Terms of Use
Rate Foundation ("The Foundation," "we," "us," or "our") welcomes you. We invite you to access and use our online services and offline services, including the submission of an application for assistance on behalf of yourself and others ("Services"), which are made available to you through a variety of portals, mobile apps (if applicable), and platforms, including https://www.gr-foundation.org (the "Website") and collectively with any such other platforms (the "Platform").
We provide our Services to Visitors and Registered Users (as defined below) subject to the following Terms of Use, which may be updated by us from time to time without notice to you. The Terms of Use are a binding agreement between you and The Foundation. Your access to and continued use of certain areas within the Website located at https://gr-foundation.org (including any successor sites), including any portions of the Website that require registration, constitutes your reading, understanding and acceptance, without limitation, of the terms and conditions of the Terms of Use. You agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy, which is hereby incorporated by reference (collectively, the "Agreement"). If you do not agree to any of these terms, then please do not use the Services.
Capitalized terms not defined in these Terms of Use shall have the meaning set forth in our Privacy Policy.
1. Description and Use of Services
As a Section 501(c)(3) organization, The Foundation provides customized financial support to those working to overcome extraordinary hardships. As part of the Services, the Foundation welcomes applications from Registered Users on behalf of themselves and others for consideration of the Foundation’s charitable giving mission.We provide Visitors and Registered Users with access to the Services as described in this Agreement.
Visitors. Visitors, as the term implies, are people who don't register or submit an application with us, but want to view various webpages and see what the Services are all about. No login, application or registration is required for Visitors. Visitors can: (a) view all publicly-available content on the Platform; (b) access and/or submit content to certain third-party applications (for example, by making donations to The Foundation ("Third-Party Applications"); and (c) e-mail us.
Registered Users. When applicable, login is required for all Registered Users, who are able to access and utilize the same functions as Visitors, and: (a) submit an application as part of the Registration Process on behalf of themselves or others; (b) update their accounts; and (c) sign up for The Foundation's newsletter, alerts, and other notifications.
The Foundation is under no obligation to accept any individual as a Registered User, and may accept or reject any registration or application in its sole and complete discretion. In addition, The Foundation may deactivate any account at any time, including, without limitation, if it determines that a Registered User has violated the Agreement.
Use of Third Party Applications. Your use of Third-Party Applications is governed by the Agreement and any terms of use of such third parties. One such third party is PayPal. In order to contact PayPal in connection with any content or material on its site or otherwise in connection with its services or activities, please contact PayPal directly.
2. Permitted and Prohibited Uses
Permitted Uses. You may access and use the Website for which registration is not required as set forth herein. Certain areas within the Website may be accessed by you, but only after registering with the Website and providing the information requested through the Registration Process, as outlined below. You may access and use the Website for the following purposes:- To learn about The Foundation, including its mission, recipient stories, the financials, corporate sponsors and how to donate directly to The Foundation;
- To submit an application for assistance on behalf of yourself or others;
- To fulfill your business or organizational mission of making charitable donations to The Foundation;
- To conduct comparative or other "best practices" research purposes;
- For your own internal business use; and
- In the case of governmental agencies, performing regulatory or research functions related to nonprofit entities.
Prohibited Uses. You may not:
- Use the Website other than as authorized by the Terms of Use;
- Use the Website for the benefit of any third party, other than as part of a Permitted Use;
- Republish or distribute information from the Website without The Foundation's express written consent;
- Modify information from the Website except in connection with a Permitted Use;
- Disassemble, decode, decompile, or otherwise reverse engineer the Website, including, without limitation, any interfaces or software programs comprising the Website;
- Take any action that would impede or interfere with the operation of the Website or alter Contents of the Website, or alter or interfere with any other content, website, or software that The Foundation owns or controls;
- Directly or indirectly, change, recompile, reframe, rent, sell, distribute or publish any of the Website, any database thereon and/or any content thereon, or any portion thereof, without explicit written consent from The Foundation;
- Use any data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction methods with respect to the Website or any portion thereof; or;
- Use the Website directly or indirectly in competition with The Foundation in any way whatsoever.
3. Restrictions
The Services are available for individuals aged 13 years or older. If you are 13 or older, but under the age of 18, you should review the Agreement with your parent or guardian to make sure that you and your parent or guardian understand it.4. Sign-In Name; Password; Unique Identifiers
During the application for assistance process for Registered Users, we may ask you to create an account, which includes a sign-in name ("Sign-In Name"), a password ("Password"), and certain additional information that will assist in authenticating your identity when you log-in in the future ("Unique Identifiers"). When creating your account, you must provide true, accurate, current, and complete information. Each Sign-In Name and corresponding Password can be used by only one Registered User. You are solely responsible for the confidentiality and use of your Sign-In Name, Password, and Unique Identifiers, as well as for any use, misuse, or communications entered through the Services using one or more of them. You will promptly inform us of any need to deactivate a Password or Sign-In Name, or change any Unique Identifier. We reserve the right to delete or change your Password, Sign-In Name, or Unique Identifier at any time and for any reason. The Foundation will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by any unauthorized use of your account.5. Intellectual Property
The Services contain material, such as software, text, graphics, images, sound recordings, audiovisual works, and other material provided by or on behalf of The Foundation (collectively referred to as "Content").Content may be owned by us or by third parties. Content is protected under both United States and foreign laws. Unauthorized use of Content may violate copyright, trademark, and other laws. You have no rights in or to Content, and you will not use Content except as permitted under the Agreement. No other use is permitted without prior written consent from The Foundation. You must retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the original Content. You may not sell, transfer, assign, license, sublicense, or modify Content or reproduce, display, publicly perform, make a derivative version of, distribute, or otherwise use Content in any way for any public or commercial purpose. The use or posting of Content on any other website, other than through Third-Party Applications, or in a networked computer environment for any purpose is expressly prohibited.If you violate any part of the Agreement, your permission to access and/or use Content and the Services automatically terminates and you must immediately destroy any copies you have made of Content.
The trademarks, service marks, and logos of The Foundation ("The Foundation Trademarks") used and displayed on the Services are registered and unregistered trademarks or service marks of The Foundation. Other company, product, and service names located on the Services may be trademarks or service marks owned by others ("Third-Party Trademarks," and, collectively with The Foundation Trademarks, "Trademarks"). Nothing on the Services should be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right to use Trademarks, without The Foundation's prior written permission specific for each such use. All goodwill generated from use of The Foundation Trademarks inures to our benefit.
Elements of the Services are protected by trade dress, trademark, unfair competition, and other state and federal laws and may not be copied or imitated in whole or in part, by any means, including, but not limited to, the use of framing or mirrors. None of Content may be retransmitted without our express, written consent for each and every instance.
6. User Submissions; Licenses
As noted above, the Services provide Visitors and Registered Users may include the ability to submit or upload user content ("User Content"). You expressly acknowledge and agree that once you permit your User Content to be viewed by others, it will be accessible and viewable by them.You retain all copyrights and other intellectual property rights in and to your own User Content. You do, however, hereby grant The Foundation a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, transferable, sub-license license to modify, compile, combine with other content and data, copy, record, synchronize, format, and index your User Content and display, perform, sub-license, commercialize, and make it available to others in all media now known or hereafter devised, including, without limitation, through the Platform.
If you submit User Content to us, each such submission constitutes a representation and warranty to The Foundation that such User Content is your original creation (or that you otherwise have the right to provide the User Content), that you have the rights necessary to grant the license to the User Content under the prior paragraph, and that it and its use by The Foundation does not and will not violate our community guidelines.
7. Communications With Us
Communications From The Foundation. You understand and agree that, as part of your Registration Process for and use of the Website, The Foundation may send to you certain communications from time to time, including (a) product announcements, including but not limited to announcements concerning modifications, enhancements, and/or upgrades to the Website; (b) service announcements, including but not limited to announcements regarding conditions or other possible interruptions that may affect use of and/or access to the Website and/or any services or other products offered by The Foundation; and (c) other administrative updates. You further understand and agree that your agreement to receive such communications is a condition of your use of the Website as a Registered User. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, any new feature that enhances or supplements the Website shall be subject to the Agreement.8. No Warranties; Limitations of Liability
SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE ON YOUR BEHALF OR OTHERS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PROMISE OR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE ON THE FOUNDATION’S PART. WHETHER TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IS IN THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE FOUNDATION.WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE SERVICES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONTENT OR USER CONTENT. WE SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO LIABILITY FOR ANY DELAYS OR INTERRUPTIONS OF THE SERVICES FROM WHATEVER CAUSE. YOU AGREE THAT YOU USE CONTENT, THE SERVICES, AND USER CONTENT AT YOUR OWN RISK.
WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICES WILL OPERATE ERROR-FREE OR THAT THE SERVICES, ITS SERVERS, ITS CONTENT, OR USER CONTENT ARE FREE OF COMPUTER VIRUSES OR SIMILAR CONTAMINATION OR DESTRUCTIVE FEATURES. IF YOUR USE OF CONTENT, USER CONTENT, OR THE SERVICES RESULTS IN THE NEED FOR SERVICING OR REPLACING EQUIPMENT OR DATA, WE SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE COSTS.
THE CONTENT, THE USER CONTENT, AND THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE WARRANTY OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTIES' RIGHTS, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL WE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS, OR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOST DATA OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) RESULTING FROM THE USE, INABILITY TO USE, DISCLOSURE, DISPLAY, OR MAINTENANCE OF ANY CONTENT, USER CONTENT, OR THE SERVICES, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH STATES, OUR LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
THE SERVICES MAY CONTAIN TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY SUCH TYPOGRAPHICAL, TECHNICAL, OR OTHER ERRORS LISTED ON THE SERVICES. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES, CORRECTIONS, AND/OR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SERVICES AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE
9. External Sites
The Services may contain links to third-party websites ("External Sites"). These links are provided solely as a convenience to you and not as an endorsement by us of the content on such External Sites. The content of such External Sites is developed and provided by others. You should contact the site administrator or webmaster for those External Sites if you have any concerns regarding such links or any content located on such External Sites. We are not responsible for the content of any linked External Sites and do not make any representations regarding the content or accuracy of materials on such External Sites. You should take precautions when downloading files from all websites to protect your computer from viruses and other destructive programs. If you decide to access linked External Sites, you do so at your own risk.10. Representations; Warranties; and Indemnification
(a) You hereby represent, warrant, and covenant that:- You own or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions to all trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other proprietary, privacy, and publicity rights in and to your User Content and any other works that you incorporate into your User Content, and all the rights necessary to grant the licenses and permissions you grant hereunder;
- Use of your User Content in the manners contemplated in the Agreement shall not violate or misappropriate the intellectual property, privacy, publicity, contractual, or other rights of any third party; and
- You shall not submit to the Services any User Content that violates our community guidelines set forth above.
- To the extent you provide us with a third-party’s Personal Information during the Registration Process, you represent and warrant to us that you have obtained the necessary permissions from the third-party to submit such Personal Information to The Foundation.
11. Compliance With Applicable Laws
The Services are based in the United States and intended for use in the United States. We make no claims concerning whether Content and/or User Content may be downloaded, viewed, or be appropriate for use outside of the United States. If you access the Services, Content, or User Content from outside of the United States, you do so at your own risk. Whether inside or outside of the United States, you are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with the laws of your specific jurisdiction.12. Termination of the Agreement
We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to restrict, suspend, or terminate the Agreement and your access to all or any part of the Services, at any time and for any reason without prior notice or liability. We reserve the right to change, suspend, or discontinue all or any part of the Services at any time without prior notice or liability.13. Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The Foundation respects the intellectual property rights of others and attempts to comply with all relevant laws. We will review all claims of copyright infringement received and remove any Content or User Content deemed to have been posted or distributed in violation of any such laws.Our designated agent under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (the "Act") for the receipt of any Notification of Claimed Infringement which may be given under the Act is as follows:
Rate Foundation
Attention: Privacy Administrator
1800 W. Larchmont Ave., Suite 2
Chicago, IL 60613
If you believe that your work has been copied on the Services in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide our agent with notice in accordance with the requirements of the Act, including (i) a description of the copyrighted work that has been infringed and the specific location on the Services where such work is located; (ii) a description of the location of the original or an authorized copy of the copyrighted work; (iii) your address, telephone number and e-mail address; (iv) a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; (v) a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf; and (vi) an electronic or physical signature of the owner of the copyright or the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest.
14. Miscellaneous
The Agreement is governed by the internal substantive laws of the State of Illinois without respect to its conflict of laws provisions. You expressly agree: (i) to submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Illinois; and (ii) that the Services shall be deemed passive that do not give rise to personal jurisdiction over The Foundation, either specific or general, in jurisdictions other than Illinois. YOU AGREE THAT ANY CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE SERVICES MUST COMMENCED BY YOU WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES, OTHERWISE SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION IS PERMANENTLY BARRED. If any provision of the Agreement is found to be invalid, or otherwise contrary to the law or equity, by a court of competent jurisdiction or terminated in accordance with the Termination provision above, you and The Foundation agree that such provision shall be automatically severed and the remainder of the Agreement that can be given effect shall continue to be given effect. The invalidity or termination of such provision shall not affect the validity of any other provisions outlined in the Agreement.Our failure to act on or enforce any provision of the Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of that provision or any other provision in the Agreement. No waiver shall be effective against us unless made in writing, and no such waiver shall be construed as a waiver in any other or subsequent instance. Except as expressly agreed by us and you in writing, the Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement between you and us with respect to the subject matter, and supersedes all previous or contemporaneous agreements, whether written or oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter. The section headings are provided merely for convenience and shall not be given any legal import. The Agreement will inure to the benefit of our successors, assigns, licensees, and sub-licensees.
Donor Privacy Policy
Our Commitment to Our Donors
We will not sell, share or trade our donors' names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations.This policy applies to all information received by Rate Foundation, both online and offline, on any Platform ("Platform", includes the website and mobile applications if applicable), as well as any electronic, written, or oral communications.
To the extent any donations are processed through a third-party service provider, our donors’ information will only be used for purposes necessary to process the donation.