Introduction
Harvard Sikh Center (“we,” “our,” or “the Center”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the Sikh Panth through rigorous scholarship, research fellowships, and educational programs. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care and transparency.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (harvardsikh.org), apply to our fellowship programs, make a donation, subscribe to our newsletter, or otherwise interact with us.
Please note: Harvard Sikh Center is not affiliated with Harvard University.
By using our website or services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these practices, please do not use our website or services.
Information We Collect
We collect information in several ways depending on how you interact with us.
Information You Provide Directly
Fellowship Applications
When you apply to one of our fellowship programs (Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Senior Fellow Program, Sikh Arts & Media Fellowship, or Khalsa Education Fellowship), we collect:
- Personal details: full name, email address, phone number, mailing address, date of birth
- Academic information: institution, major/field of study, GPA, expected graduation date, transcripts
- Application materials: research proposals, personal statements, project proposals, portfolios, work samples, resumes or CVs
- Reference information: names, titles, institutions, and contact information for your references
- Faculty mentor information: name, institution, and contact details
- Parental/guardian information for applicants under 18
Donations
When you make a donation, we collect:
- Contact information: name, email address, mailing address
- Payment information: credit card or bank account details (processed securely by our payment processor—we do not store complete payment card numbers)
- Donation preferences: one-time or recurring, designated purpose, recognition preferences
- Employer information for matching gift purposes
Contact Forms and Inquiries
When you contact us through our website or by email, we collect:
- Your name and email address
- Subject and content of your message
- Any additional information you choose to provide
Newsletter Subscriptions
When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect:
- Your email address
- Communication preferences
Faculty and Mentor Endorsements
When faculty mentors submit endorsement forms on behalf of applicants, we collect:
- Mentor’s name, title, institution, department, and contact information
- Affiliation status with Harvard Sikh Center
- Assessment of the applicant and proposed project
- Mentorship plans and availability
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information, including:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating system
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Referral source (how you arrived at our website)
- Date and time of your visit
This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies. See the “Cookies” section below for more details.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
Fellowship Administration
- Evaluate and process fellowship applications
- Communicate with applicants regarding application status and requirements
- Match fellows with appropriate mentors
- Coordinate program activities, seminars, and events
- Track fellowship outcomes and program effectiveness
Donation Processing
- Process and acknowledge donations
- Issue tax receipts and annual giving statements
- Recognize donors (with permission)
- Communicate about the impact of donations
- Process employer matching gifts
Communications
- Respond to inquiries and requests
- Send newsletters, event announcements, and program updates (with your consent)
- Notify you of fellowship deadlines and opportunities
- Provide information about our research and publications
Website Operations
- Maintain and improve our website
- Analyze website usage and trends
- Ensure website security
- Customize your experience
Legal and Compliance
- Comply with applicable laws and regulations
- Maintain records required for nonprofit operations
- Respond to legal requests and prevent fraud
Special Considerations for Minors
The Khalsa Education Fellowship is open to applicants ages 16–25. For applicants under 18 years of age:
- We require parental or guardian consent before participation in the fellowship
- We collect parent/guardian name and contact information
- Parents/guardians may request access to or deletion of their child’s information
- We take additional care to limit the collection and retention of minors’ personal information
- Application data for minors who are not selected is deleted within 12 months
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately.
Legal Basis for Processing
For visitors from the European Union, United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions that require a legal basis for processing personal data, we rely on the following:
Consent
- Processing fellowship applications you have submitted
- Sending newsletters and marketing communications
- Using non-essential cookies
Contractual Necessity
- Administering fellowship programs for accepted fellows
- Processing donations and providing tax receipts
Legitimate Interests
- Improving our website and services
- Preventing fraud and ensuring security
- Communicating about our programs and mission
Legal Obligations
- Maintaining donation records for tax purposes
- Responding to valid legal requests
You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe link in our emails.
How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:
With Your Consent
- Faculty mentors receive relevant portions of fellowship applications to evaluate and supervise projects
- References you provide may be contacted to support your application
- Donor names may be published in recognition materials (only with permission)
Service Providers
We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and programs:
- Stripe: Processes donations securely. Stripe Privacy Policy
- Gravity Forms: Manages application forms. Data is stored on our secure servers.
- Brevo: Sends newsletters and communications. Brevo Privacy Policy
- HostGator: Hosts our website and stores data securely.
These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:
- Comply with legal obligations or respond to valid legal processes
- Protect and defend our rights or property
- Prevent fraud or illegal activity
- Protect the safety of our users or the public
Organizational Transfers
If Harvard Sikh Center merges with or transfers assets to another organization, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and your choices regarding your information.
Third-Party Services and Embedded Content
Our website may include content from or links to third-party services. These services have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.
Payment Processing
Donations are processed through Stripe. When you make a donation, you provide payment information directly to Stripe. We receive confirmation of your donation but do not have access to your complete payment card number. Review Stripe’s Privacy Policy.
Embedded Videos
We may embed videos from YouTube on our website. YouTube may collect information about your interaction with embedded videos. Review YouTube’s Privacy Policy.
Social Media
Our website includes links to our social media profiles. If you click these links, you will be directed to third-party platforms with their own privacy practices. We do not receive personal information from social media platforms unless you explicitly provide it to us.
Analytics
We may use analytics services to understand how visitors use our website. These services collect anonymized data about website usage. If we use Google Analytics, you can opt out using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies to improve your experience on our website.
Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the website to function properly:
- Session cookies to maintain your browsing session
- Security cookies to protect against unauthorized access
- WordPress authentication cookies for administrative users
Functional Cookies
These cookies remember your preferences and choices:
- Language preferences
- Form data you have entered (to prevent loss if you navigate away)
Analytics Cookies
If enabled, these cookies help us understand how visitors use our website:
- Pages visited and time spent
- How you arrived at our website
- General geographic location (country/region level)
Analytics data is aggregated and anonymized.
Managing Cookies
Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically:
- View cookies stored on your device
- Delete some or all cookies
- Block cookies from being set
- Set preferences for certain websites
Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:
- SSL/HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted through our website
- Secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers
- Access controls limiting who can view personal information
- Regular security assessments and updates
- Secure storage of application materials and records
While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and any applicable regulatory authorities as required by law.
Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.
Fellowship Applications
- Selected fellows: Records retained for 7 years after fellowship completion
- Applicants not selected: Records retained for 2 years, then deleted
- Minor applicants not selected: Records deleted within 12 months
Donation Records
- Retained for 7 years to comply with IRS requirements for nonprofit organizations
Newsletter Subscriptions
- Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
Contact Form Submissions
- Retained for 2 years unless ongoing correspondence continues
Website Analytics
- Aggregated, anonymized data retained indefinitely for trend analysis
You may request deletion of your data at any time, subject to our legal retention obligations.
Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information.
All Users
You have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing based on consent at any time
- Opt Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
European Union and United Kingdom Residents
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR, you also have the right to:
- Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
- Restriction: Request that we restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances
- Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority
California Residents
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the right to:
- Know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose
- Request deletion of your personal information
- Non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights
We do not sell personal information as defined by the CCPA.
Exercising Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@harvardsikh.org. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
International Data Transfers
Harvard Sikh Center is based in the United States. If you are accessing our website or providing information from outside the United States, please be aware that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.
By using our website or services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.
For transfers from the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including academic institutions, partner organizations, and external resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit. A link to an external website does not constitute an endorsement of that website’s content or privacy practices.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors.
When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page
- Post a notice on our website
- For significant changes affecting existing users, send notification by email where appropriate
Your continued use of our website or services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how we handle your information, please contact us:
Email: info@harvardsikh.org
Mailing Address: Harvard Sikh Center [Street Address or PO Box] [City, State ZIP] United States
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days.
Additional Information for Specific Programs
Undergraduate Research Fellowship
By applying, you consent to:
- Sharing your application with your designated faculty mentor
- Contacting references you have provided
- Retaining your transcript and academic records for program administration
Senior Fellow Program
By applying, you consent to:
- Sharing your CV, research proposal, and writing sample with selection committee members
- Contacting your academic references
- Publishing your name and research topic if selected (you may request anonymity)
Sikh Arts & Media Fellowship
By applying, you consent to:
- Sharing your portfolio and project proposal with selection committee and mentors
- Granting Harvard Sikh Center a non-exclusive license to share your completed work on our platforms (you retain ownership)
- Being credited as a Harvard Sikh Center Fellow in connection with your work
Khalsa Education Fellowship
By applying, you consent to:
- Contributing completed curriculum materials to our open-source library
- Being credited as the author of curriculum you create
- For applicants under 18: parental consent is required before fellowship participation
Harvard Sikh Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-1696484
This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 5, 2026.
