Privacy Policy

How we collect, use and protect your personal data

Last updated: March 2026

The Nature of Learning Foundation ("we", "us", "our") is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission (Charity No. 1201558). We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Who We Are

The Nature of Learning Foundation is the data controller for the personal data we process. Our registered address is 15 Redgates Lane, Sewards End, Saffron Walden, CB10 2LW.

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at chair@natureoflearningfoundation.org.uk.

What Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following personal data:

Grant Applicants and Partners

  • Name, contact details and role within your organisation
  • Organisation details (name, address, FSA status, insurance details)
  • Information about beneficiaries (anonymised where possible)
  • Safeguarding and DBS check information
  • Financial information related to grant applications and payments
  • Impact reports and project delivery information

Donors

  • Name and contact details
  • Gift Aid declarations (including confirmation of taxpayer status)
  • Donation amounts and payment details

Website Visitors

  • We do not use cookies for tracking or analytics on this website
  • Our web server may collect standard technical information (IP address, browser type, pages visited) in server logs for security and performance purposes

Trustees and Volunteers

  • Name, contact details, declarations of interest
  • DBS check information and training certificates

How We Use Your Data

We process personal data for the following purposes and under the following lawful bases (UK GDPR Article 6):

  • Grant administration (Article 6(1)(b) - contractual necessity): Processing applications, managing partnerships, making payments, and monitoring impact
  • Charitable purposes (Article 6(1)(a) - consent and Article 6(1)(c) - legal obligation): Maintaining records as required by charity law and HMRC
  • Donor administration (Article 6(1)(a) - consent): Processing donations and Gift Aid claims
  • Safeguarding (Article 6(1)(d) - vital interests and Article 6(1)(e) - public interest): Protecting children and vulnerable adults

How We Store and Protect Your Data

  • Personal data is stored securely and access is restricted to authorised trustees and volunteers who need it for their role
  • We use password-protected systems and encrypted storage where appropriate
  • Paper records are stored securely and destroyed when no longer needed
  • Trustees with data handling responsibilities hold current GDPR training certificates

How Long We Keep Your Data

  • Grant applications (successful): For the duration of the partnership plus 7 years for financial record-keeping
  • Grant applications (unsuccessful): Up to 12 months after the decision
  • Donor records: For as long as needed for Gift Aid claims plus 7 years as required by HMRC
  • Trustee and volunteer records: For the duration of their involvement plus 7 years

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you
  • Rectify any inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Erase your data (where there is no legal requirement to retain it)
  • Restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances
  • Object to processing of your data
  • Data portability - receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
  • Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at chair@natureoflearningfoundation.org.uk.

Sharing Your Data

We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes. We may share data with:

  • HMRC: For Gift Aid claims and regulatory compliance
  • The Charity Commission: As required by charity law
  • Safeguarding authorities: Where we have a legal duty or safeguarding concern
  • Our funders: Anonymised and aggregated data in impact reports (never individual personal data without consent)

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.