Data Retention & Records

We keep information as long as needed to operate the Foundation, comply with law, resolve disputes, and evaluate impact, then delete or de-identify. Specific classes below.

• Donor records: 7 years after last gift (IRS + state charity-registration requirements).
• Grant records: per grantor requirement, minimum 5 years after final report.
• Volunteer records: 7 years after last activity.
• Employment / contractor records: per Illinois wage-and-hour and IRS requirements, typically 4 to 7 years.
• Board records + minutes: permanent.
• Portal chat / notebooks / meeting notes: retained as internal records; may be reviewed under legal hold or audit.
• Ranks community posts: retained until deleted by author or moderation; account closure removes public visibility within 24 hours and full deletion within 30 days except where a legal hold applies.
• AI chat history: per AI Policy; deletable per thread, purged after account closure.

Records subject to litigation hold, subpoena, investigation, or regulatory retention obligation are preserved regardless of the schedule above.