Privacy Policy
Effective date: June 22, 2026
Version: Draft v1
Last updated: June 22, 2026
Status: Draft (pending legal review)
Steppe is community-owned, ad-free civic infrastructure for Redmond, Central Oregon, operated by Steppe, a fiscally sponsored nonprofit (fiscal sponsor: Ignite Empowerment Foundation, a Central Oregon 501(c)(3)). This policy explains what we collect, why, and the choices you have. A plain-language summary of these commitments lives at steppe.community/privacy; this document is the formal version.
1. Information We Collect
We collect the minimum needed to run a verified, member-owned community. Nothing is kept "just in case."
| Category | Examples | Why we collect it |
|---|---|---|
| Account basics | Email, username | Sign-in and member-to-member contact |
| Dues & payment | Confirmation of payment | Membership status (card handled by [PAYMENT PROCESSOR], not stored by us) |
| Residency check | Proof of local address | Confirm eligibility, then deleted |
| What you post | Listings, messages, group activity, votes | Provide the service you asked for |
| Minimal logs | Basic technical records | Keep the service running and safe |
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to operate the membership, deliver the local exchange, groups, and governance features, send service email through Resend, and keep the platform secure. We do not use it for advertising, and there is no behavioral profiling.
When you message us through the contact form, your name, email, and message are sent through Resend to our inbox so we can reply. We do not store contact messages in the app; they live in our email inbox.
3. Legal Bases for Processing
Where applicable law requires a legal basis, we rely on the performance of our membership agreement with you, your consent where you have given it, and our legitimate interest in operating a secure, member-governed service.
4. How We Share Information
We never sell or rent your information. We share it only with service providers that help us operate, under contract and only as needed.
| Recipient | Purpose | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| [PAYMENT PROCESSOR] | Process dues | Payment details you enter with them |
| Resend | Send service email and deliver contact-form messages | Your email address; contact-message content in transit |
| Hosting & infrastructure | Run the service | Data needed to operate it |
5. Data Retention
We keep information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, then delete it.
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account basics | While you are a member; deleted on leaving |
| Residency proof | Deleted after verification |
| What you post | Until you delete it |
| Minimal logs | up to 90 days, then purged |
6. Your Rights and Choices
You can see the information we hold about you, export it, correct it, and delete your account. When you leave, we delete our copy. To make a request, contact us at the address in Section 10.
7. Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information. No system is perfectly secure, and we will notify affected members and regulators of a breach as required by law.
8. Children's Privacy
Steppe is for adults. The service is not directed to children, and you must be at least 18 to become a member. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect information from a child under 13 (consistent with the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act). A version for ages 13–17 is planned and will launch only with its own protections and applicable children's-privacy compliance.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy. We will post the revised version here with a new effective date and, for material changes, give members notice in advance.
10. Contact Us
Questions or requests about this policy, or your data, can be sent to hello@steppe.community or by mail to 3566 NW 8th Street, Redmond, OR 97756.