Veterans Desk, Inc. — Privacy Policy

Document ID: Veterans Desk, Inc.: Privacy Policy-v1.0

Effective Date: 11.19.2025

Contact: privacy@veteransdesk.org

1. Introduction & Scope

Veterans Desk, Inc. (“Veterans Desk,” “we,” “our,” or “us“) operates VeteransDesk.org and related sites, pages, and online tools (collectively, the “Services“). We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides education-only resources and directories to help veterans, their families, and community providers better understand VA Community Care and related topics.

This Privacy Policy explains:

What personal information do we collect
How we use and share it
Your choices and rights regarding that information

This Policy applies to personal information we collect:

Through VeteransDesk.org and any subdomains we operate
Via forms, directories, membership/enrollment pages, and email communications related to the Services
From sponsors, providers, coordinators, and other partners who interact with us

This Policy does not apply to:

Third-party websites, services, or apps that we do not control
Clinical, billing, or other systems operated by providers, payers, or government agencies

By using the Services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you disagree, please refrain from using the Services.

Not VA / No Legal Advice. Veterans Desk is independent and not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or any government agency. Nothing in this Policy is legal, tax, or medical advice.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways, as described below.

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

Account & Contact Information

When you interact with us, you may provide:

Name and contact details (e.g., email address, phone number, mailing address)
Organizational affiliation and role (e.g., provider, coordinator, sponsor)
Login credentials or account settings, if we offer an account feature
Communication preferences

Directory & Membership Information

If you apply to be or appear as:

A provider in the Veterans Desk directory
A coordinator or independent contractor
A sponsor or organizational member

…we may collect information such as:

Professional name, credentials, specialty, and license information
Practice or organization name, address, phone, and website
Short bios, profile photos, logos, and marketing descriptions
Membership tier, participation preferences, and directory categories

Some of this information may be displayed publicly in our directories or on our site, as described when you submit it.

Communications & User-Submitted Content

We may collect information when you:

Fill out contact, intake, referral-interest, or support forms
Subscribe to newsletters or educational updates.
Submit comments, feedback, or testimonials.
Participate in surveys, webinars, or events.s

This may include the content of your messages and any contact information you choose to provide.

Billing & Payment Information

If you donate, pay membership fees, or purchase services:

We may collect billing contact details (e.g., name, address, email).
Third-party payment processors process payment card information; we do not store full card numbers in our systems.

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you use our Services, we and our service providers may automatically collect information via cookies, pixels, and similar technologies, such as:

Device and browser type, operating system
IP address and general location (e.g., city/state, inferred from IP)
Pages viewed, links clicked, and other usage data.
Referring/exit pages and timestamps

We use this information to operate, secure, and improve the Services, as well as to understand how people use our content.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

Payment processors (e.g., confirming a donation or membership payment)
Email service providers and analytics tools (e.g., open/click rates)
Publicly available sources (e.g., licensing boards, websites you control)
Partners or sponsors who refer you to us (e.g., if you opt in at an event)

We combine this information with data we collect directly, consistent with this Policy.

3. How We Use Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

To operate and provide the Services
- Create and manage accounts or profiles.
- Maintain directories of providers and coordinators.s
- Process donations, memberships, and sponsorships
- Provide customer service and respond to inquiries.
To communicate with you
- Send administrative messages (e.g., confirmations, policy updates)
- Share newsletters, educational resources, or event invitations
- Respond to questions and support requests.
To improve and develop the Services
- Analyze usage and performance of our site and content.
- Develop new resources, directories, and programs to enhance our offerings.
- Monitor for fraud, abuse, or security incidents.
To enforce our terms and protect our community
- Enforce our Terms of Use and other policies.
- Protect the rights, safety, and property of Veterans Desk users, the public, and the Veterans Desk itself.c
- Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.
For fundraising and sponsorship
- Manage donor and sponsor relationships.
- Acknowledge gifts (subject to donor preferences)
- Provide sponsors with aggregated, non-identifying metrics where appropriate.e

We do not use personal information to make automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.

4. Legal Bases for Processing (EEA/UK Users)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom (UK), our legal bases for processing personal data may include:

Consent – For example, when you sign up for newsletters or accept optional cookies.
Contract – When processing is necessary to perform a contract with you (e.g., membership or sponsorship agreements).
Legitimate Interests – Such as improving our Services, maintaining security, preventing fraud, and communicating with you – your rights do not override these interests.
Legal Obligations – Where we are required to process data to comply with applicable laws.

You may withdraw your consent at any time, provided that consent is the legal basis, without affecting any prior processing.

5. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information for money. We may share information in the following ways:

5.1 Service Providers (“Processors”)

We work with trusted vendors that perform services on our behalf (e.g., hosting, payment processing, email delivery, analytics, security). These service providers:

They are given only the information needed to perform their functions
They are bound by contracts that limit their use of the information to our instructions and require them to implement appropriate security measures.

Where appropriate, we enter into Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) with such vendors.

5.2 Public Directories & Profiles

If you choose to be listed in a Veterans Desk directory or participate as a coordinator, provider, or sponsor, certain information you provide (e.g., professional name, practice information, profile photo, description) may be visible to site visitors.

We will describe what is public at the point of collection. You should not submit any information for directory or public display that you are not comfortable sharing publicly.

5.3 Partners & Sponsors (Limited)

We may share aggregated or de-identified information with partners, sponsors, or the public, such as:

Total number of directory listings or site visits
General engagement metrics (e.g., views, downloads)

We do not share your contact information with sponsors for their independent marketing without your consent.

5.4 Legal and Safety Reasons

We may disclose information:

If we believe disclosure is required by law, regulation, or legal process (e.g., subpoena, court order)
To protect our rights, safety, property, or that of users or the public
To detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, or security incidents

5.5 Organizational Changes

Suppose Veterans Desk, Inc. undergoes a merger, restructuring, or other organizational change. In that case, personal information may be transferred as part of that process, subject to this Policy or a successor policy that provides similar protection.

6. No PHI & Sensitive Information

Veterans Desk’s public websites and general communications are not designed to handle Protected Health Information (“PHI”) as defined under HIPAA, nor other highly sensitive personal data (such as detailed medical, mental-health, or benefits claim records).

Please do not submit PHI or other sensitive information via:

Public contact forms
Email addresses published on our site
Directories, reviews, or comment areas

Suppose we become aware that PHI or similarly sensitive information has been submitted through our public channels. In that case, we may delete or de-identify it and may contact you to discuss safer alternatives.

The Veterans Desk does not act as a HIPAA “covered entity” or “business associate” for interactions conducted through our public sites.

7. Cookies, Analytics & Online Tracking

We and our service providers use cookies and similar technologies to:

Remember your preferences and improve usability
Measure traffic and performance (e.g., which pages are most visited)
Keep our Services secure.

Types of cookies may include:

Strictly necessary cookies – Required for core functionality (e.g., security, basic navigation).
Analytics cookies – Help us understand how people use our site (e.g., Google Analytics or similar tools).

We currently do not use cookies to serve behaviorally targeted advertising across different sites. If that changes, we will update this Policy and provide additional opt-out options.

Your choices:

Most browsers allow you to delete or block cookies. Doing so may affect site functionality.
Some analytics tools offer their own opt-out mechanisms, which we may link to on our site or in this Policy.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

Provide the Services and support our mission
Maintain business and financial records.
Comply with legal, tax, or reporting obligations.
Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.

Retention periods vary depending on the type of data and its intended purpose. When personal information is no longer needed, we will delete, anonymize, or otherwise securely dispose of it.

9. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or loss. These may include:

Access controls and authentication requirements
Encrypted connections (HTTPS) where appropriate
Vendor due diligence and contractual obligations

No system or transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we strive to protect information under our control. Please help by using strong passwords and limiting what you share through public channels.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Services are not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without appropriate consent.

If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@veteransdesk.org. We will take reasonable steps to delete such information as required by law.

Parents and guardians who use our resources for their families should submit only their own contact information unless otherwise clearly indicated.

11. International Users & Data Transfers

Veterans Desk is based in the United States. If you access our Services from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in the U.S. or other countries that may have different data protection laws than those in your country.

Where required by law, we will use appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) when transferring personal data internationally.

By using the Services, you acknowledge that your information may be processed in the United States and other jurisdictions where we and our service providers operate.

12. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, such as:

Accessing or requesting copies of your information
Requesting corrections to inaccurate information
Requesting deletion of information, subject to legal exceptions
Objecting to or restricting specific processing
Withdrawing consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@veteransdesk.org with a clear description of your request. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law.

13. Additional Information for California Residents (CPRA)

If you are a resident of California, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), may grant you additional rights regarding your “personal information.”

13.1 Categories of Personal Information

In the preceding 12 months, we may have collected categories such as:

Identifiers (e.g., name, email address, IP address)
Professional or employment information (e.g., provider/practice details for directories)
Internet or network activity (e.g., analytics logs)
Inferences drawn from usage (e.g., interest in specific content)

We collect these categories for the purposes listed in Section 3.

13.2 “Sale” and “Sharing” of Personal Information

We do not sell personal information for monetary gain.

We currently do not “share” personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as defined by CPRA. If we begin to use advertising technologies in a way that constitutes “sharing,” we will:

Update this Policy, and
Provide a clear “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” mechanism (e.g., a link on our site and/or an email-based opt-out).

13.3 CPRA Rights

Subject to certain exceptions, California residents have the right to:

Know/Access – Request information about the personal information we collect, use, disclose, and (if applicable) sell or share.
Delete – Request the deletion of personal information we hold, subject to any applicable legal exceptions.
Correct – Request corrections to inaccurate personal information.
Opt Out of Sale/Sharing – Direct us not to sell or share personal information, if we engage in such practices.
Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information – If we collect any “sensitive personal information” (as defined by CPRA), limit its use to specific permitted purposes.

We do not use or disclose “sensitive personal information” for purposes that would require a right to limit under CPRA.

To exercise CPRA rights, you may contact us at privacy@veteransdesk.org. We may request information to verify your identity and will respond as required by California law. You may also use an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf, subject to verification.

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights under CPRA.

14. Third-Party Links & Services

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, tools, or services (including provider sites, VA or government sites, sponsors, or social media platforms). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites or services you visit.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other relevant factors.

When we do, we will:

Update the “Effective Date” at the top of this Policy, and
Post the updated version on VeteransDesk.org.

In some cases, we may also provide additional notice (e.g., by email or site banner) if required by law or if the changes are material.

Your continued use of the Services after the changes are posted indicates your acceptance of the revised Policy.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact:

Veterans Desk, Inc.
Email: privacy@veteransdesk.org

Please include “Privacy Request” in the subject line and a description of your question or request.