NC Freedom Fest
A 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization
Effective Date: August 20, 2026
Last Updated: August 20, 2026
NC Freedom Fest Inc. (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to honoring military members, veterans, and first responders. We are firmly committed to safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of our donors, volunteers, festival vendors, and community supporters. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your information across our website, events, and charitable operations.
Information We Collect – To fulfill our mission and operate our annual community events, we collect information across several categories:
- Donor & Contribution Information: Name, billing/mailing address, email address, phone number, and donation history (processed in compliance with IRS guidelines for charitable contributions).
- Volunteer Data: Contact information, availability, and emergency contact details.
- Vendor & Sponsor Credentials: Business names, organizational tax identification (such as EINs), professional social media handles, and certificates of insurance (COIs).
- Financial Transactions: All monetary contributions and vendor fees are processed through secure, PCI-compliant third-party payment processors. We do not retain full credit card numbers on our local servers.
- Technical Data: Standard website analytics, IP addresses, and cookies utilized to improve our web infrastructure and user experience.
Online Donations and Financial Transactions – When you make a financial contribution, sponsorship payment, or registration fee through our website:
- Secure Processing: Online donations are handled via trusted, PCI-DSS-compliant third-party payment gateways. Your sensitive payment details (such as credit or debit card numbers) are encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and are never stored on our internal systems.
- Tax Documentation: Contributions made to NC Freedom Fest Inc. are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. We use your contact and donation details to issue official tax receipts in compliance with IRS regulations for 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.
- Designated Funds & Tributes: If you make a donation in honor or memory of a specific military service member or first responder, that designation is kept strictly confidential unless explicit permission is granted to publish the tribute.
How We Use Your Information – As a tax-exempt organization, we use your personal and financial data strictly for legitimate operational and charitable purposes:
- Tax Compliance & Receipts: Issuing official donation receipts for tax deduction purposes.
- Event Management: Coordinating festival logistics, volunteer schedules, and vendor placement.
- Mission Communication: Sending organizational updates, annual impact reports, and information regarding future festival events (with an option to opt out at any time).
- Public Recognition: Publishing sponsor names, donor tiers, or tribute dedications in festival programs or on our website, strictly with your prior consent.
Photography, Media, and Public Likeness – NC Freedom Fest is a public, community-focused charitable event. By attending or participating:
- Media Capture: You acknowledge that you may be photographed or recorded by our official media teams or press partners.
- Promotional Use: We reserve the right to use these images and recordings across our website, social media, and annual reports to highlight community support for our mission.
Volunteer Liability and Privacy – When individuals register to support our operations as volunteers:
- Confidentiality of Emergency Data: Emergency contact details are stored securely and accessed exclusively in the event of an urgent medical or safety situation on festival grounds.
- Liability Waiver: Volunteers acknowledge that festival operations may involve physical activity or crowded environments. By participating, volunteers agree to release NC Freedom Fest Inc., its board of directors, and municipal partners (such as the City of Goldsboro) from liability for accidental injury sustained during volunteer service, barring cases of gross negligence.
Vendor, Artisan, and Sponsor Terms – For commercial entities, food trucks, and craft vendors partnering with our non-profit:
- Public Directory Inclusion: Approved vendors consent to the publication of their business name, website, and general booth location within festival maps, apps, and promotional directories.
- Regulatory and Tax Compliance: Financial records and licensing documents are handled securely. NC Freedom Fest Inc. discloses vendor sales documentation to state or local tax authorities (such as the North Carolina Department of Revenue) only when legally mandated.
- Compliance Archiving: Certificates of insurance are maintained strictly for risk management and event compliance tracking.
Data Sharing, Disclosure, and Donor Privacy – We do not sell, rent, trade, or share our donor or supporter lists with third-party commercial entities or political campaigns.
- Service Providers: We may share data with trusted third-party vendors (such as email distribution platforms or donation processors) bound by strict confidentiality agreements, solely to support our organizational operations.
- Legal Obligations: We may disclose information if required by a court order, subpoena, or applicable state and federal law.
- State Statutory Protections: In alignment with the North Carolina Personal Privacy Protection Act, we protect donor and member lists from public agency disclosure except where explicitly required by law.
Data Security and Individual Rights
- Security Measures: We employ administrative, physical, and technical security controls to safeguard your personal data against unauthorized access or loss.
- Opt-Out & Preferences: You may adjust your communication preferences or opt out of non-essential emails at any time using the “Unsubscribe” link provided in our messages.
- Data Access: You may contact us to review, correct, or request the deletion of personal data we hold on file, subject to statutory retention requirements for non-profit financial records.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may periodically update this policy to reflect changes in organizational practices or legal standards. Revisions will be posted directly to our website alongside a revised “Last Updated” date.
Contact Information
For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please contact our administrative team:
NC Freedom Fest
Goldsboro, NC
Email: info@ncfreedomfest.org
Website: ncfreedomfest.org
