Privacy Policy

Effective date: June 2026. This policy applies to personal information collected through romanianheritageawards.org and the Romanian Heritage Awards application process.

1. Who We Are

The Romanian Heritage Awards (RHA) is a program organized by the Federation of Romanian-American Organizations (FORA). References to “we,” “us,” or “the program” in this policy refer to the organizing team operating the program at romanianheritageawards.org.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

  • Applicant information: name, grade, school name, GPA, project description, and submitted supporting materials.
  • Parent or guardian information: name, email address, and phone number, as required to communicate with families of minor applicants.
  • Verification contact information: name and contact details of a supervising adult who can confirm the applicant’s project.
  • Ceremony information: RSVP and attendance details where applicable.
  • Website usage data: standard server logs and analytics (page views, browser type, approximate location). We do not use tracking cookies for advertising purposes.

3. How We Use Your Information

Information is used solely for the following purposes:

  • Processing and evaluating applications.
  • Communicating with applicants and their families about application status, award notifications, and ceremony details.
  • Mailing diplomas and letters of recommendation.
  • Publishing the names of award recipients on the program website and in press releases. (See Section 5 for opt-out.)
  • Improving the program and website from year to year.

We do not sell, rent, or share personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Minors

Most applicants are under 18 years of age. We require parent or guardian contact information for all applicants who are minors. We do not knowingly collect information from minors without parental awareness. If you believe a minor’s information has been submitted without appropriate parental knowledge, contact us at the address below.

5. Publication of Names

By submitting an application, applicants and their parents or guardians consent to the public recognition of the student’s name, school, and award level on the program website, in press releases, and in program materials. If you wish to be recognized privately or not listed publicly, notify us at the time of award notification.

6. Photography and Media

The awards ceremony is photographed and may be filmed. Images and video from the ceremony may be used in program communications, the website, and social media. By attending the ceremony, attendees consent to being included in such materials. If you do not consent, please notify us in writing before the event and we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request.

7. Use of Submitted Work

Project descriptions and other content submitted as part of an application may be shared internally with the Evaluating Committee. We may quote brief excerpts from applications in program communications (e.g., website profiles, social media) with the applicant’s consent. We will not publish full essays or project descriptions without explicit permission.

8. Data Retention

Application data is retained for a minimum of three years to support program history and verification. After that period, personally identifiable information may be anonymized or deleted. You may request deletion of your information at any time by contacting us, subject to any legal or record-keeping obligations.

9. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorized access. However, no online transmission is entirely secure. We encourage applicants not to include sensitive personal information (such as Social Security numbers) in applications.

10. Your Rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold about you by contacting us through romanianheritageawards.org/contact. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically. Material changes will be noted on this page with an updated effective date.

12. Contact

For privacy-related questions, reach us through the contact form at romanianheritageawards.org/contact.