Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

NEXT Institute for Leadership & Entrepreneurship (“NEXT,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects information you provide directly through our website and program forms. This may include:

• Parent/Guardian information: name, email address, phone number, and ZIP code.
• Student information: name, age, grade, school, interests, and program responses.
• Donor information: name, email, phone, and payment details processed through our secure payment provider.
• Volunteer & mentor information: name, email, phone, occupation, and availability.
• Partner & sponsor information: organization name, contact name, email, and phone.
• Newsletter subscribers: first name, email, and self-identified audience type.

We also automatically collect limited technical data such as browser type, device information, and pages visited through standard analytics tools.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process program enrollments and applications for the NEXT Founding 50 cohort.
• Communicate with parents, students, volunteers, mentors, donors, and partners.
• Send program updates, event reminders, and important notifications.
• Process donations and issue receipts.
• Coordinate mentor matching and volunteer scheduling.
• Improve our programs, website, and services.
• Comply with legal obligations and protect the safety of our participants.

SMS Terms & Conditions (A2P Compliance)

By checking the SMS consent box on any NEXT Institute form and providing your phone number, you expressly agree to receive automated and non-automated SMS text messages from NEXT Institute for Leadership & Entrepreneurship at the telephone number you provided. Message and data rates may apply.

Message Frequency

Message frequency varies depending on your relationship with NEXT. You may receive up to approximately 4–8 messages per month for program participants, and up to approximately 2–4 messages per month for donors, volunteers, and newsletter subscribers.

Message Types

You may receive the following types of messages:

• Program enrollment confirmations and reminders
• Founding 50 cohort updates and session notifications
• Holiday Market event details and logistics
• Donation receipts and acknowledgments
• Volunteer and mentor scheduling updates
• Important program deadlines and announcements

Opt-Out Instructions

You may opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any message you receive from us. Upon opting out, we will send a single confirmation message to confirm you have been unsubscribed. You will receive no further SMS messages from us after opting out.

To receive help or assistance, reply HELP to any message, or email us at info@nextjackson.org.

Carrier Disclaimer

NEXT Institute is not liable for delayed or undelivered messages, nor for any carrier-related fees. Message delivery is subject to your mobile service provider’s terms and conditions. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Consent Is Not a Condition of Purchase

Providing your phone number and consenting to receive SMS messages is not required to enroll in any NEXT program, make a donation, or purchase any product. You may participate in NEXT programs and make donations without consenting to SMS messaging. If you do not wish to receive text messages, simply do not check the SMS consent box on our forms.

Age Requirements

SMS messaging is intended for parents, guardians, and adult volunteers, mentors, donors, and partners. We do not knowingly send SMS messages directly to minors. All student-related SMS communications are sent to the parent or guardian phone number provided during enrollment.

Data Sharing with Carriers

In connection with SMS messaging, we may share your phone number and message content with our messaging service providers and mobile carriers for the purpose of delivering messages and complying with carrier requirements. We do not sell your phone number or SMS data to third parties for marketing purposes.

Email Communications

By providing your email address, you agree to receive email communications from NEXT Institute, including program updates, newsletters, event invitations, and donation receipts. You may unsubscribe from email communications at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link included at the bottom of every email we send, or by emailing info@nextjackson.org.

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share information with:

• Service providers who help us operate our website, forms, SMS, and email communications (under confidentiality agreements).
• Payment processors who handle donation transactions securely.
• Mobile carriers and SMS gateway providers for message delivery.
• Legal authorities when required by law or to protect the rights, property, or safety of NEXT, our participants, or others.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Program participant records are retained for the duration of the program and a reasonable period thereafter for reporting and alumni engagement purposes.

Children's Privacy

NEXT Institute serves youth ages 13–18. We collect student information through parents or legal guardians who provide consent during the enrollment process. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without parental consent. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13 without consent, please contact us at info@nextjackson.org and we will promptly delete it.

Your Privacy Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal obligations.
• Opt out of SMS and email communications at any time.
• Withdraw consent for data processing where applicable.

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

Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on this page and revise the “Last Updated” date at the top. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

SMS Quick Reference

• To opt out: Reply STOP to any message
• For help: Reply HELP to any message
• Email: info@nextjackson.org
• Consent is not required to enroll, donate, or participate
• Standard message & data rates may apply