Terms of Service

1. Agreement to these terms

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) are an agreement between you and Knowledge Worlds, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization based in California. They apply to knowledgeworlds.org, SkillUp and any related service that links to these Terms (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using the Services, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Services.

A course, event, donation, volunteer role, employer partnership or other program may have additional written terms. If those terms conflict with these Terms, the program-specific terms control for that program.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services. If you are under the age of legal majority where you live, you may use the Services only with permission and supervision from a parent or legal guardian. Adults who authorize a minor’s use are responsible for that use. Some programs may be limited to adults or may require separate parent, guardian, school or organizational authorization.

3. Educational purpose and no guaranteed outcome

Knowledge Worlds provides educational information, learning activities, mentoring, community connections and related opportunities. Content is for general educational purposes and is not legal, medical, financial, tax, employment or other professional advice.

Unless we expressly say otherwise in writing, participation does not award academic credit, licensure, certification or a guaranteed credential. We do not guarantee admission, completion, employment, promotion, income, volunteer placement, funding, hiring, partnership or any other result. Learners and partners remain responsible for evaluating whether a program meets their needs and any applicable professional or academic requirements.

4. Accounts, scheduling and accurate information

You agree to provide accurate, current information when booking an appointment, submitting an inquiry, registering or participating. If an account is offered, you are responsible for safeguarding your credentials and activity under your account. Notify us promptly at info@knowledgeworlds.org if you suspect unauthorized access.

Please schedule appointments in good faith, cancel or reschedule when necessary and do not submit confidential, regulated or highly sensitive information in a booking field.

5. Acceptable use

You may use the Services only for lawful educational, charitable, professional and community purposes consistent with our mission. You may not:

• Violate law, another person’s rights, these Terms or a program code of conduct.
• Harass, discriminate against, threaten, exploit or endanger another person, including a minor.
• Submit unlawful, deceptive, defamatory, infringing, malicious or harmful material.
• Impersonate another person or misrepresent your affiliation, qualifications or authority.
• Attempt unauthorized access, probe security, introduce malware, overload systems or disrupt the Services.
• Scrape, harvest or collect personal information without authorization, or use the Services to send spam.
• Use learner, volunteer, donor or partner information for unrelated marketing, profiling or recruitment without authorization.
• Copy or commercially exploit our content except as permitted by these Terms or applicable law.

We may investigate suspected misuse and restrict access when reasonably necessary to protect participants, partners, systems or our mission.

6. Respectful participation and safeguarding

Participants, volunteers, mentors, employers and partners must maintain appropriate professional boundaries and follow applicable safety, anti-harassment and safeguarding requirements. Participation does not authorize unsupervised contact with minors. Background checks, training or additional agreements may be required for particular roles.

Report a safety concern to info@knowledgeworlds.org. If someone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.

7. Intellectual property

The Services and their original text, design, graphics, logos, software and educational materials are owned by Knowledge Worlds or its licensors and are protected by law. Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, personal, nonexclusive, nontransferable and revocable license to access and use the Services for their intended educational or charitable purpose.

You may download or print materials only when the Service permits it and only for personal, classroom or internal nonprofit use. You must keep attribution and rights notices intact. No license is granted to use Knowledge Worlds names, logos or marks without written permission.

8. Content you provide

You retain ownership of original content you submit. You grant Knowledge Worlds a nonexclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, reproduce, adapt and display that content only as reasonably needed to operate, improve and promote the relevant Service or program, subject to our Privacy Policy and any program-specific choices. We will seek additional permission before publicly identifying you in a testimonial, learner story or promotional feature when required.

You represent that you have the right to provide your content and that it does not violate law or another person’s rights. Do not upload confidential employer information, personal data about others, copyrighted course materials or sensitive records unless you are authorized and the program specifically requests them.

9. Volunteer and partner contributions

Unless a separate written agreement says otherwise, volunteering does not create employment, agency, partnership or a promise of compensation. Volunteers and partners may not make commitments on behalf of Knowledge Worlds without written authorization. Ownership and permitted reuse of jointly created course materials should be addressed in the applicable contributor or partnership agreement.

10. Donations and payments

Donations support Knowledge Worlds’ charitable mission and are processed through third-party providers. Donation receipts describe the transaction but are not tax advice. Tax deductibility depends on applicable law and individual circumstances. Consult your tax adviser. Unless required by law or stated otherwise at the time of donation, donations are final and nonrefundable. Contact us promptly if you believe a donation was made in error.

11. Third-party services and links

The Services may link to or embed third-party scheduling, CRM, learning, video, payment, social or other services. Those providers control their own services and terms. Knowledge Worlds is not responsible for third-party content, availability or independent practices, though we aim to select providers appropriate for our mission and privacy commitments.

12. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and share personal information. By using the Services, you acknowledge those practices.

13. Service changes and termination

We may modify, suspend or discontinue any part of the Services, including pilot programs, features and content. We may limit or terminate access for a violation of these Terms, risk to others or systems, legal requirements, prolonged inactivity or program closure. Where practical, we will provide notice appropriate to the circumstances.

14. Disclaimers

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Services are provided “as is” and “as available.” Knowledge Worlds disclaims implied warranties, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and noninfringement. We do not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure or suitable for every learner or purpose. Nothing in these Terms excludes a warranty or right that cannot lawfully be excluded.

15. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Knowledge Worlds and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers and agents will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages, or for lost profits, data, opportunities or goodwill, arising from or related to the Services. Our total liability for any claim relating to free Services will not exceed US $100. For a paid transaction, total liability will not exceed the amount you paid directly to Knowledge Worlds for the applicable Service during the 12 months before the event giving rise to the claim.

These limits do not apply where prohibited by law or to liability that cannot legally be limited. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain exclusions, so parts of this section may not apply to you.

16. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold Knowledge Worlds harmless from third-party claims, damages and reasonable costs arising from your unlawful use of the Services, your content or your material violation of these Terms. This obligation does not require you to indemnify Knowledge Worlds for its own negligence or unlawful conduct.

17. Governing law and disputes

California law governs these Terms, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Before filing a claim, you and Knowledge Worlds agree to try in good faith for 30 days to resolve the dispute informally by written notice to info@knowledgeworlds.org. If it is not resolved, claims may be brought in a state or federal court with jurisdiction in California, unless applicable law provides otherwise. Nothing here prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive relief or using an eligible small-claims process.

18. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms as the Services or law changes. We will post the revised Terms and update the date above. Material changes apply prospectively after reasonable notice when required. Continued use after the effective date means you accept the revised Terms.

19. General provisions

If a provision is unenforceable, it will be limited to the minimum extent necessary and the remaining provisions will continue. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. You may not transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our consent. These Terms and applicable program-specific terms are the entire agreement regarding the Services they cover.

20. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to info@knowledgeworlds.org or discussed through our appointment calendar.

These Terms are intended to provide clear operating rules for our current website and programs. Program-specific agreements may add requirements for schools, minors, volunteers, donors, employers or content contributors.