1.  Agreement to the Policy
By accessing or using our Sites, you agree to be bound by all of the Site’s terms and conditions including this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions, please do not access or use any of our Sites.

2. What personal data does QCRA Collect:
QCRA collects the following personal data for the uses explained in section 4:
Name, mailing address, email address, phone number, date of birth, gender, race, ethnicity, employer, your affiliations with FIRST Strategic Alliances, FIRST Alumni status, FIRST program history, secondary or emergency contacts, and credit card information.  For youth participants, we also collect data on free or reduced lunch eligibility, grade in school, graduation data, school name, and school identification number. (QCRA does not collect race or ethnicity data from residents of the European Union.)

3. How does QCRA collect the data:
We collect data when you provide it to us directly or indirectly through a third party and by “cookies” (as described in section 8, below). You may provide certain data to us when you: (a) subscribe to our newsletter; (b) send e-mail messages, submit forms, or transmit other information by telephone or letter; (c) order products; (d) apply for a grant through a third-party vendor; (e) complete a paper and/or online consent and release form; and/or (l) make a donation to QCRA.
When you engage in certain activities on any of our Sites, we may ask you to provide data by filling out and submitting an online form. Depending upon the activity, some of the data may be mandatory and some may be voluntary.  If you do not provide the mandatory data with respect to a particular activity, you may not be able to engage in that activity.

​4. How does QCRA use the data:
By entering personal data into QCRA Sites or providing it to QCRA (directly or indirectly through third parties), you agree to allow QCRA to collect and use the data for the following purposes:
a. To register you as a QCRA participant or volunteer.
b. To communicate with you as a participant in QCRA programs: QCRA uses personal data to communicate with you about our program information and related opportunities.
c. To use emergency for accidents or medical needs.
d. To process transactions:  QCRA uses personal data to engage in interactions with you including to communicate with you about your registration status, payment of team registration, processing of sponsorship information, newsletter subscriptions, event information and to process orders, registration fees or donations.
e. To solicit donations for QCRA or other FIRST organizations.
f. To apply for grants on behalf of QCRA.

5. How long does QCRA retain data:
QCRA will retain your data for as long as needed or permitted to fulfill the purposes and uses described in this Policy. When we no longer need your data, and there is no need to keep it to comply with our legal obligations or protect our legal rights, we will either delete it from our systems or depersonalize it so we can’t identify you.

6. How does QCRA share data:
QCRA does not rent or sell data to others.
Except as otherwise provided in this Privacy Policy, QCRA will keep your personal data private and will not share it with third parties, unless such disclosure is necessary to: (a) comply with the law or legal process served on us; (b) provide you the products, services and/or information that you may have requested; (c) protect our rights or property; (d) enforce our rights; (e) protect the interests of users of the Site or any other person; (f) operate or conduct maintenance and repair of our equipment; (g) detect, prevent and/or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues, as authorized by law; and/or (h) otherwise comply with applicable laws.

7. How does QCRA protect information:
You may opt to display personal data in community-based sites such as Forums, Team/Event Finders and social media sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked-In, Snapchat, Twitch). Personal data submitted to these areas can be read, collected, or used by other users, and could be used to send you unsolicited messages.  We are not responsible for the personal data you choose to submit in these public areas.  You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account information. Please be careful and responsible whenever you are online.
Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet or any wireless network can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.   While we strive to protect your personal data, you acknowledge that: (a) there are security and privacy limitations of the Internet that are beyond our control; (b) the security, integrity, and privacy of any and all information and data exchanged between you and us through our Sites cannot be guaranteed; and, (c) any such information and data may be viewed or tampered with in transit by a third party.

8. Privacy Policies of Third-Party Sites:
We may maintain links to other websites on our Sites. Links to alliances and sponsoring organizations are examples of these links. This Privacy Policy only applies to QCRA.  Other sites accessible through our Site have their own privacy policies and data collection use and disclosure practices.  Please consult each site’s privacy policy.

9. Your Use of Our Forums, Blogs, and various Social Media:
By making a Submission to or through one of our Sites, related forums, blogs, or You Tube, GroupMe, Twitter, Instagram or other social media you grant QCRA an unrestricted, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, blog, publicly perform, transmit and distribute such Submission (except to the extent it contains personal data), alone or as part of other works, in any form, media, or technology whether now known or hereafter developed.
You warrant and represent that you shall not transmit, post or upload any Submission that is, in whole or in part, libelous, scandalous, inflammatory, discriminatory, defamatory, false, threatening, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, profane, abusive, harassing, invasive of another’s privacy, hateful or bashing, aimed at gender, race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, religious views or disability, or otherwise unlawful, or that violates or infringes on the privacy, publicity, intellectual property, proprietary, or contractual rights of any person or entity.  By posting pictures of others, you warrant and represent that you have those persons’ (or if the person is under the age of majority, the person’s parent or guardian’s) consent. 
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless QCRA, its directors, officers, employees, agents, and sponsors from and against any claims, actions or demands, including, without limitation, reasonable legal and accounting fees arising out of, or resulting from, your use of our Sites or the services made available on or through our Sites, and/or your breach of this Privacy Policy.
QCRA does not warrant or represent the truthfulness, accuracy or reliability of any content, information or material contained in any Submission.  Your reliance on any Submission shall be at your own risk. 
Users of our training materials, Sites and related forums agree at all times to abide by legal protections and a professional honor system.   Users agree that in downloading, using or referring to the contents of any document included in the training materials, Sites or related forums (whether in writing or verbally), they will give full attribution to the author.

10. How you can rectify incorrect information:
You request changes or updates to personal data you provide to us in writing through our email iaiela@queencityrobotics.org.
Please include your name, address, e-mail address, and/or phone number when you contact us regarding an update or correction to data.  We reserve the right to confirm your identity before updating or correcting personal data.  We encourage you to promptly update your personal data if it ever changes.

11. How you can opt-out of receiving communications:
We may, from time to time, use your name or email to send you information regarding our programs, services and related opportunities as outlined in section 4. 
If you do not wish to receive email from QCRA you may “opt-out” of receiving these communications by exercising your right to “opt out” by sending us an email info@queencityrobotics.org so that we may remove you from our mailing list.

12. Changes to this Privacy Policy:
We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time.  Such changes, modifications, additions, or deletions shall be effective immediately upon notice thereof, which may be given by means including, but not limited to, posting the revised Privacy Policy at any of our Sites. You acknowledge and agree that it is your responsibility to review the Site you are using and this Policy periodically, and to be aware of any modifications.  Your continued use of a Site after any such modifications will constitute your; (a) acknowledgment of any modified Policy; and (b) agreement to abide and be bound by any modified Policy. To the extent that any modifications to this Policy materially alters how QCRA will use information collected under prior version of the Policy, QCRA will provide you notice by email using your email on file, and where required by law, will obtain your consent.

​13.  How to contact us and how to lodge a complaint:
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of any of our Sites, or your dealings with any of our Sites, contact us via email info@queencityrobotics.org by sending a letter to:

Queen City Robotics Alliance

2102 Cambridge Beltway Dr., Suite B

Charlotte, NC 28273

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Revision Log:

• This policy was reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors in December 2024

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