Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 7, 2026

Growing Grounds LLC ('Growing Grounds', 'we', 'us', or 'our') respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information of the families, schools, and organizations we serve. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and share it, and the choices you have. It applies to the Growing Grounds platform, websites, and related services (the 'Services'). By using the Services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. Please also review our Terms of Service.

1. Introduction and Scope

Growing Grounds provides software that helps parent-teacher organizations and other school-affiliated groups (each, an 'Organization') manage events, fundraising, communications, members, and related activities. When an Organization uses the Services, Growing Grounds generally acts as a service provider that processes information on the Organization's behalf. This Policy describes our practices across these uses.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information such as your name, email address, password, and the role you hold within an Organization.
• Profile and member information such as contact details, household relationships, and volunteer interests.
• Student, classroom, and household information that parents, guardians, or authorized school officials choose to enter, such as a student's name, grade, classroom, or family associations.
• Payment information related to donations, ticket purchases, and store orders. Card details are collected and processed directly by our payment processor, Stripe; we do not store full payment card numbers.
• Content you submit, including event details, messages, announcements, and files.
• Usage and device information such as log data, IP address, browser type, and pages viewed, collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.

3. How We Use Information

We use information to provide, operate, secure, and improve the Services; to process payments and donations; to enable Organizations to manage members, events, and communications; to send transactional and service-related messages; to provide customer support; to detect and prevent fraud and abuse; and to comply with legal obligations. We do not sell personal information, and we do not use student or children's information for targeted advertising.

4. Children's and Student Privacy (COPPA and FERPA)

The Services are intended for use by adults who administer and participate in school-affiliated Organizations. We do not knowingly permit children under 13 to create their own accounts.

Information about children and students is entered by parents, guardians, or authorized school officials. Where the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) applies, we collect and use such information only to provide the Services and rely on the parent, guardian, school, or Organization to obtain any required consent. A parent or guardian may review, request deletion of, or refuse further collection of their child's information by contacting their Organization or us at support@growinggrounds.io.

To the extent Growing Grounds handles education records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), we act as a school official with a legitimate educational interest, under the direction and control of the school or Organization, and use those records only to provide the Services. We do not sell student data and do not use it for targeted advertising. Student information is shared only as needed to operate the Services or as directed by the school or Organization.

5. How We Share Information

We share information in the following ways:

• Within your Organization, with administrators and members according to the roles and permissions configured by the Organization.
• With service providers who perform functions on our behalf, such as Stripe for payment processing, hosting providers, and email delivery services, under contracts that require them to protect the information.
• For legal reasons, when required to comply with law, enforce our agreements, or protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and the public.
• In a business transfer, such as a merger or acquisition, subject to this Policy.

We do not sell your personal information.

6. Payment Information

Payments are processed by Stripe. When you make a payment, your card information is transmitted directly to Stripe and handled according to Stripe's privacy policy and security standards. Growing Grounds receives limited transaction information, such as a confirmation, the amount, and the last digits of the card, but does not store full card numbers.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, maintain security, and understand how the Services are used. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though some features may not function properly without them. We do not use cookies to serve targeted advertising to children.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as needed to provide the Services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it. Organizations may request deletion of their data, subject to legal and operational limits.

9. Data Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information, including encryption in transit, access controls, and secure payment processing through Stripe. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to access, correct, update, or delete your personal information, or to object to or restrict certain processing. Parents and guardians may exercise these rights on behalf of their children. You can update much of your information within your account, or contact us at support@growinggrounds.io for assistance. Because Organizations control much of the data in the Services, we may direct certain requests to the relevant Organization.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

The Services may link to or integrate with third-party websites and services, such as Stripe and Google. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. United States Based Service

Growing Grounds is operated in the United States, and information is processed and stored in the United States. If you access the Services from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice through the Services or by other reasonable means and update the Effective Date above. Your continued use of the Services after the changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us at support@growinggrounds.io.