Privacy policy

Here we explain how we process personal data about people. We aim to be transparent about the personal data we hold and how we use it.

Why We Need Your Information

Point North is charity and grant making organisation.

This means we fundraise, and then use the money raised to give grants to local communities in County Durham, Darlington, Tees Valley, and the wider North East.

The purpose of our grant making is to fight poverty and enrich lives.

We use personal data to fulfil this mission.

The data we collect

We collect data from:

• Donors and potential donors (people and businesses)
• Grant applicants (people and organisations)
• Trustees, volunteers, newsletter recipients, partners, and general enquirers

How we gather data

Most of our information is provided directly by you or with your consent.

We may also receive data from third parties, such as online giving platforms or public sources like news articles and social media.

What we do with your data

We use personal data to:

• Process grant applications and donations
• Provide personalised services on our website
• Communicate about our work and events
• Conduct research to improve our services
• Prevent fraud and misuse of our website

Supporters and Volunteers

We use personal data to:

• Build support through fundraising and marketing
• Administer donations and membership schemes
• Promote our goals and activities

We may also use data to update contact details, plan fundraising, and conduct due diligence.

Information we collect

We may collect:

• Contact details (name, address, email, phone number)
• Family or friends’ information
• Occupation, interests, and professional networks
• Financial information and donation records
• Volunteering records and event attendance
• Information to manage funds you support or establish

We don’t routinely collect sensitive personal data unless required by funders or necessary for our work.

Protecting your data

We secure your data appropriately to prevent unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. Only those with a business, legal, or regulatory need have access to your data.

Sharing your data

We share data with:

• HMRC for Gift Aid purposes
• Grant panel members, donors, and external assessors
• Event hosts and volunteers
• Service providers (e.g. mailing houses) under contract
• Professional advisers when needed

We never share data with any third parties for marketing or promotional purposes.

Transfers outside the UK

Some suppliers operate outside the UK/EEA. We ensure these suppliers provide adequate protection for your data according to UK law.

Our responsibilities

We keep data for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to satisfy audit, regulatory and legal requirements.

The exact period depends on the reason we hold your data and the type of data we hold. For example, where we hold personal data: 

• To comply with a legal or reulatory obligation: we will keep that information for at least as long as is required to comply with that obligation. 
• To deal with a complaint that you have raised: we will keep the information for a period of seven years following the resolution of the complaint. 
• To improve our services: we will keep your personal information for at least as long as necessary to design, implement, and monitor any such improvements. 

We may extend the period for which we keep your personal information in the event that legal proceedings are brought in relation to or involving you. In those circumstances, we may need to retain some relevant personal information for as long as necessary for such litigation. 

Relationships between donors, grantees, and Point North are often long-term, and so we expect to keep your data for as long as that relationship exists until we no longer need it or you have withdrawn your consent, and as long as we have no legal obligation to continue to hold it.

Automated decision making

You will not be subject to significant decisions based solely on automated processes.

Contact us

For questions or concerns, email us at info@pointnorth.org.uk.