Effective date: July 7, 2026 · Last updated: July 7, 2026

The Henry Vilas Zoo Foundation (“Foundation,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit our website or interact with us. Please read this policy carefully. If you do not agree with its terms, please discontinue use of our site.

1. Information we collect

We may collect information about you in the following ways:

• Information you provide directly. When you sign up for email updates, make a donation, or contact us, you may provide personal information such as your name, email address, mailing address, and payment information. Payment transactions are processed by our third-party payment processor; we do not store full credit card numbers on our servers.
• Information collected automatically. When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and pages visited. This information is used to maintain the security and performance of our site and to understand how visitors interact with our content.
• Cookies and similar technologies. Our site may use cookies — small data files placed on your device — to enhance your experience and gather aggregate analytics data. You may adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, though some features of the site may not function properly as a result.

2. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and acknowledge donations and provide tax receipts
• Send email updates, newsletters, and information about Foundation programs and events, where you have opted in to receive them
• Respond to inquiries and provide customer support
• Maintain and improve our website
• Comply with legal obligations and our internal record-keeping requirements
• Protect against fraudulent or unauthorized transactions
• We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

3. How we share your information

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing donations, or delivering communications — such as email marketing platforms and payment processors. These providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes we specify and to maintain appropriate security measures.

We may also disclose information when required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Foundation, our donors, or others.

4. Data retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Donor records are generally retained in accordance with applicable nonprofit record-keeping standards.

5. Security

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Third-party links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including the Henry Vilas Zoo's official site. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before submitting any personal information.

7. Children's privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us so we can promptly delete it.

8. Your choices

You may opt out of receiving email communications from us at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in any email we send, or by contacting us directly. Please note that you may still receive transactional communications related to a donation or specific request.

If you would like to access, correct, or request deletion of personal information we hold about you, please contact us using the information below.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

10. Contact us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Henry Vilas Zoo Foundation
606 South Randall Avenue
Madison, WI 53715
Email: info@HVZFoundation.org