Terms of Service

1. Overview

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) are an agreement between you and Open Knowledge Impact Foundation (“OKIF,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). They apply when you visit openknowledgeimpact.org or use website features, materials, forms, and communications we provide through it (collectively, the “Services”).

By using the Services, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.

2. Using the website

We invite you to learn about our mission, read and share our public resources, contact us, and participate in opportunities we make available. You agree to use the Services in a lawful, respectful manner.

You must not:

• Use the Services to violate law, infringe rights, harass others, or distribute harmful, deceptive, or unlawful material.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts, systems, data, or nonpublic areas.
• Introduce malware, overload the Services, evade security controls, or interfere with normal operation.
• Misrepresent your identity or affiliation with OKIF or another person or organization.
• Use automated means in a way that materially disrupts the Services or disregards reasonable technical restrictions.
• Collect personal information about others without an appropriate lawful basis.

3. Content, open licenses, and trademarks

Unless a separate notice says otherwise, OKIF owns or is authorized to use the website’s original design, text, graphics, and other materials. These Terms do not transfer ownership of that material to you.

Some photographs, articles, datasets, educational resources, and linked materials are provided by third parties or under open licenses. The applicable credit or license notice controls your reuse of that item. Photo-credit sections identify source and license information for imagery used on this website.

“Open Knowledge Impact Foundation,” “OKIF,” associated logos, and related branding may be protected names or marks. You may not use them in a way that suggests endorsement, sponsorship, or official affiliation without permission.

4. Information and materials you submit

If you send us a message, proposal, application, image, text, or other material, you represent that you have the right to provide it and that doing so does not violate law or another person’s rights.

You retain ownership of material you submit. You give OKIF a nonexclusive permission to receive, store, review, reproduce, and share it only as reasonably necessary to respond to you, administer the relevant activity, protect the Services, or carry out a purpose you requested. A separate program, grant, event, or publication agreement may include additional terms and will control if it conflicts with this section.

Please do not send confidential, sensitive, or legally privileged information unless we have agreed in advance to receive it securely.

5. External services, links, and donations

The Services link to or use independent third parties, including Wikimedia projects, Google Fonts, optional Google Translate, social platforms, and GoFundMe. We do not control those services and are not responsible for their content, availability, security, or practices. Their terms and policies apply when you use them.

Donations initiated from this website are processed by GoFundMe or another identified payment provider. Its payment, fee, privacy, cancellation, and refund terms govern the transaction. A donation does not purchase editorial influence, program control, or any service unless an authorized written agreement expressly states otherwise.

6. Informational content and disclaimers

The Services and their content are provided for general informational and educational purposes. They are not legal, financial, medical, or other professional advice. You are responsible for evaluating information before relying on it.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Services are provided “as is” and “as available.” We do not warrant that every item will be complete, accurate, current, uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that defects will always be corrected.

7. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, OKIF and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for loss of data, revenue, opportunity, goodwill, or profits arising from or related to the Services.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Your rights may vary by jurisdiction.

8. Enforcement, suspension, and disputes

We may restrict or suspend access when we reasonably believe it is necessary to protect the Services, users, communities, third parties, or OKIF; respond to unlawful conduct; or enforce these Terms. You may stop using the Services at any time.

These Terms are governed by the laws applicable to OKIF, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where your local law requires otherwise. Before beginning formal proceedings, you and OKIF agree to make a reasonable good-faith effort to resolve a dispute by contacting the other party. Nothing here prevents either party from seeking urgent protective relief.

If a provision of these Terms is unenforceable, it will be enforced to the maximum extent allowed and the remaining provisions will continue in effect. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver.

9. Changes and contact

We may update these Terms as our Services or legal obligations change. We will post the revised Terms here and update the effective date. Your continued use after revised Terms take effect means you accept them.