedded services such as GiveButter and video players may set their own cookies, which are governed by their own policies.

How we use your information

• To process and record your donation
• To review your business submission and contact you about it
• To comply with legal obligations as a 501(c)(3) organization
• To understand, in aggregate, how the website is used so we can improve it

We do not use your information for marketing, advertising, or any purpose other than the ones listed above.

When we contact you

We will only contact you in two situations:

• You submitted the business entry form, and we may follow up about your entry
• You requested contact, such as asking a question through a form or by email

Donors are not added to any mailing list or contacted for follow-up unless they separately request it.

Data sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. The third parties that receive your data as part of normal site operation are GiveButter, for the purpose of processing donations, and Google, for website analytics as described above.

We may disclose information if required by law or as part of our 501(c)(3) reporting obligations.

Data retention

Donation records are retained as required for nonprofit financial and legal compliance. Google Analytics data is kept for 14 months, after which it is deleted automatically. Business submission data is retained for the duration of the relevant quarterly review cycle and for our records of past applicants.

Visitors outside the United States

The BS Foundation is based in the United States, and donations are open to anyone. If you visit or donate from outside the US, including from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, your information is sent to and processed in the United States and in other countries where our providers operate. Google transfers analytics data under its own safeguards, such as the EU–US Data Privacy Framework and standard contractual clauses.

Our legal bases for processing are:

• Your consent, for analytics cookies. You can withdraw it at any time.
• Performing the donation, for processing and recording gifts you make.
• Your request, for reviewing a business you have submitted.
• Legal obligation, for the records a 501(c)(3) must keep.

Your rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of any personal information we hold about you by contacting us directly. We will respond to reasonable requests in a timely manner.

Depending on where you live, including under the GDPR, UK GDPR and certain US state laws, you may also have the right to object to or restrict processing, to receive a copy of your data in a portable format, to withdraw consent, and to complain to your local data protection authority. We do not sell or share your personal information for advertising, and we do not make automated decisions about you.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, you can reach us through the submission form on the main page.