Privacy Policy

Higher Things Global Privacy Statement

LAST UPDATED MAY 2020

YOUR PRIVACY

The mission of Higher Things is to support the church in passing on the Faith by teaching the next generation the Gospel of Jesus Christ: that they are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, as revealed in Scripture alone.

To further this mission, Higher Things may collect, process, use, and share your personal information. The purpose of this Privacy Statement is to explain to you how Higher Things might use your personal information and how Higher Things takes seriously its obligation to you to protect your rights and your personal information.

Where we use the terms “Higher Things,” “we,” “us,” and “our,” we refer to Higher Things, a Texas nonprofit corporation, and its subsidiaries and affiliated organizations. “Personal information” generally refers to all data that directly or indirectly relates to you, but “personal information,” “personal data,” or “personally identifiable information” and other terms may apply based upon applicable law and will carry the meaning of those applicable laws.

From time to time, we may update this Privacy Statement, so we encourage you to review this statement periodically, paying special attention to the “LAST UPDATED” date above. In certain circumstances, Higher Things may contact you to specifically notify you of changes to this Privacy Statement.

HIGHER THINGS’S COMMITMENT TO DATA PROTECTION

It is the global policy of Higher Things to exercise a high standard of care in its handling of the personal information it collects, processes, uses, and shares. Higher Things will maintain appropriate policies and processes throughout the global mission to enhance the protection of personal data and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Higher Things is also committed to the periodic review and augmentation of these policies and processes as part of its Global Privacy Program.

LAWS THAT APPLY TO THIS PRIVACY STATEMENT

Higher Things is a global organization which maintains data protection policies and practices consistent with accepted international data privacy principles. These policies supplement national data privacy laws, and any national law takes precedent in the event it conflicts with Higher Things’s policies. In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is in effect as of May 25, 2018. If GDPR and/or other EU privacy laws apply to you, this Privacy Statement describes how you can exercise your rights.

WHAT KINDS OF INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Higher Things collects the following types of personal information:

• Contact information: Includes phone number, physical address, SMS, email address, telephone number, social media profile details
• Demographics: Includes information about who you are, where you live, and what programs and activities in Higher Things may be of interest to you
• Employment information: Includes information required to process your employment application and complete your employee onboarding process, such as employment history, references, criminal conviction records, unique qualifications or vocational preferences
• Financial History: Includes historical information on your donations to Higher Things, services or goods purchased from Higher Things, other financial transactions you have entered into with Higher Things
• Identity Data: Includes name, date of birth, gender, marital status
• Information about Personal Beliefs: Includes religious information
• Payment Information: Includes bank account and routing numbers, credit card/debit card numbers, check number, other pertinent financial details
• Requests and Preferences: Includes your preferences for how Higher Things will communicate with you, customizations you have made to any Higher Things account
• Required Health Data: Includes health information required by Higher Things for you to attend a Higher Things conference or participate in a Higher Things trip or event, including medical history, vaccination records, physician’s reports, and biometrics
• Security Credentials: Includes login and password information
• Travel information: Includes requests related to your travel with Higher Things, passport information, dietary needs or restrictions
• Volunteer Information: Includes information required to process your volunteer application and complete your volunteer onboarding process, including references, criminal convictions records, unique qualifications
• Higher Things information: Includes information on your history and engagement with Higher Things

HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Higher Things uses the personal information you provide to better serve your requests and to connect you further with the mission and ministry activities of Higher Things. However you are involved in a Higher Things event, a media user/subscriber or are donating your time and/or money to our missional objectives, Higher Things will generally use your personal information to achieve its legitimate interests related to our organizational mission. We do not sell, lease or rent your personal information to others. Higher Things will only process your personal information in accordance with an appropriate legal basis and only for the purposes described in this Privacy Statement. The table below provides a list of examples of how we may use your information, the types of information involved, and the legal basis for our use of your information.

How We Use Your Personal Information	The Types of Personal Information Involved	Legal Basis	Examples and Explanations
To contact you with information about the ministry activities that Higher Things offers in your local area	Identity data, Contact information	Legitimate Interests	A Higher Things staff member or volunteer may use your name and phone number or email to invite you to a Higher Things club activity in your local area.
To facilitate your attendance at a Higher Things event and to follow up with you after your attendance	Identity data, Contact information, Required Health Data, Requests and Preferences, Demographics, Payment Information, Travel Information	Contract	We think you will have the best week of your life if you attend a Higher Things camp. We will need certain information from kids and parents in order to facilitate the camp experience.
To facilitate your participation in a Higher Things trip	Identity data, Contact Information, Required Health Data, Requests and Preferences, Demographics, Payment Information, Travel Information	Contract	Higher Things has some amazing short term mission trips, but we need personal information to assist with coordinating travel and communicating important information about the trip.
To assist you in establishing an account on myHT	Identity Data, Contact Information, Requests and Preferences, Demographics, Security Credentials	Contract and Legitimate Interests	Whether you are attending one of our events or are a faithful donor to Higher Things, we want you to be able to easily interact with us. Therefore, we use different network solutions to enhance your experience with Higher Things.
For electronic marketing communication related to Higher Things’s ministry activities or related to opportunities to donate to Higher Things	Identity Data, Contact Information	Consent or Legitimate Interests	We love to let you know about Higher Things opportunities of which you may not already know, but we don’t want to send you communications you don’t want. If you have engaged with us before, we believe we can legally contact you with electronic marketing communications. However, we want you to be in control, so please let us know if you don’t want to receive this kind of information
For physical communication (e.g. post, telephone calls, etc.) related to Higher Things activities	Identity Data, Contact Information	Legitimate Interests	We still use the postal service from time to time to communicate with you about your engagement with Higher Things and to let you know important updates about our work with kids.
For non-marketing electronic communications to keep you informed on Higher Things news and updates	Identity Data, Contact Information	Legitimate Interests	Our staff members often update interested donors and friends with stories and information on what they are doing in their ministries.
To allow you to apply to serve Higher Things as a staff member or a volunteer	Identity Data, Contact Information, Information about your Personal Beliefs, Requests and Preferences, Security Credentials, Demographics, Higher Things Information	Contract	Higher Things carefully vets potential staff and volunteers to ensure their fitness to join in our work with kids.
To facilitate your registration for a Higher Things fundraising activity and follow up with you after the event	Identity Data, Contact Information, Payment Information	Contract	A Higher Things staff member or volunteer may invite you to join in a local golf tournament or banquet to learn more and support the work of Higher Things in your local area.
For contact management	Identity Data, Contact Information, Requests and Preferences, Demographics	Legitimate Interests	We work hard to manage your information within our system in the most efficient way possible so we can quickly respond to your requests related to Higher Things or related to your rights or personal information.
To provide ministry services such as catechesis	Identity Data, Contact Information, Information about your Personal Beliefs	Legitimate Interests	We believe God loves you and God loves kids, and our staff and volunteers want to be present in the lives of kids to hear what they are going through and demonstrate the love of Christ.
To employ you as a Staff Member of Higher Things	Identity Data, Contact Information, Information about your Personal Beliefs, Requests and Preferences, Security Credentials, Demographics, Employment Information	Contract and Legal Obligations	In order to work for Higher Things, you must provide certain personal information to facilitate your employment.
To facilitate your volunteer activity for Higher Things	Identity Data, Contact Information, Information about your Personal Beliefs, Requests and Preferences, Security Credentials, Demographics, Volunteer Information	Contract and Legal Obligations	In order to volunteer for Higher Things, you must provide certain personal information to facilitate your volunteering.
To process your donations	Identity Data, Contact Information, Payment Information	Contract and Legal Obligations	When you give to Higher Things, we will ask you to provide information necessary to complete your donation and create appropriate records.
For legal reporting obligations	Identity Data, Contact Information, Payment Information, Financial History, Employment Information, Volunteer InformationÂ	Legal Obligations	Higher Things is subject to certain government reporting obligations and this reporting may include your personal information but only to the extent that Higher Things is legally obligated to supply this information.
To deliver Higher Things goods and services	Identity Data, Contact Information, Payment Information, Higher Things Information	Contract	You may want to purchase a T-shirt or mug from our online store, or you may want to sign up for a golf tournament.
To solicit feedback from you on Higher Things programs, activities, good and services	Identity Data, Contact Information, Requests and Preferences, Security Credentials, Demographics, Higher Things Information	Legitimate Interests	You may be asked from time to time to provide feedback on an event so that we are constantly getting better.
To respond to your requests	Identity Data, Contact Information, Requests and Preferences, Security Credentials, Demographics	Legal Obligations	We use your personal information to quickly respond to any request you have for Higher Things.
To respond to your complaints	Identity Data, Contact Information, Requests and Preferences, Demographics	Legal Obligations	We use your personal information to quickly respond to any complaint you have against Higher Things and to quickly respond to any concern about your rights and personal information.
To satisfy child safety laws and regulations	Identity Data, Contact Information, Employment Information, Volunteer Information	Legal Obligations	Higher Things performs regular criminal background checks for all leadership and volunteers as part of our commitment to the highest standards of child safety.
To keep interested friends of Higher Things involved in ongoing Higher Things projects	Identity Data, Contact Information, Requests and Preferences, Demographics, Higher Things Information	Legitimate Interests	Higher Things has an entire ministry initiative dedicated to staying in touch with alumni of Higher Things called Higher Things Alumni and Friends. The Alumni and Friends website and program allows you to connect with other people who have been involved in and care about Higher Things. The Alumni and Friends site also provides a prominent option for opting out of further contact or communication.

 

HOW INFORMATION IS COLLECTED

We obtain personal information about you in the following ways:

1. Personal interactions: The ministry of Higher Things is defined by relationships. Our staff members and volunteers interact regularly with kids, parents, teachers, school administrators, coaches, donors, and many other individuals. These personal interactions are a primary avenue by which Higher Things gets information from you.
2. Direct Requests: You may have reached out to Higher Things on your own or visited one of our websites. If you have inquired about a Higher Things activity, engaged in a Higher Things activity, made a donation, registered for an event, subscribed to a service, or have otherwise chosen to give Higher Things Information, we have your personal information. Please read this Privacy Statement carefully to understand your rights and our commitments related to your personal information.
3. Cookies and Other Automated Technologies: If you have visited and/or registered on a Higher Things website, some of your personal information may have been gathered by cookies or other automated technologies utilized on the Higher Things network. Read the section below on Higher Things’s use of cookies for additional information.

HOW AND WHEN WE MIGHT SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

Higher Things does not generally disclose personal information with anyone outside the organization. However, Higher Things is a global organization who may, for the purposes described above, share your personal information with:

1. Other parties within or associated with Higher Things
2. Public or regulatory organizations for obligatory purposes described above
3. Third party service providers Higher Things has contracted to assist in the types of uses described above, including web-based contact management service providers, cloud service providers, companies assisting in the processing of your donations or other financial transactions, and email marketing service providers. Higher Things has entered into contracts with these third party service providers without neglecting the protection of your personal information. 

INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Higher Things is a global organization operating in different parts of the world through branch organizations, subsidiaries, and affiliates. Therefore, Higher Things may transfer your personal information from one country to another. All individuals in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom need to be aware that we may transfer your personal information outside of the European Economic Area or the UK for processing.

Any transfer of personal information from country to country will be done with appropriate safeguards and in compliance with applicable laws. Higher Things and its European subsidiaries and affiliates have established standard contract clauses to govern the transfer of data from the European country to other countries, such as the United States.

YOUR RIGHTS

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you have certain rights related to your personal information. If you wish to exercise any of those rights, please email Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity in order to process your request.

These European rights include:

1. Right of access
   You have the right to know that we are processing your personal information, how we are processing this information, and for what purposes. This Privacy Statement is intended to provide the transparency necessary for you to know this information, but you can certainly make additional inquiries to Higher Things by emailing privacy@higherthings.org.
2. Right to Edit and Update Information
   You have the right to rectify inaccurate information, update your personal information, and supplement incomplete information in the Higher Things networks. Higher Things’s network solutions will often allow you to make these changes on your own by managing your online Higher Things account. Where this feature is not accessible, you can contact Higher Things by emailing privacy@higherthings.org, and we will address your request without undue delay.
3. Right to Delete Personal Information
   You have the right to request us to delete your personal information for the following reasons:

1. If the data is no longer necessary for the purposes it was collected;
2. If you withdraw previously given consent where consent is required to process the information;
3. If you object to Higher Things processing the data in a certain way or for certain purposes and Higher Things does not have legitimate grounds to continue processing the information;
4. If your personal information has been unlawfully processed;
5. If your personal information must be erased to comply with a legal obligation;
6. If the personal information has been collected in relation to the offer of Information Society Services as defined in Article 8(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

We may be required to reject your request to delete your information for the following reasons:

1. For exercising the right of freedom of expression and information;
2. For compliance with a legal obligation;
3. For reasons of public interest as described in Article 17 of GDPR;
4. For the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims;

To make a request to delete information, you can email Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org. We will notify you within 30 days as to whether your request has been accepted or if and for what reason we cannot fulfill your request.

1. Right to Request the Limitation of Processing Personal Information
   You have the right to restrict our processing of your personal information for the following reasons:

1. If you believe your personal information is inaccurate, you can request that we limit our processing of the data until its accuracy is verified;
2. If the processing of your data is unlawful, you may either request erasure as described above or request certain restrictions;
3. If the controller does not need the information for the purposes above but must retain the information for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims;
4. If you have objected to the processing of your personal information and there is a pending determination as to whether our legitimate grounds to process override your rights described here.

As with any request for erasure of your personal information, you also have the right to be notified by us about a restriction in the processing of your personal information.

You can make this request by emailing Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org.

1. Right to Portability

You have the right to request us to send you your personal information in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format so that it can easily be transferred and used by a third party if:

1. You provided us with the information;
2. The processing of your personal information is based on your consent or required for the performance of a contract; or
3. The processing is carried out by automated means.

You can make this request by emailing Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org.

1. Right to Object and Automated Individual Decision-making

You have the right to object to our processing of your data when our legal basis for processing is Higher Things’s legitimate interests based on your particular situation. Upon receiving an objection from you, Higher Things will cease to process your information unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which overrides your rights and freedoms.

Particularly, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal information related to direct electronic marketing.

You also have the right to object to our processing of your information where decisions on processing are made by automated processing which has a legal or other significant impact on you.

You can make this request by emailing Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org.

1. Right to Withdraw Consent

Higher Things is primarily processing your information based on our legitimate interests and other obligations. However, where you have given consent to us to process your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent and we will promptly respond.

You can make this request by emailing Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org.

1. Right to File a Complaint with the Data Protection Authority

We want to provide the best service to you related to these requests and resolve any issue you have with Higher Things related to the processing of your personal information. You, however, always have the right to contact your local data protection authority for assistance or to make a complaint.

While the rights explained above do not apply to those outside of the European Economic Area and the UK, as a matter of rights and freedoms, we still do care about your questions and concerns related to your personal information. If you are not located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you can contact Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org with questions.

SECURITY

To safeguard and secure the information we collect, Higher Things has applied appropriate physical, electronic and managerial procedures to prevent unauthorized access and maintain data accuracy. The Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol is used where available to encrypt and protect all Internet data transmissions. The padlock icon in your browser’s window signifies that a site is secure. Sometimes password protection is used to protect your privacy and security. Higher Things will continue to augment current security procedures and adopt new security protocols as necessary to meet the standard of care we have promised in our policies and in this Privacy Statement.

Higher Things is also committed to a prompt response to any potential data breach and has instituted a Data Breach Protocol Process which includes timely notices as required by applicable law.

INFORMATION COLLECTED BY COOKIES OR TECHNOLOGY

Higher Things websites may use cookies to recognize you and may allow you to automatically log in without re-entering your username and password every time you visit our site. The cookies are encrypted and may store limited personally identifiable information about you, including your name, username, and email address. If cookies are disabled on your browser, you may be able to still use a Higher Things website, but you will be required to enter your password each time you visit.

INFORMATION RELATED TO CHILDREN

In general, Higher Things websites are informational sites for parents and children about Higher Things. It is our intention to provide a safe, fun environment where children and their parents may explore Higher Things, their own Higher Things club and other Higher Things activities. None of Higher Things’s websites knowingly solicit personal information from children under the age of 13, except where personal information must be solicited from children and/or parents to facilitate participation in Higher Things events or activities.

We care about children’s privacy and we take great care to safeguard the personal information of all children. We do not require a child to supply us with any personal information other than is necessary to participate in a specific activity, and we never condition a child’s participation in an activity on the child’s disclosing more personal information than is reasonably necessary to participate in that activity. All personal information we do collect can only be accessed by authorized Higher Things staff and volunteers, and only those people who require access may see this information for the purposes described above. We work diligently to preserve the confidentiality, security and integrity of that information.

As a ministry to children, Higher Things is deeply committed to the safety and welfare of kids. We have policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with applicable privacy laws and employ generally accepted best practices, especially as it relates to parental notice and consent. Parents have the right to request at any time that the information collected about their child be removed from Higher Things’s networks and databases. You can contact Higher Things at privacy@higherthings.org.

CALIFORNIA PRIVACY

California residents who provide personal information in obtaining products or services for personal, family, or household use are entitled to request and obtain from us once a calendar year information about the customer information we shared, if any, with other businesses for their own direct marketing use. If applicable, this information would include the categories of customer information and the names and addresses of those businesses with which we shared customer information for the immediately prior calendar year.

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