Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 19, 2026

1. Introduction

Collins Worldwide Co ("we," "us," "our") operates ShepherdOS, a church management platform. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you use our Service. We are committed to protecting the privacy of churches, their members, and especially children.

2. Information We Collect

ShepherdOS collects and stores information that churches and their authorized staff enter into the system, including:

• Contact information: Names, phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses
• Family information: Family relationships, household groupings
• Financial data: Giving records, bank account connections (via Plaid), donation history, budgets
• Attendance records: Service attendance, event registration, group participation
• Children's information: Names, ages, grade levels, allergies, medical notes, authorized pickup persons, check-in/check-out records
• Communication data: SMS messages, prayer requests, notification preferences
• Assessment data: Spiritual gifts assessments, personality profiles, leadership development records
• Photos: Images sent via MMS for OCR processing (checks, connection cards, receipts)

3. How We Use Information

Information is used solely to provide church management services to the subscribing organization. Specifically:

• To manage congregation records and communications
• To process financial transactions and generate giving statements
• To coordinate volunteers, groups, and events
• To provide AI-powered insights and recommendations to church leadership
• To send authorized SMS and email messages on behalf of the church
• To ensure child safety through check-in/check-out and security features

4. Data Ownership

All data entered into ShepherdOS belongs to the subscribing church or organization. We do not claim ownership of your data. We do not sell, rent, or share your data with third parties for marketing purposes. Ever.

5. Data Isolation

ShepherdOS is a multi-tenant platform with strict data isolation. Each church's data is separated using unique identifiers enforced at every database query. Church A cannot see, access, or query Church B's data under any circumstances. This isolation is verified through automated testing.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• All financial data is encrypted at rest
• Bank connection tokens (via Plaid) are encrypted at rest
• All data transmission uses TLS/SSL encryption
• Access to member data is restricted to authorized church staff based on their role
• Safety and security flags include immutable audit trails
• Regular security reviews and updates

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

We take children's privacy seriously. Children's information (names, ages, allergies, medical notes) is collected and stored solely for the purpose of children's ministry check-in and safety. This information is:

• Only accessible to authorized church staff
• Never shared with third parties
• Never used for marketing
• Deletable upon request by the child's parent or guardian
• Protected by the same data isolation and encryption standards as all other data

8. Third-Party Services

ShepherdOS integrates with the following third-party services that may process your data:

• Twilio: SMS and MMS message delivery
• Stripe: Payment processing for donations and event registrations
• Plaid: Bank account and credit card connections for bookkeeping
• Cloudflare: Website hosting, content delivery, and video streaming
• SendGrid: Email delivery
• Anthropic (Claude): AI processing for agent conversations, OCR, and content generation

Each of these providers has their own privacy policies. We select providers that meet industry standards for data security and privacy.

9. SMS and Communication Consent

ShepherdOS sends SMS and MMS messages on behalf of subscribing churches to their members, visitors, and contacts who have opted in to receive messages.

Opt-In Methods: Recipients opt in to receive messages through the following methods: (1) texting a keyword (such as SHEPHERD, VISIT, or a church-specific keyword) to the church's dedicated ShepherdOS phone number; (2) completing a paper or digital connection card that includes their phone number at a church service; (3) registering for a church event and providing their phone number; or (4) being added by an authorized church staff member with the individual's verbal or written consent.

Message Types: Messages include visitor welcome and follow-up, volunteer scheduling reminders, event notifications, prayer request routing, giving receipts, birthday celebrations, service cancellation alerts, small group coordination, and children's check-in notifications.

Message Frequency: Approximately 2 to 8 messages per month, depending on church activity and member preferences.

Opt-Out: Recipients may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message. A confirmation of unsubscription is sent immediately. No further messages will be sent unless the recipient opts in again.

Help: Reply HELP to any message for assistance.

Message and Data Rates: Standard message and data rates from the recipient's mobile carrier may apply. ShepherdOS does not charge recipients for SMS messages.

Phone Number Privacy: Recipient phone numbers are stored securely within the subscribing church's isolated data environment. Phone numbers are never sold, rented, or shared with third parties for marketing or any other purpose. Phone numbers are used exclusively for communication between the church and its members through ShepherdOS.

Supported Carriers: Messages are delivered via all major US carriers including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular, and others.

Contact: Collins Worldwide Co, Baltimore, Maryland. Email: support@shepherdos.com

10. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your data for as long as your subscription is active. Upon cancellation:

• You have 30 days to export all your data
• After 30 days, all data is permanently deleted from our systems
• Backups containing your data are purged within 90 days

Individual member records can be deleted at any time by authorized church staff upon request.

11. Data Export

You may export your complete data set at any time in standard formats (CSV, JSON). Your data is yours — we will never hold it hostage or make export difficult.

12. Safety Information

Safety flags and security information (such as restricted access designations) are internal to each church and are never shared with other churches on the platform. Public sex offender registry checks use publicly available government data only.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or through the Service. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when this policy was last revised.

14. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to certain processing of your data
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format

To exercise these rights, contact your church administrator or reach out to us directly.

15. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at: Collins Worldwide Co, Baltimore, Maryland. Email: privacy@shepherdos.com