Last updated: April 10, 2026

1. Who We Are

The Urban Folder is a knowledge-to-action urban planning platform dedicated to connecting ideas, people, and solutions to shape better cities everywhere. Our website address is: https://theurbanfolder.org. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

For privacy-related inquiries, contact us at: info@theurbanfolder.org

2. What Data We Collect and Why

a) Comments and Community Contributions: When visitors leave comments, submit city challenges, or engage through Community Voices, we collect the data shown in the submission form, including your name, email address, and the content of your submission. We also collect your IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection and platform security.

An anonymized string created from your email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to display your profile picture. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available at: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval, your profile picture and name may be visible publicly alongside your contribution.

b) Newsletter and Email Subscriptions: If you subscribe to The Urban Folder newsletter or mailing list, we collect your email address and any preferences you provide. This information is used solely to send you updates, urban insights, and platform news. You may unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send.

c) Donation Information: If you make a donation through our website, your payment is processed by a third-party payment processor. We do not store your full payment card details. We may retain your name, email address, and donation amount for our nonprofit records and to send you acknowledgment receipts.

d) Media Uploads: If you upload images or documents to the website, you should avoid uploading files with embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors to the website may be able to download and extract any location data from publicly available files.

e) Contact Forms: When you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address, and message content to respond to your inquiry. This data is not shared with third parties except as necessary to respond to your request.

3. Cookies

We use cookies to improve your experience on our platform. Here is how we use them:

  • Comment cookies: If you leave a comment, you may opt-in to saving your name, email, and website in cookies for one year for your convenience.
  • Session cookies: When you visit our login page, a temporary cookie is set to check if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
  • Login cookies: When you log in, cookies are set to save your login information and display preferences. Login cookies last two days; display preference cookies last one year. Selecting “Remember Me” extends login persistence to two weeks.
  • Analytics cookies: We may use tools such as Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. These cookies collect anonymized data about page visits, traffic sources, and user behavior to help us improve our content and services.
  • Third-party cookies: Embedded content from partners such as YouTube, Vimeo, or social media platforms may set their own cookies. Please refer to their respective privacy policies.

4. Embedded Content from Other Websites

Articles and pages on The Urban Folder may include embedded content such as videos, maps, infographics, and social media posts. Embedded content from other websites behaves as if you visited those websites directly. These sites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with the content.

5. Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We may share data only in the following circumstances:

  • Service providers: Trusted third-party services that help us operate our platform (e.g., email providers, payment processors, hosting services) under strict data protection agreements.
  • Legal requirements: If required by law or to protect the rights, safety, or property of The Urban Folder, our users, or the public.
  • Password resets: If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
  • Spam detection: Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

6. How Long We Retain Your Data

  • Comments and contributions: Retained indefinitely to recognize and approve follow-up contributions and maintain community continuity.
  • User profiles: If you register on our website, your profile information is stored until you request deletion.
  • Newsletter subscribers: Retained until you unsubscribe or request removal.
  • Donation records: Retained as required by nonprofit accounting and legal obligations.

7. Your Rights Over Your Data

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal obligations)
  • Export a copy of your personal data in a portable format
  • Withdraw consent for communications at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at: info@theurbanfolder.org

8. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Our website uses SSL encryption (HTTPS) to secure data transmitted between your browser and our server.

9. Children’s Privacy

The Urban Folder is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at info@theurbanfolder.org.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify users of significant changes by posting a notice on our website. The date at the top of this policy indicates when it was last updated.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

The Urban Folder Email: info@theurbanfolder.org Website: https://theurbanfolder.org