Privacy Policy

Effective Date: July 20, 2026
Last Updated: July 20, 2026

The National Marine Life Center (“NMLC,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how NMLC collects, uses, retains, and shares information obtained through nmlc.org and related website services.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

NMLC may collect information you voluntarily submit through the website, including:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Mailing address
  • Date of birth or age-related information when relevant to an application or program
  • Volunteer or internship application information
  • Donation, adoption, event, or program information
  • Messages, inquiries, and other information you choose to provide

This information may be collected when you:

  • Contact NMLC
  • Apply to volunteer or participate in an internship
  • Register for a program or event
  • Subscribe to email communications
  • Make a donation or symbolic adoption
  • Complete another website form

Please do not submit Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account credentials, or other highly sensitive information through a general website form unless NMLC specifically requests it through an appropriate process.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use the website, NMLC and its service providers may automatically collect limited technical and usage information, such as:

  • Internet Protocol address
  • Browser and device type
  • Operating system
  • Pages visited
  • Time spent on the website
  • Referring website or source
  • Approximate geographic location
  • Cookie or similar technology identifiers
  • Interactions with website content

NMLC uses this information to operate, protect, understand, and improve the website.

How We Use Information

NMLC may use information collected through the website to:

  • Respond to questions and requests
  • Review volunteer and internship interest
  • Administer programs, events, donations, and symbolic adoptions
  • Provide information you request
  • Send newsletters and other NMLC communications
  • Maintain donor and supporter relationships
  • Improve website content, performance, and accessibility
  • Protect the website from spam, fraud, misuse, and security threats
  • Maintain records and administer NMLC’s operations
  • Comply with legal, accounting, reporting, and regulatory obligations

Information Sharing and Disclosure

NMLC may disclose information to:

  • NMLC employees, administrators, and authorized volunteers who need it to perform their responsibilities
  • Service providers that help operate the website, process donations, manage forms, deliver communications, provide analytics, protect against spam, or support NMLC’s operations
  • Communications and marketing service providers working on NMLC’s behalf to support NMLC’s own outreach
  • Event, registration, merchandise, and fulfillment providers
  • Government agencies, law enforcement, courts, or other parties when disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary to respond to legal process
  • Appropriate parties when reasonably necessary to protect NMLC, its visitors, its personnel, its animals, or others from fraud, misuse, safety threats, or unlawful activity
  • A successor organization in connection with a merger, reorganization, transfer of operations, or similar organizational change

NMLC does not sell or rent personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes. Service providers and marketing providers may use information only to provide services to NMLC and as permitted by their agreements and applicable law.

Donations and Payment Processing

Online donations are submitted through NMLC’s LGL Forms donation form, a service provided by Little Green Light.

When you make a donation, information such as your name, contact information, donation amount, campaign selection, payment status, and any message or dedication you provide may be submitted to Little Green Light and the applicable payment processor. NMLC receives information needed to process and acknowledge your contribution, maintain donor records, communicate with you, and meet its legal and accounting obligations.

Payment-card and bank-account information is processed by the applicable payment provider and is not collected or stored directly on the NMLC website.

Your use of the donation form is also subject to Little Green Light’s Privacy Policy and applicable terms.

Symbolic Adoptions and Online Store

Symbolic adoptions and online merchandise purchases are handled through an external ItemOrder storefront powered by OrderMyGear.

When you visit the storefront or make a purchase, your information is submitted directly to the storefront and its service providers. This may include your name, contact information, shipping address, order details, and payment information.

NMLC may receive purchaser, recipient, shipping, order, and transaction information needed to fulfill an adoption or merchandise order, provide customer support, maintain records, and administer its operations. Payment-card information is handled by the storefront and its payment providers and is not collected or stored directly on the NMLC website.

Use of the storefront is subject to its displayed terms and OrderMyGear’s Privacy Policy.

Email Communications

NMLC uses Constant Contact to manage email subscriptions and distribute newsletters and other communications. When you subscribe, your contact information and information about your interaction with those communications may be processed through Constant Contact.

You may unsubscribe from promotional email communications at any time using the unsubscribe link included in each email. NMLC may still send non-promotional communications when necessary to respond to a request or administer a transaction, application, donation, registration, or existing relationship.

Constant Contact’s handling of information is described in its Privacy Center.

Website Forms

NMLC uses Gravity Forms to manage general website forms. Information submitted through these forms may be stored on systems used by NMLC and delivered to authorized NMLC personnel.

Form information is used for the purpose identified on the form and for the related operational purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Event Registration

Online event registration is handled through RunSignup. When you register through RunSignup, information is submitted directly to that service. NMLC may receive participant, contact, registration, payment-status, and event-related information needed to administer the event.

RunSignup may collect additional information under its own privacy practices and terms. Review RunSignup’s Privacy Policy before registering.

Registrations involving a child under 13 should be completed by the child’s parent or legal guardian.

Cookies, Analytics, and Consent Choices

NMLC uses cookies and similar technologies to operate, protect, and understand the website. These may include:

  • Strictly necessary cookies, which support essential website functions, security, forms, and saved privacy choices
  • Preference cookies, which remember choices you make
  • Analytics cookies, which help NMLC understand website traffic, visitor interactions, and content performance
  • Third-party cookies, which may be used when external services or embedded content are connected to the website

Cookie Consent Management

NMLC uses the Complianz Privacy Suite for WordPress to manage cookie preferences and maintain records of visitors’ consent choices.

When you visit the website, the cookie banner allows you to accept, reject, or manage categories of non-essential cookies. Strictly necessary cookies may be used without consent because they are required for the website and privacy controls to function.

You may change or withdraw your choices at any time using the “Manage Consent” or “Cookie Preferences” link available on the website. You may also delete or block cookies through your browser settings, although doing so may prevent some website features from functioning properly.

Complianz may store your consent preferences and related technical information, including an anonymized version of your Internet Protocol address, to maintain a record of your choices. For more information, review Complianz’s Privacy Statement.

A current list of the cookies and services identified on the website is available in NMLC’s Cookie Policy.

Google Analytics

NMLC uses Google Analytics 4 to understand general website usage and improve website content and performance. Depending on your location and consent choices, Google Analytics may collect information about your device, browser, website activity, referral source, approximate location, and interactions with website content.

Google Analytics cookies and related scripts are controlled through NMLC’s consent-management settings where required or selected.

You can learn more through Google’s Privacy Policy and can use the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

Browser Privacy Signals

NMLC’s consent-management system is configured to recognize supported Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control signals. When an applicable signal is detected, the website treats it as a request to restrict non-essential cookies and tracking technologies.

Browser signals may not control information collected after you intentionally leave the NMLC website and visit an external service.

Spam Protection

NMLC uses Google reCAPTCHA to help protect website forms from spam, fraud, and abuse. reCAPTCHA may collect device, browser, and interaction information to determine whether a submission is being made by a person or an automated system.

Use of reCAPTCHA is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

External Links and Embedded Content

The website may contain links to other websites or content provided by third parties. NMLC may also add embedded content, such as videos, in the future.

Embedded content may behave as though you visited the third party’s website directly. The provider may collect information, use cookies, or monitor your interaction according to its own privacy practices.

NMLC does not control and is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of third-party websites and services. You should review the applicable third party’s privacy policy before providing information.

Children’s Privacy

NMLC provides educational information and programs that may interest children and families. However, website forms are not intended to collect personal information directly from children under 13.

If you are under 13, do not submit your name, contact information, date of birth, photographs, messages, or other personal information through the website. A parent or legal guardian should submit registrations, inquiries, and other information on your behalf.

NMLC does not knowingly collect personal information online directly from children under 13. If NMLC learns that a child under 13 submitted personal information without the involvement of a parent or legal guardian, NMLC will take reasonable steps to review and delete the information unless retaining it is required by law.

A parent or guardian who believes a child has submitted personal information should contact NMLC at nmlc@nmlc.org.

Data Security

NMLC uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

No website, transmission method, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, NMLC cannot guarantee the absolute security of information submitted or stored electronically.

Data Retention

NMLC retains personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including operational, donor-service, communication, safety, accounting, tax, legal, and recordkeeping purposes.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information, why it was collected, legal requirements, and NMLC’s operational needs. Information may be deleted, anonymized, or securely disposed of when it is no longer reasonably needed.

Your Choices and Requests

You may choose not to provide information through website forms, although this may prevent NMLC from responding to a request or providing a particular service.

You may contact NMLC to request:

  • Access to personal information NMLC maintains about you
  • Correction of inaccurate personal information
  • Deletion of personal information
  • Removal from email or other outreach lists

NMLC will review and respond to reasonable requests, subject to identity verification and applicable legal, security, accounting, recordkeeping, and operational requirements. Certain information may need to be retained even after a deletion request.

To make a privacy request, email nmlc@nmlc.org with the subject line “Privacy Request.”

Changes to This Policy

NMLC may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in its practices, technology, service providers, or legal obligations.

When the policy changes, NMLC will revise the “Last Updated” date above. Material changes may also be communicated through the website or by another appropriate method when required.

The revised policy becomes effective on the effective date stated at the top of the policy.

Contact NMLC

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or NMLC’s handling of personal information may be directed to:

National Marine Life Center
120 Main Street
P.O. Box 269
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-0269

Phone: 508-743-9888
Email: nmlc@nmlc.org