Last Updated: June 10, 2026
The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (“BCBS,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our community. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, when we may share it, and the steps we take to safeguard it.
This policy applies to information collected through our website, program registration forms, donation forms, newsletter subscriptions, online learning platforms, communications, and other BCBS services.
Information We Collect
BCBS collects personal information only as needed to support our programs, services, communications, donations, operations, and organizational learning. Some information is required to participate in programs or complete transactions; other information, such as demographic information, may be optional.
This may include:
Contact information, such as your name, email address, mailing address, and phone number.
Registration and program information, such as the programs you register for, application materials, attendance records, accessibility or dietary information you choose to provide, and communications related to your participation.
Optional demographic information, such as information you choose to share related to identity, background, accessibility, or participation. BCBS may invite participants or donors to share demographic information to help us understand who we are serving, support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and apply for or report on grants. Providing this information is voluntary, and we generally use this information in aggregate or summary form whenever possible.
Donation information, such as donation amount, giving history, fund designation, mailing address, and information needed to acknowledge your gift and provide tax receipts.
Payment information, such as billing details needed to process registrations or donations. Electronic payments are processed through third-party payment processors. In limited cases, such as some on-campus transactions, a person may provide credit card information in writing. When that occurs, BCBS enters the information into a third-party payment processor and then securely destroys the written credit card information. BCBS does not retain or store full credit card numbers after they are entered into the payment processor.
Communication preferences, such as newsletter subscriptions, email preferences, and unsubscribe requests.
Website and technical information, such as browser type, device information, IP address, pages visited, referring links, and general usage data collected through cookies, analytics tools, or similar technologies.
How We Use Your Information
BCBS uses personal information to:
- Process program registrations, applications, and participation.
- Communicate with you about programs, events, resources, and organizational updates.
- Process, acknowledge, and maintain records of donations.
- Provide tax receipts and donor communications.
- Respond to questions, requests, or accessibility needs.
- Send newsletters and other email communications, with the option to unsubscribe at any time.
- Improve our website, communications, programs, and services.
- Support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including understanding participation patterns and applying for or reporting on grants.
- Support responsible fundraising and donor stewardship, including better understanding philanthropic interests and giving capacity.
- Maintain accurate organizational, financial, and program records.
- Protect the security and integrity of our systems.
- Comply with legal, accounting, tax, and regulatory obligations.
Donations and Donor Privacy
BCBS values the trust of our donors. We do not sell, rent, or exchange donor lists. Donor information is used to process gifts, provide acknowledgments and tax receipts, maintain giving records, communicate about the impact of generosity, and support appropriate stewardship.
BCBS may also use donor information and publicly available information to better understand philanthropic interests and giving capacity, support responsible fundraising, and steward relationships with care.
We may recognize donors publicly only when appropriate and with sensitivity to donor preferences. Donors may request anonymity or update their communication preferences by contacting us.
How We Share Information
BCBS does not sell or rent your personal information.
We may share information only as needed in the following circumstances:
Service providers: We may share information with trusted third-party providers who help us operate our website, process donations and payments, manage registrations, provide online programs, send emails, maintain databases, analyze website usage, support fundraising research, or support other organizational functions. We expect these providers to use information only as needed to provide services to BCBS and to maintain appropriate privacy and security safeguards.
Legal and compliance obligations: We may disclose information when required by law, regulation, legal process, or a valid request from public authorities.
Protection of rights and safety: We may disclose information when necessary to protect the rights, safety, property, or security of BCBS, our community, or others.
Third-Party Platforms
BCBS uses third-party platforms to support registrations, donations, online programs, email communications, video conferencing, forms, analytics, donor records, and other services. These platforms may include Salesforce, FormAssembly, Stripe, PayPal, WordPress, Submittable, Campaign Monitor, Zoom, Canvas, and other service providers as needed.
These platforms may collect or process information according to their own privacy policies and security practices. We seek to work with service providers that maintain appropriate privacy and security safeguards. However, BCBS does not control the privacy practices of external websites or third-party platforms. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use through BCBS.
Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, understand how visitors use the site, and support communications and outreach.
Cookies are small files stored on your device. You can set your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being used. Some parts of the website may not function properly if cookies are disabled.
BCBS may use analytics tools to understand website traffic, page usage, and visitor behavior in aggregate. This helps us improve the website and make our programs and resources easier to find.
Email Communications
If you subscribe to BCBS emails, register for a program, make a donation, or otherwise engage with us, we may send you relevant communications. You may unsubscribe from marketing or newsletter emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in those emails.
We may still send non-marketing communications when necessary, such as registration confirmations, donation receipts, program updates, account-related messages, or responses to direct inquiries.
Data Security
BCBS takes reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include access controls, secure systems, encryption in transit and at rest, staff practices, and the use of reputable third-party service providers.
We work to protect personal information in a manner appropriate to its sensitivity.
Data Retention
BCBS retains program, registration, donor, communication, and organizational records as part of its long-term institutional records, unless deletion is requested and we are able to honor the request. We may retain information indefinitely when needed for program history, donor stewardship, legal compliance, accounting, tax, security, grant reporting, archival, or legitimate organizational purposes.
Payment card information is processed by third-party payment processors. BCBS does not retain or store full credit card numbers after they are entered into the payment processor.
Your Choices and Rights
You may contact BCBS to:
- Request access to personal information we maintain about you.
- Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Request deletion of certain personal information, where appropriate and legally permitted.
- Update your contact information or communication preferences.
- Opt out of marketing or newsletter emails.
- Ask questions about how your information is used.
- Some information may need to be retained for legal, accounting, tax, donation, registration, security, grant reporting, archival, or legitimate organizational purposes.
- To make a request, please contact us at contact@buddhistinquiry.org.
Children
BCBS programs and services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Links to Other Websites
Our website and communications may include links to third-party websites, resources, or platforms. BCBS is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of those websites before providing personal information.
Changes to This Policy
BCBS may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date above. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or BCBS’s data practices, please contact us:
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
149 Lockwood Road
Barre, MA 01005
Email: contact@buddhistinquiry.org
Phone: (978) 355-2347