Privacy policy
Short, because we collect very little.
Last updated: October 28, 2026
Columbia Gadget Works (“CGW”, “we”) operates columbiagadgetworks.org. This page explains what information the site collects and what we do with it.
What this website collects
Very little. The site is a set of static pages. It has no user accounts and sets no cookies of its own. It does load Google’s advertising tag, described below.
Hosting logs. The site is served by Cloudflare, which processes standard request data (IP address, browser, pages requested) to deliver the site and defend against abuse. Cloudflare’s handling of that data is described in its privacy policy. We may use Cloudflare’s aggregate, cookie-free analytics to see how many people visit and which pages are popular. That data does not identify individuals.
Google Ads. We advertise through Google Ad Grants, Google’s free advertising program for nonprofits. Every page loads Google’s ad tag, which lets Google measure how people who reach the site from one of our ads use it. For that, Google may set cookies and receive your IP address, browser details and the pages you visit. We see only totals in our Google Ads account, never who you are. You can turn off ad personalization at myadcenter.google.com, and browser privacy settings or content blockers stop the tag entirely. See Google’s privacy policy.
Contact form. When you send a message through our contact form, we receive your name, email address, and message. It is delivered to a private channel on our volunteer Discord server so that the people who handle inquiries can respond. We use it only to reply to you, and we don’t add you to any mailing list.
Email updates. If you sign up for email updates, we store the address you give us, the date, and the page you signed up from. We use it for one purpose: emailing you about new classes and events, and the occasional update about the organization. We never sell, rent, or share it. The list is held in our own membership system, not with a marketing service, and is readable only by the volunteers who send the updates. To unsubscribe, use the unsubscribe link in any update, reply to it, or use the contact form, and you’ll be removed.
Membership signup. When you join online, we collect your name, email address, and (if you give it) your Discord username, along with whether you want to hear about events and news. You sign the liability waiver and the membership agreement by drawing your signature on screen; we keep the signed copy together with the date and the IP address it was signed from. You also upload a photo of a government-issued ID, which only the membership team can view. All of this is stored in our own membership system, not in Cloudflare and not with a marketing service, and is used only to run your membership. If you start a signup and do not finish it, it is deleted after about a month. To have your information removed, use the contact form.
Email and phone. If you email or call us, we keep the correspondence as long as needed to respond and for our records.
Third-party services embedded on this site
Some pages include content from other services. When you interact with them, those services may collect data under their own policies:
- Givebutter processes donations and membership dues. We receive your name, email, and gift details so we can send a receipt and acknowledge your gift. We never see your full card number. See Givebutter’s privacy policy.
- Google Ads measures visits that come from our ads (see above). See how Google uses information from sites that use its services.
- Google Maps provides the embedded map on the Visit and Contact pages. See Google’s privacy policy.
- Cloudflare Turnstile checks that submissions to the contact form and the email signup aren’t automated. It sets no tracking cookies. See Cloudflare’s privacy policy.
We don’t share or sell personal information to anyone.
Members
Information about members (contact details, waiver, training records, dues status) is kept in our member records system and on the member wiki, and is available only to the officers and volunteers who need it to run the shop. It is kept while you are a member and for 7 years after your membership ends, then deleted. Members can ask to see or correct their information at any time.
Our own bank records
Our bookkeeping system reads Columbia Gadget Works’ own bank and card accounts through Plaid, so our books stay accurate. It does not connect to members’ or donors’ bank accounts, and we never see bank logins. Transactions are kept with our financial records for 7 years, then deleted, and a bank connection is removed as soon as it is no longer needed. How we protect and keep records is set out in our information security and records policy, available on request.
Donor privacy
We do not sell, trade, or share our donors’ names or contact information with anyone. Donor names are published only with the donor’s permission.
Children
Our website is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect information from them.
Changes and contact
We’ll post any changes to this policy here with a new date. Questions: mail@columbiagadgetworks.org or Columbia Gadget Works, 1404 Grand Ave, Columbia, MO 65203.