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Privacy Statement

Updated: August 14, 2025

Effective Date: September 13, 2025

This Privacy Statement ("Privacy Statement") describes how your personal information (also called "personal data") may be used by the American Planning Association ("APA") and others, your choices regarding the collection and use of such information, and the security measures we employ to protect the information. By using our Web and mobile sites or our mobile applications (collectively, the "Sites"), you agree to our practices concerning such information, including our use of cookies and other tracking technologies, as described below, which may be revised from time to time.

The Information We Collect

We collect personal information while offering products and services, when you use our Sites, when conducting surveys, and when you join APA as a member. We also collect personal information from affiliates and other third parties we do business with and from public sources.

We collect certain information from all visitors to our Sites. This information includes cookie and other tracking technology data, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, the types of browsers and operating systems used, and information about navigation patterns including the specific Sites' pages visited. We may also collect geolocation information and computer and mobile device IDs. We also track data such as the total number of visits to our Sites, the number of visitors to each page of our Sites, and the number of users of our mobile applications.

When you join APA as a member, depending on the type of membership, we may collect certain personal information such as: your full name; date of birth; email and physical addresses; telephone number; gender, and/or race. Certain fields may be optional as described on the specific membership registration form or at another point of collection.

We may also collect certain contact, demographic, and personal interest information about our members, event attendees, and other registered users (in-person or online). Such information may include: your full name; telephone number; email and physical addresses; and other required and optional fields. In addition, credit card numbers may be collected by service providers who work on our behalf to process your transactions.

We may also solicit information via surveys from members and non-members. When we offer a survey, we may collect: personal characteristics; educational and professional experiences; attitudes and preferences; and other information associated with the survey. Information we collect through surveys may be anonymous in some cases, while in others it may identify a specific individual. Any survey data that we may publish on our Sites or elsewhere is presented in aggregate, anonymized form.

Children: Our Sites are not directed to, and we do not knowingly collect, use, or disseminate any information from children under age 13. If, however, we become aware that such information has been collected, we will delete such information.

How We Use the Information We Collect

We may use the personal information we collect for various purposes, including:

  • To add you to our list of members and otherwise create your member account;
  • To communicate with you about your membership, subscription, event registration, or other resources or information we believe you may be interested in;
  • To work with our vendors to provide services to our members and nonmembers, such as event attendees.
  • To optimize and otherwise improve our Sites, advertising, content and communications and to respond to the interests and preferences of our members and others;
  • If needed, to process credit cards, with the assistance of a third-party processor, so that you may pay for your membership; purchase products or services; or attend our events;
  • To help you locate and attend our events (e.g., geolocation information and registration information); and
  • To better understand the demographic makeup of our membership and visitors to the Sites and apps.

We may use the information we collect from surveys to: provide you with and enhance our Sites and the services we offer; publish reports, blog posts, and other content; survey members and nonmembers (including in connection with third parties, such as universities); and publish anonymous and aggregated content;

We use cookies and other tracking technologies on the Sites to deliver our online services. We may also use information collected for website hosting, advertising, data analytics, and consent management purposes related to our Sites' visitors, for system maintenance, marketing automation, customer service improvement, and to understand how visitors use our Sites and services and to continue to improve our Sites and services. We utilize third-party analytics tools that use cookies or other tracking technologies to generate information on your use of our Sites (e.g., your IP address, pages viewed, and links clicked). This information may be transmitted to, and stored by, our third-party service providers. We or our contractors may also transfer this information to third parties as required by law, or where such third parties process the information on our or our service provider's behalf.

Meta Pixel: We may also use pixels, including the Meta Pixel. The Meta Pixel collects information about the usage of our Sites and transmits this information to the social networks Facebook and Instagram, which uses this information for advertising and profiling purposes. Among other things, the Meta Pixel allows us to target you with personalized advertisements in the Facebook and Instagram networks. If you want to adjust how ads are shown to you on Facebook and Instagram, go to the Facebook help page here, and the Instagram help page here.

Site Analytics: We may use Google Analytics, HubSpot, and other third-party analytics vendors. These services use cookies to report on user interactions on our and others' websites and apps. We use the information collected to evaluate activity on the Sites and other statistics to improve and inform our content, advertising, navigation, research, programming strategies, Site structure, and generally improving users' experience. For more information about Google Analytics, how it collects and processes information, and instructions on opting out of Google Analytics using a specific plug-in, please visit https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Note that this opt-out is specific to Google activities and does not affect the activities of other ad networks or analytics providers that we may use.

There are several ways to manage cookies. You can control the use of cookies at the browser level, by instructing your browser to accept cookies, disable cookies, or notify you when receiving a new cookie. Please note that if you reject all cookies, you may still use our Sites, but your ability to use some features or areas of our website and app may be limited.

You may remove yourself from the targeted advertising of companies that participate in the Network Advertising Initiative by opting out here, or of companies participating in the Digital Advertising Alliance program by opting out here. Opting out does not mean you will no longer receive online advertising. It does mean that the company or companies from which you opted out will no longer deliver ads tailored to your preferences and usage patterns.

How We Share the Information We Collect

APA member information is available to our members through our Membership Directory for use in networking with their peers. Accounts are created for users when they do business with APA online. Users have the option of adding their "My APA" profile information to these accounts. Users can control how they share information about themselves in their "My APA" account with others by setting their profile to private, member-only, or publicly accessible.

APA may share personal information with:

  • Allied organizations and sponsors. We may share personal information, and anonymized survey information, with organizations with a common or complementary mission; organizations in professions allied with planning; and research and academic institutions.
  • Authorized third-party vendors and service providers. We may share your personal information, including information collected via surveys, with third-party vendors and service-providers that help us with specialized services, including: with vendors that assist us with our events; e-commerce providers; CRM providers; credentialing providers; test vendors; registration providers; billing and payment processing providers; customer service providers; email deployment and marketing automation providers; Site and business analytics providers; marketing and advertising service providers; survey platform providers such as SurveyMonkey; and performance monitoring, hosting, and data processing providers.
  • Our affiliates. We may share your personal information, including member contact lists, with our chapter organizations, divisions, and student representative councils that are subject to this policy.

APA may also share personal information under the following circumstances:

  • To investigate security incidents. We may share your personal information to investigate and respond to a security incident.
  • During business transfers. We may share your personal information in connection with a substantial transaction or restructuring event, such as: the sale of our website or mobile application; or during a merger, consolidation, asset sale, or bankruptcy.
  • For legal purposes. We may disclose personal information to respond to subpoenas, court orders, legal process, law enforcement requests, legal claims or government inquiries, and to protect and defend the rights, interests, property, health, safety, and security of APA, our affiliates, users, or the public. We may also share personal information with regulatory authorities as may be required or requested under applicable law.
  • With your consent or at your direction. We may share personal information for any other purposes disclosed to you at the time we collect the information or pursuant to your consent or direction.

If you access third-party services, such as Facebook, Google, or X (formerly Twitter), through the Sites to login to the Sites or to share information about your experience on the Sites with others, these third-party services may be able to collect information about you, including information about your activity on the Sites, and they may notify your connections on the third-party services about your use of the Sites, in accordance with their own privacy policies.

Third-Party Links: Our Sites may contain links to websites operated by third parties. We do not control these websites or their content, and any information you provide to such third-party sites is governed by the terms of that site's privacy policy. The inclusion of links to third-party sites on our Sites in no way constitutes an endorsement of the content, actions, or policies of the sites of others.

Public Posting Areas

Please note that any information you post to any public posting area on our Sites is available to anyone with Internet access worldwide. If you don't want people to know your email address, for example, don't include it in any message you post publicly. Please be careful when disclosing information in public posting areas. We are not responsible for the use or disclosure by others of the information that you disclose in public posting areas.

Disclaimer Regarding Video Content

The Sites may contain video content, audiovisual content, or content of a like nature (collectively, "Video Content"). In connection with our provision of Video Content, the Sites may utilize cookies (e.g., advertising and analytics cookies) and other online tracking technologies and tools (e.g., pixels such as the Meta Pixel) that track information about your activity and webpage-viewing history on the Sites (collectively, "Tracking Tools"). Tracking Tools on the Sites may result in information about your activity on the Sites being transmitted from your browser to APA and third parties, which, in turn, may result in the display of targeted advertisements on third-party websites and platforms, including advertisements for APA content. In addition, whether Tracking Tools on the Sites results in your browser's transmission of information to third parties depends on a number of factors that may be outside of APA's knowledge or control, including what third-party websites you use, what information you have provided to such third parties, and whether (and the extent to which) you have limited the use of cookies and other tracking technologies by the operators of those third-party websites.

Disclaimer Regarding Chat Feature and Session Replay Technology

Our Sites may also have third-party chat features for support purposes. These features may collect the content of your communications and other personal information you provide while interacting with the chat feature. Please discontinue use of the Sites if you do not consent to the collection of such information by us and third parties.

How We Secure the Information We Collect

The security of your personal information is important to us. We implement reasonable technical and organizational security measures to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once it is received. APA takes steps to ensure that such data remains private and confidential. We restrict access to personal information to APA employees, contractors, and agents who need to know that information in order to operate, develop, or improve our Sites. These individuals may be subject to discipline, including termination and criminal prosecution, if they fail to meet these obligations.

Please understand, however, that no data transmissions over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure due to the inherent risks of data transmission over the Internet. Consequently, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us, and you understand that any information that you transfer to us is done at your own risk. If we learn of a security system breach, we may attempt to notify you, including electronically, so that you can take appropriate protective steps. By using the Sites or providing personal information to us, you agree that we can communicate with you electronically regarding security, privacy, and administrative issues relating to your use of the Sites. If you have any questions about the security of your personal information, you can contact us via the contact information provided below.

Your Choices Regarding the Information We Collect

You have some choices concerning our use of your personal information. For example, if you have requested email communications from us (e.g., newsletters and communications regarding our events) but do not wish to receive further information, you can "opt-out" by clicking on the "unsubscribe" link provided in the relevant communication. You may change your browser cookie settings, and, depending on where you live, you may request that we:

  • Update, correct, or delete your personal information;
  • Provide you with access to your personal information;
  • Withdraw your consent to marketing or other communications; and
  • Change your preferences regarding our sharing of your personal information with third parties.

If you are a member or registered user, you may make changes to your personal information by modifying your "My APA" account. You may also exercise the rights detailed above by emailing us at customerservice@planning.org. APA will respond to all requests and inquiries as required by applicable law.

Surveys

We conduct surveys from time to time and may work with others to publish content based, at least in part, on those surveys, as described in the "Information We Collect" and "How We Share the Information We Collect" sections above. Upon request, we will provide individual survey respondents access to the data that they have provided to APA. Except as required by law, we will not provide to others any individual survey data that respondents have provided to us. We will also not provide aggregate or anonymized survey data, unless we conclude, in our sole discretion, that sharing the data is appropriate.

Data Transfers

APA maintains information in the United States of America, which may not provide the same level of protection as the laws in your jurisdiction. By using the Sites and providing us with personal information, you understand and agree that your information may be transferred to and stored on servers located outside your resident jurisdiction and, to the extent you are a resident of a country other than the United States, that you consent to the transfer of such data to the United States for processing by us in accordance with this Privacy Statement.

Browser "Do Not Track" Signals

The Sites do not respond to web browser "do not track" signals. APA and its service providers engage in information collection and disclosure practices, including tracking browsing history. We offer choices to all consumers, as described in this Privacy Statement regardless of the "do not track" choice made by the consumer.

California Privacy Rights

California residents have the right to annually request and obtain information free of charge about any third parties that received personal information from the company during the preceding calendar year for their own direct marketing purposes by directing a request to the contact information provided below.

Nevada Disclosure

Residents of Nevada have the right to opt out of the sale of certain personal information to third parties. We currently do not sell your personal information as defined by Nevada law.

Privacy Rights for Canada, the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland

We may process "personal data," as that term is defined in the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") and the equivalent UK and Canadian federal and provincial data protection laws. If you are located in Canada, the EEA, U.K., or Switzerland, you may have the following rights:

  • The right to access information about the categories of personal data we have collected about you. You may also request a copy of the personal data we have collected, and upon request, we will provide this information to you in a machine-readable electronic format or transfer it to a third party.
  • The right to correct your personal data if inaccurate.
  • The right to request erasure of your personal data when such data is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, when you withdraw consent and no other legal basis for processing exists, or when you believe that your fundamental rights to data privacy and protection outweigh our legitimate interest in continuing the processing.
  • The right to withdraw your previously given consent for us to process your personal data.
  • The right to restrict our processing of personal data if there is a dispute about the accuracy of the data; if the processing is unlawful; if the processing is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected but is needed by you for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims; or if your request to object to processing is pending evaluation.
  • The right to object to processing of your personal data based on our legitimate interests, for direct marketing, and to object to decisions being made based solely on automated decision making and/or profiling. When you object, we will no longer process the data unless there are compelling legitimate grounds for our processing that override your interests, rights, and freedoms, or for the purpose of asserting, exercising, or defending legal claims.
  • The right to obtain information about, and a copy of, the safeguards we use to transfer personal data across borders.

If you are a member or registered user, you may make changes to your personal information by modifying your "My APA" account. You may also exercise the rights detailed above by emailing us at customerservice@planning.org. APA will respond to all requests and inquiries as required by applicable law.

In processing personal data, we may rely upon the following lawful bases:

  • Consent. We may process personal information with the consent of the individual whose data is being processed and/or in reliance upon the consent of the administrator of the account, who must affirm that s/he has obtained appropriate consent from all participants.
  • Contract. When we enter a contract with you and/or an administrator for your account, we process personal information on the basis of our contract in order to prepare and enter into the contract, as well as to perform and manage our contract. This is necessary for us to provide the Sites to you.
  • Vital interests. In a case where the personal information is required to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person, then this may be used as the lawful basis of the processing. For example, we may need to process personal information in the event of a pandemic.
  • As required by law. We may process personal information as required to comply with legal obligations to which we are subject for the for the purpose of compliance with Canadian, EEA, UK, or Swiss public, governmental, judicial, or other regulatory authorities.
  • For legitimate business purposes. This includes but is not limited to legal compliance and the purposes described above.

Users who are located in Canada, the European Economic Area ("EEA"), the U.K., or Switzerland may also have the right to lodge a complaint about our data collection and processing actions with the relevant supervisory authority in their country of residence. Contact details for data protection authorities are available here:

APA works to resolve inquiries about our data practices and our collection or use of your personal information. Canadian, EEA, U.K., and Swiss residents with inquiries or complaints regarding this Privacy Statement should mail us using the contact information provided below, in "How to Contact Us."

Changes to This Privacy Statement

This Privacy Statement may be amended from time to time. Any such changes will be posted on this page. If we make a significant or material change in the way we use or share your personal information, you will be notified via email and/or prominent notice within the Sites at least 30 days prior to the changes taking effect.

How to Contact Us

American Planning Association
200 E. Randolph St., Suite 6900
Chicago, IL 60601
+1-312-431-9100
customerservice@planning.org