Skip to main content
TechEMPOWER.org
🔒

Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 19, 2026
TechEMPOWER.org ("TechEMPOWER", "we", "us", or "our") is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 92-2581940) based in Grass Valley, California. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit our website at techempower.org and how we use it.
We respect your privacy. We aim to collect only what's necessary to understand how our resources are being used and to improve them for the communities we serve.

Information we collect

Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:
  • Usage data: pages visited, time on page, links clicked, referring website, approximate location (country, state)
  • Device data: browser type, operating system, device type, screen size
  • Anonymous identifiers: cookies and similar technologies used by our analytics provider
This is collected via Google Analytics 4 (or replacements/additions we may add in the future). We use this data to understand which guides are most helpful, where our visitors come from, and how to improve the site.

Information you provide

If you contact us through forms on this website (e.g. our suggestions form on the homepage), or by emailing us, you may provide your name, email address, and the contents of your message. We use this only to respond to you.
If you donate via the link on our Donate page, your gift goes through PayPal Giving Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity that processes the donation, emails your tax receipt and grants the money to TechEMPOWER. We do not handle, store, or see your payment information. PayPal’s privacy policy is at paypal.com/us/legalhub/privacy-full.

The benefits check (techempower.org/qualify)

Your answers and results stay in your browser. They are never sent to us or to anyone else. On this page Google Analytics runs without cookies, and any ad-click code in the page address is removed before analytics sees it.
If you arrived from one of our free Google ads, we ask after your results whether Google Ads may count that visit. We never ask if your browser sends Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track. If you say yes, your browser tells Google Ads, using the ad-click code in the page address, that the ad led to a finished check. That signal carries none of your answers or results and sets no cookies on techempower.org. For the few seconds it takes, our cookieless Google Analytics counts are also marked as ad-allowed; then everything goes back to denied. Google may use its own cookies on its ad domains for that one request. If you say no, nothing is sent to Google Ads, and we remember the no in your browser’s local storage so we don’t ask again. A yes is never remembered, so on a shared computer the next person is asked again.

What we do NOT collect

  • We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.
  • We do not track you across other websites with advertising cookies.
  • We do not require accounts or sign-ups for any part of the site.
  • We do not collect special-category data (race, religion, health) unless you voluntarily send it to us in a message.

Third-party services

Our website uses or links to the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy:
  • Google Ads — counts a visit from one of our free ads, only on the benefits check and only if you say yes (see “The benefits check” above)
  • Cloudflare — our hosting + CDN provider, may collect technical data for security and performance (Cloudflare Privacy Policy)
  • Notion — our content management system; pages are served via the public Notion API (Notion Privacy Policy)

How we use information

  • To operate and maintain the website
  • To analyze which resources are most useful so we can improve our content
  • To respond to messages you send us
  • To comply with legal obligations

Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. We use:
  • Essential cookies — needed for site functionality (e.g. remembering your dark-mode preference)
  • Analytics cookies (via Google Analytics) — to measure aggregate site usage
You can disable cookies in your browser settings. The site will still function.

Data retention

  • Analytics data: retained for up to 26 months in Google Analytics, then aggregated/deleted
  • Contact messages: retained as long as needed to respond and for our records

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information, including the right to:
  • Know what information we have about you
  • Request a copy of your information
  • Correct or delete your information
  • Object to or restrict how we use your information
To exercise these rights, contact us at the email address on our About page.

California residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):
  • The right to know what personal information is collected
  • The right to delete personal information we hold
  • The right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of)
  • The right to non-discrimination for exercising these rights

Children’s privacy

Our site is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently done so, please contact us so we can delete it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top will reflect any changes. Material changes will be announced on our homepage.

Contact us

Questions about this Privacy Policy? Email us via the contact info on our About page, or reach out on our Discord.
TechEMPOWER.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 92-2581940. Based in Grass Valley, California.