Terms of Use | Graditude

Graditude Terms of Use

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) detail the rights, obligations and expectations of the users, stakeholders, parnters, and officers of Graditude,Inc. By using the services provided by Graditude, Inc. or otherwise partnering with Graditude, Inc., you agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. Mentorship Terms and Conditions

Mentorship Program Commitments

Participants commit to Graditude’s Ethical Guidelines, Mentorship Guidelines and Feedback Guidelines below by joining the Graditude Mentorship Program. Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to remove any participant from the Graditude Mentorship Program in the event of serious violation of the Ethical Guidelines, Mentorship Guidelines, Feedback Guidelines or Duration Guidelines.

Ethical Guidelines

Participants agree to interact in an ethical and mutually respectful manner according to all relevant laws and norms of behavior. Participants agree to respect each other’s privacy and confidentiality by not sharing any sensitive information. Participants agree not to act in a denigrating, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate fashion towards other participants.

Mentorship Guidelines

See Mentorship Guidelines – Students and Mentorship Guidelines – Alumni for updated mentorship guidelines for program participants.

Feedback Guidelines

Participants agree to participate in feedback interviews as requested by officers of Graditude, Inc. as a condition of their participation in the Graditude Mentorship Program. Participants additionally agree to complete Participant Surveys in a timely fashion.

Violation of the Feedback Guidelines alone is insufficient grounds for removal from the Graditude Mentorship Program.

Duration Guidelines

Enrolled participants are expected to participate in the Graditude Mentorship Program for at least three months. If a participant wishes to leave the Graditude Mentorship Program for any reason, they must first contact an officer of Graditude, Inc. so a solution or withdrawal from the program that is amenable to all parties concerned can be arranged.

Waiver of Legal Recourse

The following terms and conditions of the Graditude Mentorship Program constitute a good faith agreement between those who enroll in the Graditude Mentorship Program (“Participants”) and Graditude, Inc. Participants do not accept any civil or criminal liability or obligation to Graditude, Inc. that can be litigated in any legal context. Any and all commitments or obligations below are personal, social or moral commitments that cannot and will not be enforced by Graditude, Inc. through legal recourse.

Waiver of Legal Liability

Participants waive any right to litigate civil or criminal claims against Graditude, Inc. or its officers that could arise from participation in the Graditude Mentorship Program. Graditude, Inc. does not accept any liability, civil or criminal, from organizing the Graditude Mentorship Program. Participants waive any liability carried by Graditude, Inc. or its officers as organizers of the Graditude Mentorship Program.

2. Financial Aid Terms and Conditions

Definition of Graditude Financial Aid Program

The Graditude Financial Aid Program consists of all activities initiated or facilitated by Graditude, Inc. with regard to the solicitation, collection, management, and disbursement of donations from college alumni to students with verified unmet financial need.

As of writing, the Graditude Financial Aid Program includes:

The Graditude Financial Aid Fund, a PayPal money pool for collecting donations to the program and disbursing donations to intended recipients.
A Financial Aid Application on the Graditude website hosted by Wix.
Oversight, management, and administration by the officers of Graditude, Inc.
College alumni who donate to the Graditude Financial Aid Fund (“Donors”)
Approved students with verified, unmet financial need who are eligible to receive financial aid through Graditude (“Participants”)

Donating to the Financial Aid Fund

All donations to the Graditude Financial Aid Program must be made through donations channels approved by Graditude. As of writing, these channels include:

The PayPal money pool for The Graditude Financial Aid Fund.
Check made out to Graditude, Inc.

Use of Donations

Donations made to the Graditude Financial Aid Program are not income or earnings for Graditude, Inc. All donations to the Graditude Financial Aid Fund must be used, and only donations to the Graditude Financial Aid Fund may be used, to offer financial aid to the students enrolled in the Graditude Financial Aid Program.

Any payment processing fees from Graditude’s efforts to collect donations or disburse aid will be paid for using donations to the Graditude Financial Aid Program.

Eligibility for Graditude Financial Aid Program

Approved students with verified, unmet financial need may participate in the Graditude Financial Aid Program and receive financial aid from the Graditude Financial Aid Fund. Graditude will evaluate all Financial Aid Applications submitted through the Graditude website according to objective criteria set out in the Standards for Determining Financial Need.

Graditude additionally reserves the right to restrict enrollment in the Graditude Financial Aid Program to a maximum number of students from a specific set of universities for the purposes of:

Maintaining monthly disbursements above a minimum monetary level
Ensuring a balance in university representation amongst participating students and alumni

All applications will be kept confidential pursuant to the Graditude Privacy Policy.

Disbursement of Financial Aid

All funds donated to the Graditude Financial Aid Fund will be disbursed to approved participants in the Graditude Financial Aid Program at the end of each calendar month. Participants must provide Graditude with payment information in a timely manner to ensure that Graditude can disburse financial aid on-time to them in a cost-efficient manner.

Graditude strongly recommends that recipients of financial aid use payment processing platforms like Venmo or checking accounts that:

Have payment processing fees lower than 2.9% + $0.30 of the financial aid disbursement
Allow safe, secure, and timely transfers of money

Participants bear the responsibility of providing accurate payment information: participants bear full responsibility for any misallocations of aid due to incorrect or misleading information provided by the participant.

Use of Financial Aid

Every dollar disbursed through the Graditude Financial Aid Program must be used by participants towards approved uses by Graditude that directly answer unmet financial needs. These approved uses can include:

Tuition payments
Student loan payments
School expenses (textbooks, notebooks, backpacks, etc.)
Core living expenses (food, housing, health insurance, etc.)
Childcare
Other uses specifically indicated by Graditude, Inc.

Specifically banned uses of financial aid include but are not limited to:

Purchase of alcohol or narcotics
Purchase of investment instruments (stocks, bonds, real estate, etc.)
Engaging in speculation (lottery tickets, lending, get-rich-quick schemes, etc.)
Purchase of luxury goods (upscale restaurant meals, designer clothes, etc.)
Unnecessary travel or entertainment purchases (day trips, first class tickets, Netflix subscriptions, movie tickets, mini golf games, etc.)
Other uses specifically indicated by Graditude, Inc.

Participants must report how they used their financial aid to Graditude at the end of the calendar month they use their aid. Aid that is used for unapproved purposes must be returned to the Graditude Financial Aid Fund by the end of the next calendar month.

Tax Status of Donations

It is the responsibility of Donors to determine their donations’ eligibility for tax deductions or tax credits using the information below:

Graditude, Inc. is a nonprofit incorporated in the State of Arizona. Graditude connects students with alumni for mentorship and financial aid. Graditude, Inc. does not have 501(c)3 status but hopes to achieve 501(c)3 status in the foreseeable future. Students who receive financial aid may use their aid for the Approved Uses above.

Any claims made by Graditude or its officers regarding the tax eligibility of their donations to the financial aid program should not be treated as official guidance from a tax professional under fiduciary duty. Donors and prospective Donors maintain the responsibility to determine how participation in the Graditude Financial Aid Program affects their tax status.

Termination of the Graditude Financial Aid Program

Termination of the Graditude Financial Aid Program consists of meeting all obligations accepted under the financial aid program and accepting no new donations or applications for aid.

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to terminate the Graditude Financial Aid Program if any of the following conditions are met:

The Graditude Financial Aid Program is deemed economically unviable.
The Graditude Financial Aid Program is deemed contrary to the mission of Graditude, Inc.
The Graditude Financial Aid Program risks violation of the laws of relevant jurisdictions.
Termination of the Graditude Financial Aid Program is recommended by a licensed attorney.
Graditude, Inc. ceases to exist as an operating entity.

Graditude, Inc. may not accept any new donations to the Graditude Financial Aid Fund upon termination of the Graditude Financial Aid Program.

Statement of Legal Recourse

The preceding terms and conditions of the Graditude Financial Aid Program constitute an agreement between Donors, Graditude, Inc. and Participants. As a part of the Graditude Financial Aid Program, Donors do not accept any civil or criminal liability or obligation to Graditude, Inc., Participants, or other third parties that can be litigated in any legal context. As a part of the Graditude Financial Aid Program, Graditude, Inc. and its offers do not accept any civil or criminal liability or obligation to Participants, Donors, or other third parties that can be litigated in any legal context.

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to enforce any and all provisions of these Terms and Conditions pursuant to the laws and regulations of the State of Arizona. Refusal or failure by Graditude, Inc. or its officers to enforce these provisions will not deny or invalidate their contractual validity.

Waiver of Legal Liability

Participants and Donors waive any right to litigate civil or criminal claims against Graditude, Inc. or its officers that could arise from participation in the Graditude Financial Aid Program. Graditude, Inc. does not accept any liability, civil or criminal, from organizing the Graditude Financial Aid Program. Participants and Donors waive any liability carried by Graditude, Inc. or its officers as organizers of the Graditude Mentorship Program.

Amendment of Financial Aid Terms and Conditions

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to amend the Financial Aid Terms and Conditions at any time deemed necessary. Any changes to the Terms and Conditions must be posted promptly on Graditude’s main website.

Any parties identified by Graditude, Inc. with a significant financial, legal, or other interest directly, clearly and materially impacted by a change in the Terms and Conditions will be notified immediately upon any change in the Financial Aid Terms and Conditions.

3. Community Terms and Conditions

Waiver of Legal Recourse

The following terms and conditions of the Graditude Community Platform constitute a good faith agreement between those who join the Graditude Community Platform (“Members”) and Graditude, Inc. Members do not accept any civil or criminal liability or obligation to Graditude, Inc. that can be litigated in any legal context. Any and all commitments or obligations below are personal, social or moral commitments that cannot and will not be enforced by Graditude, Inc. through legal recourse.

Waiver of Legal Liability

Members waive any right to litigate civil or criminal claims against Graditude, Inc. or its officers that could arise from participation in the Graditude Community Platform. Graditude, Inc. does not accept any liability, civil or criminal, from organizing the Graditude Community Platform. Participants waive any liability carried by Graditude, Inc. or its officers as organizers of the Graditude Mentorship Program.

Mentorship Program Commitments

Members commit to Graditude’s Ethical Guidelines and Feedback Guidelines below by joining the Graditude Community Platform. Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to remove any participant from the Graditude Community Platform in the event of serious violation of the Ethical Guidelines or Feedback Guidelines.

Ethical Guidelines

Members agree to interact in an ethical and mutually respectful manner according to all relevant laws and norms of behavior. Members agree to respect each other’s privacy and confidentiality by not sharing any sensitive information. Members agree not to act in a denigrating, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate fashion towards other participants. Members agree not to post anything harmful or malicious on the Graditude Community Platform.

Members furthermore agree not to post anything private, confidential, sensitive or proprietary on the Graditude Community Platform. It is the express legal responsibility of the Members to identify any illicit material they share on the Graditude Community Platform and take it down before any serious harm can be done.

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to take down any post or other content that is found in violation of these guidelines. Refusal or failure to do so by Graditude, Inc. or its officers is not a denial or abdication of that right.

Feedback Guidelines

Participants agree to participate in feedback interviews as requested by officers of Graditude, Inc. as a condition of their membership of the Graditude Community Platform. Members additionally agree to complete Participant Surveys in a timely fashion.

Violation of the Feedback Guidelines alone is insufficient grounds for removal from the Graditude Community Platform.

4. Campus Partners Policy

Waiver of Legal Recourse

The following terms and conditions of the Graditude Campus Partners Policy constitute a good faith agreement between Graditude’s strategic partners (“Campus Partners”) and Graditude, Inc. Campus Partners do not accept any civil or criminal liability or obligation to Graditude, Inc. that can be litigated in any legal context. Any and all commitments or obligations below are personal, social, moral, or business commitments that cannot and will not be enforced by Graditude, Inc. or its officers through legal recourse.

Waiver of Legal Liability

Campus Partners waive any right to litigate civil or criminal claims against Graditude, Inc. or its officers that could arise from partnership with Graditude, Inc. Neither Graditude, Inc. nor its officers accept any liability, civil or criminal, from forming strategic partnerships with Campus Partners. Campus Partners waive any liability carried by Graditude, Inc. or its officers as counterparties in strategic initiatives with Campus

Partners (“Campus Initiatives”).

Definition of Campus Initiatives and Campus Partners

A Campus Initiative is any partnership, project or joint venture with shared backing by Graditude, Inc. and any organization, individual or group of individuals associated with or sponsored by a College or University. Campus Initiatives bring the services provided by Graditude, Inc. to the members, customers, sponsors, or benefiting parties of the Campus Partner.

A Campus Partner is any organization, individual or group of individuals associated with or sponsored by a College or University that engages in a Campus Initiative with Graditude, Inc.

Contributions from Campus Partners

Campus Partners have two primary obligations in any Campus Initiative:

Recruit their membership and contacts to participate in or otherwise support the Campus Initiative.
Report any data or key performance indicators deemed essential by Graditude, Inc. to run the Campus Initiative or otherwise pursue the mission of Graditude, Inc.

Other key contributions from Campus Partners may be specified in conversations between Campus Partners and Graditude, Inc.

Contributions from Graditude, Inc.

Graditude, Inc. promises to contribute the following key resources to any Campus Initiative:

The activities and resources available through Graditude’s main website
The attention, communication and labor of its officers
The network built on the main Graditude, Inc. website

Other key contributions from Graditude, Inc. may be specified in conversations between Campus Partners and Graditude, Inc.

Activities Permitted By Campus Partners

By engaging in a Campus Initiative with Graditude, Inc., Campus Partners agree to permit Graditude, Inc. to engage in the following activities:

Use the Campus Partner’s logos, typeface and/or visual identity on its main website to create specific resources, communities and programming distinct from general resources, communities and programming
Send any and all communications to the contacts, memberships and beneficiary constituencies of Campus Partners regarding their involvement in the Campus Initiative or with Graditude, Inc.
Announce a partnership and endorsement by the Campus Partner of Graditude, Inc.

Legal Status of Campus Initiatives

Unless otherwise specified, Campus Initiatives are good faith agreements between Graditude, Inc. and Campus Partners that are not enforceable in a court of law.

Initiative Guidelines

Any Campus Initiative must respect the standards outlined in the Graditude Privacy Policy.

By engaging in a Campus Initiative, Campus partners agree to share any data and/or information Graditude, Inc. deems necessary for supporting the Campus Initiative or pursuing the mission of Graditude, Inc. so long that such disclosure of data and/or information does not violate the Privacy Policy of the Campus Partner.

5. Privacy Policy

Waiver of Legal Liability

Graditude Blanket Assurance

Graditude, Inc. and its officers are committed to protect user privacy on its platform and to provide every system, service and assurance pursuant to that commitment within the constraints of technical feasibility, legal permissibility and economic viability. Neither Graditude, Inc. nor its officers will permit the private data or information of any Graditude user or users to be revealed, shared, or sold to any individual or third-party for any purpose whatsoever.

The users and members of the services provided by Graditude, Inc. are the ultimate owners of any and all data or information provided through interaction with Graditude, Inc. and its services. Graditude, Inc. pledges to delete any proprietary data or information generated or submitted by any user upon request by said user in a privacy complaint sent via email.

Protection of Individual Identity

As far as technically feasible, Graditude, Inc. commits to protecting the individual identities of all users, members and participants of Graditude’s services from parties not privileged by Graditude, Inc. to said individual identities.

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to grant or revoke authorization to some or all of its officers to access the identifying information of some or all users, members, or participants of Graditude’s services for the express and sole purposes of fulfilling said services promised to said users, members or participants.

Permitted Uses of Non-Identifying Information

Non-Identifying Information includes but is not limited to:

Materials generated and publicly shared by users.
Aggregate numbers, averages, insights, opinions, actions, trends, and impersonal stories of groups of users.

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to use Non-Identifying Information for the following non-exhaustive list of permitted activities:

Promoting Graditude, Inc. and its services to potential or actual users, customers, stakeholders, volunteers, officers, Campus Partners, investors, media organizations and governmental bodies.
Displaying important facts about Graditude’s community on its main website
Forming and promoting the strategic initiatives of Graditude, Inc. between its officers and relevant third parties.

Any concerns about use of Non-Identifying Information should be sent to Graditude, Inc. immediately for redress via the Graditude Chat feature on Graditude’s main website.

Graditude Mentorship Program Confidentiality

Graditude, Inc. will not share identifying information submitted via the Mentorship Signup Form with third parties. Identifying information will be shared with approved mentorship matches as per the rules and procedures of the Graditude Mentorship Program.

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to use Non-Identifying Information generated through the Graditude Mentorship Program pursuant to the approved activities above.

Graditude Community Platform Confidentiality

All members that use the Graditude Community Platform must respect the privacy of all other Graditude members during their use of the Graditude Community Platform. No private information may be shared on the platform and users are expected to keep any private conversations on the platform within the platform.

Users that violate user privacy will be removed from the Graditude Community Platform.

Graditude Financial Aid Program Confidentiality

Graditude, Inc. and its officers may not share private information from the Graditude Financial Aid Program barring significant legal consequences.

Campus Partners Privacy

Graditude, Inc. commits to following and respecting the privacy policies of Campus Partners in any Campus Initiatives unless specifically agreed otherwise. Graditude, Inc. additionally expects participants in Campus Initiatives to respect the privacy policies of Campus Partners.

Barred Violations of User Privacy

Graditude users, members, participants, volunteers, officers, stakeholders, and partners are barred from violating the privacy of Graditude users, members, participants, or partners by sharing private identifying information without permission, sharing Non-Identifying Information alongside identifying information, or otherwise compromising the privacy of other Graditude stakeholders.

Graditude, Inc. and its officers reserve the right to remove any party that violates user privacy from Graditude, Inc. and its services.

6. General

Graditude, Inc. reserves the right to revise these Terms of Use. Any changes will not be retroactive and any changes will be available at https://www.graditudeconnects.org/terms-of-use. Anyone who accesses or uses the services of Graditude, Inc. agrees and is bound to these Terms of Use.

The laws of the State of Arizona will govern these Terms of Use and any dispute that arises with Graditude, Inc. or its officers as a concerned party.

In the event that any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, then that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions of these Terms will remain in full force and effect. Graditude’s failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not concede or invalidate any said right or provision.

These Terms are an agreement between you and Graditude, Inc., 11304 E Dreyfus Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85259 U.S.A.

If you have any questions about the Graditude Terms of Use, please contact an officer of Graditude, Inc.

Effective: July 1st 2020