Privacy Policy
Last Revised August 28th, 2025
Introduction
This policy describes how the National Association of Qualified Financiers (“NAQF”) collects, uses, and shares your information in connection with NAQF’s website and related services offered through that website.
Except as provided in this Privacy Policy, unless NAQF previously agrees in writing, all information provided to NAQF, including information exchanged through electronic communication, is neither privileged nor confidential.
Your information that NAQF may collect online
You can affirmatively submit to NAQF certain user information within your interaction on our site. User information may include a search query such as the name and location of a business or your location information so that you can search near you or in an area you specify. We also may infer your geographic location based on your IP address or other information. User information you submit may also include information pertaining to your marketplace experience with a business, such as your name, postal and e-mail addresses, phone number, and description of the query.
NAQF may also collect information from your business from inquiries about NAQF certification or accreditation. This can include identifying information from individuals acting in their business capacity.
How NAQF uses your information
In general, we will use the information you affirmatively submit to NAQF for the purpose for which it is submitted, such as to reply to your email, respond to your inquiry, facilitate your inquiry, process billing transactions, consider your business for certification or accreditation, and communicate with you when necessary.
We will use your information to ensure that you are over the age of 18, to verify your identity and/or the accuracy of the information provided.
We may also use such information to provide operational notices and to conduct research on industry marketplace practices. We may publish aggregate data, but the aggregate data will not include any user information you provided to us.
We may use information submitted by your business to provide you with information about NAQF certification and other services. This information may be delivered directly, such as emails, or indirectly, such as ads you may see on NAQF or other websites.
We do not sell personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. However, we may share such information with third-party contractors who are required to have this information to provide services on behalf of NAQF. These third-party contractors are obligated to not disclose or use your information for other purposes.
NAQF relies on information collected from our users to develop new services and conduct analysis to enhance current content and services. Information collected from you may be used to review the usage and operations of our site and address any resulting issues with our site.
At certain points where your information is collected on our site, there may be a box where you may indicate you would like to be on a mailing list to receive information about NAQF. This election box only appears in places where the service collecting your information maintains such lists. You can remove your name from a NAQF mailing list by using the appropriate unsubscribe feature contained in the emails.
NAQF may also use the information we collect from you to enhance your online experience and provide you with customized site content and targeted information on the site, across third-party sites, or through your mobile device.
Other ways your information may be shared
NAQF may share your information under the following circumstances:
We respond to requests from governmental agencies or where required by law (such as by subpoena, investigative demand, court order or regulation).
We may share information where our records indicate a company may be engaged in fraudulent activity or other unfair or deceptive practices that we believe should be referred to a governmental agency.
We may share information with appropriate persons or governmental authorities, where your communication suggests possible harm to others.
We may share business information with third parties for such purposes as allowing search engines and others to identify NAQF Accredited Businesses.
Cookies and other persistent identifiers
Many websites use cookies, pixels, beacons, or similar tools (together referred to as “cookies”) to store information on your browser or device. We and third parties we contract with may use cookies on the NAQF website to give users the best content and online experience by remembering your preferences, improving website performance and enhancing user experience, and recommending content we believe will be most relevant to you. Most cookies collect anonymous information such as how users arrive at and use the website. Some cookies are necessary to allow the website to function properly, but you may choose to not allow other types of cookies by setting your cookie preferences.
We use cookies to give users the best content and online experience. By clicking “Accept Cookies” or clicking into any content on this site, you agree to allow us to use all cookies.
Certain cookies are necessary for the site to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you that amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.
Functional cookies enable the site to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.
Performance cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and, therefore, anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies, we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to monitor its performance.
Marketing cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant content on other sites. They do not store personal information directly, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser or device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
“Do Not Track” features
Some browsers have “Do Not Track” features that allow you to tell a website not to collect information about your online activities over time and across third-party websites or other online services. How browsers communicate the Do Not Track signal is not yet uniform. As a result, our site is not yet set up to interpret or respond to Do Not Track signals communicated by your browser.
Some content or applications, including advertisements, on our website are served by third-parties that may include advertisers, ad networks and servers, content providers, and application providers. These third parties may use cookies, either alone or in conjunction with web beacons or other tracking technologies, in order to collect information about you when you use our site. The information they collect may be associated with your personal information or they may collect information, including personal information, about your online activities over time and across different websites and other online services. They may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content.
We do not control these third parties’ tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly.
International transfers
If you are visiting our site from outside the United States, be aware that your information will be transferred to, and maintained on, computers located within the United States. The collection, use, retention and any other processing of your information will be governed by United States law and further by the specific jurisdictions within the United States where that information is stored, unless otherwise specified. NAQF provides its services to businesses and consumers in the United States and does not market to businesses or individuals outside of that area.
Updates
If NAQF changes this policy in the future, we will post the changes here and indicate the date of the changes at the top of the policy.
Questions regarding NAQF’s Privacy Policy
If you have a concern or questions regarding NAQF’s privacy policy, you may contact us at contact@naqf.org.