Privacy Policy

Last updated: 10/05/2026

Startup Garage ("we," "us," or "our") respects the privacy of our donors, partners, students, mentors, speakers, and everyone who visits our website. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

Information you give us
When you make a gift, subscribe to our newsletter, register for an event, join a program, or contact us, we may collect your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and details about your gift or your interest in our work.

Payment information
Donations are processed by secure third-party payment processors. We do not collect or store full credit or debit card numbers on our own systems.

Information collected automatically
When you visit our website we may collect device and usage information such as IP address, browser type, pages viewed, and the site you arrived from. We use cookies and similar technologies for this. Most browsers let you refuse cookies, though some parts of the site may not work as well if you do.

Text messages and SMS
If you provide your mobile number and check the box consenting to text messages, Startup Garage may send you updates on our work, an invitation to a short call with a member of our team, and requests for donations. Consent is optional and is never required in order to donate, to join a program, or to use any part of our website.
Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message, and you can reply HELP for assistance. You may also contact us directly using the details below to be removed.
No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Information sharing with subcontractors for support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other categories of data sharing described in this policy exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information is not shared with any third party.

Donations and solicitation
Startup Garage solicits charitable donations through our website, email, text messages, and paid advertising. Donations support our work equipping college students and early-stage entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses.

How we use your information
1. To process gifts and send receipts and acknowledgements
2. To communicate with you about our work and the impact of your support
3. To follow up personally, by phone, email or text, where you have given consent
4. To improve our website and understand how supporters find us
5. To meet our legal, accounting and reporting obligations

How we share information
We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information. We share information only with service providers who help us operate, such as payment processors, our donor database and CRM provider, email and text messaging providers, and technology partners who work on our behalf and are bound to protect it. We may also disclose information where required by law.

Advertising and analytics
We advertise on Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. We use the Meta Pixel and similar technologies on our website and giving pages to understand how our advertising performs and to reach people who may be interested in our work. These tools may collect information about your visit and share it with Meta in accordance with their terms. You can manage advertising preferences through your Meta account settings and through your browser or device controls.

Students and program participants
If you take part in one of our programs, or apply for business startup funding, we collect the information needed to run the program and administer that funding. We handle this information confidentially and share it only with the mentors, partners and administrators who need it to do that work.

Children
Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us and we will remove it.

Your choices
You can ask us to correct or delete your information, or to stop contacting you, at any time. Every email includes an unsubscribe link, and every text message can be stopped by replying STOP. To make any other request, use the contact details below.

Data security
We take reasonable measures to protect the information we hold. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Links to other sites
Our website may link to other organizations and partners. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, and we encourage you to read their policies.

Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the date at the top of this page.

Contact us
Startup Garage
2 Fulton St W
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Phone: (616)-283-3161
Email: info@startupgarage.org