Last updated November 6, 2026. Effective date: October 7, 2026.
Fostering Family Ministries ("FFM," "we," "us," or "our") operates the Fostering Family mobile and web application (the "App"). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through the App, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have.
This policy applies to people who use the App, including:
Administrators, directors, coordinators, and staff of foster-care ministries that use the App ("Ministry Users")
Church champions, team members, and volunteers invited to the App ("Volunteer Users")
Foster families whose care team coordinates through the App ("Family Users")
It does not apply to information collected offline or on websites or services not operated by FFM.
2. Information we collect
2.1 Information you provide
Account information: name, email address, phone number, role within the ministry, and the password you choose. Accounts are created by invitation from a Ministry User; we do not accept open public signups.
Profile information: profile photo, mailing address, and other optional details you add to your profile.
Family and placement records: information Ministry Users and Family Users enter about foster families, including the adult family members, the number and ages of children in the home, needs, placement status, and notes. We do not collect names, photos, or other identifying information about children. See Section 7.
Messages and communications: messages, comments, and notes you send through the App.
Files you upload: documents, images, and other files attached to records within the App.
Support communications: the content of emails or messages you send to us when you request support.
2.2 Information collected automatically
Device and technical information: your device's name and type (iPhone or Android), saved with your push notification token; your time zone, if you use quiet hours; and your IP address and browser or device details when staff record certain changes in our security log. Our servers also keep basic request logs for security and troubleshooting. We do not use analytics or advertising tracking.
Push notification tokens: a device identifier issued by Apple Push Notification service (APNs) or Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) so we can deliver notifications you have opted into.
Email delivery metadata: if you receive emails from us (for example, digest emails), our email provider records whether the email was delivered.
2.3 Information from other users
Information about you may be entered into the App by other users of your ministry, for example when a director adds you to a team, assigns you to a church, or records your volunteer hours.
3. How we use information
We use the information above to:
Operate the App and provide the features users request
Authenticate accounts and keep them secure
Deliver push notifications and emails you have opted into
Enable coordination between ministry staff, churches, volunteers, and foster families
Produce ministry reports (such as volunteer hours and ministry capacity) for your ministry's leadership
Diagnose problems, prevent abuse, and improve the App
Comply with legal obligations
We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your information for advertising, and we do not share it with advertisers or data brokers.
4. Who we share information with
4.1 Within your ministry
The App is designed so that users within the same ministry can see information appropriate to their role. For example:
Ministry leadership can see families, teams, volunteers, and reports for their ministry.
Church champions can see families connected to the churches they champion.
Volunteers can see the teams, events, and families they are assigned to.
Role and visibility rules are configured by your ministry's administrators.
4.2 Across ministries
The App can host more than one ministry, each in its own private space on shared infrastructure. Information belonging to one ministry is not visible to users of another ministry, except for a small number of FFM support personnel who may access data to provide technical support.
4.3 Service providers
We use the following third-party providers to run the App. Each processes information on our behalf under a contract that limits their use of the information:
Supabase: database, authentication, and file storage
Apple Push Notification service: iOS push notifications
Railway: application hosting
Resend: transactional email delivery
Expo (Expo Application Services): mobile build and release tooling
4.4 Legal and safety
We may disclose information if we believe in good faith that it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, enforce our terms, protect the rights, property, or safety of users or the public, or respond to an emergency.
4.5 Successors
If FFM is involved in a merger, acquisition, or transfer of its operations, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy.
5. Where information is stored
Information collected through the App is stored on servers located in the United States. If you access the App from outside the United States, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.
6. How long we keep information
Account information: kept while your account is active and for a reasonable period after deactivation to allow account recovery and to meet legal and audit obligations. If you delete your account, your personal details are removed right away and the account can't be recovered. See Delete your account.
Family and placement records: kept according to your ministry's records-retention practices. Ministry administrators control deletion of these records.
Messages, volunteer logs, and event records: kept to support ministry history and reporting; your ministry administrator can remove records at their discretion.
Device logs and push tokens: kept for a limited period and rotated when devices change or sign out.
7. Children's information
The App is intended for use by adults (18+). We do not knowingly allow anyone under 18 to create an account.
The App is not intended to collect identifiable information about children under 18, and no such information should be entered. The only information about children the App is designed to hold is non-identifying, such as how many children are in a home and their ages, so that a care team can plan its support.
Users must not enter a child's name, photograph, date of birth, address, school, case number, or any other detail that could identify a child anywhere in the App, including in notes, messages, and uploaded files. If we or a ministry administrator find identifiable information about a child, it will be removed.
If you believe identifiable information about a child has been entered into the App, contact us at info@fosteringfamilyministries.org and we will delete it.
8. Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request deletion of your account and personal information
Opt out of non-essential email or push notifications
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
You can delete your account at any time in the mobile app under Settings or on the web on your Profile page. See Delete your account for the steps, what is deleted, what is kept, and how to ask us by email if you can't sign in. Most other requests can be handled directly in the App by editing your profile or notification settings, or by asking your ministry's administrator. For requests we need to handle manually, contact info@fosteringfamilyministries.org. We will respond within a reasonable period.
Residents of California, Colorado, Virginia, and other U.S. states with comprehensive privacy laws have specific rights under those laws, including the right to not be discriminated against for exercising them. We honor those rights where they apply.
9. Security
We use industry-standard measures to protect information in the App, including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), encrypted storage with our database and file-storage providers, access controls based on user role, and audit logging. No system is perfectly secure; if we become aware of a breach that affects you, we will notify you consistent with applicable law.
10. Third-party links
The App may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Review their policies before providing information.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If we make a material change, we will notify you in the App or by email before the change takes effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy reflects the most recent revision.
