Welcome to the Shoestring Collective/Shoestring SPACE. Before you can start using this service, you must read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, including any future amendments. Wherever the “Shoestring Collective Platform” is referenced, the term applies to the Shoestring Collective/Shoestring SPACE.

Welcome to Shoestring Collective

Last Updated: 05/25/2019

Shoestring Collective’s products and services are provided by Shoestring Collective, LLC. These terms and conditions of use (“Terms”) govern your use of Shoestring Collective’s websites, and any related products and services (collectively, the “Services”), so please read them carefully. By accessing this website or using the Services, you are agreeing to the Terms, Shoestring Collective’s Privacy Policy and any other policies posted by Shoestring Collective on this website.

I. Using Our Services (General Overview)

You may use our Services only if you can form a binding contract with Shoestring Collective. No use of the Services is permitted by those under the age of majority in their state of residence. In no event is use of the Services permitted by those under the age of 18. If you are using the Services on behalf of any entity, then you are agreeing to the Terms on behalf of that entity.

Our content is reserved for individuals and groups pursuing grassroots and non-profit purposes for positive social change in their community. We reserve the right to terminate access to our website and content for any individual or group who are found to pursue or actively advocate for causes or other individuals deemed hateful, including but not limited to:

racist
homophobic/anti-LGBTQ
sexist
misogynistic
anti-Semitic
Islamophobic
anti-immigrant
xenophobic
ageist
anti-disability

or in short in any other way promoting a cause which is deemed going contrary to anti-discrimination principles and/or therefore violating somebody else’s civil rights (including, but not limited acts and/or statements of hate based on the race, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age or sexual orientation of another person). Such individuals/groups will be barred permanently from the site.

Individuals and groups with the sole purpose of supporting candidates for political office are also not accepted. Exceptions may be made in cases where the individual/group is working towards a cause benefiting society overall, like immigration reform for example. If you believe you or your group have been rejected in error, contact us at [contact_us AT shoestringcollective.com].

We also reserve the right to reject and bar any user at any time who violates our terms and conditions, threatens other Users or infringes on the (copy)rights of others. Decisions are final.

II. User Identity

User verification on the Internet is difficult and we do not assume any responsibility for the confirmation of any User’s identity. Notwithstanding the above, for transparency and fraud prevention purposes, and as permitted by applicable laws, we may, but have no obligation to

ask Users to provide a form of government identification or other information or undertake additional checks designed to help verify the identities or backgrounds of Users,
screen Users against third party databases or other sources and request reports from service providers, and
where we have sufficient information to identify a User, obtain reports from public records of criminal convictions or sex offender registrations or an equivalent version of background or registered sex offender checks in your local jurisdiction (if available).

III. User Registration

As stated under “I. Using Our Services (General Overview)”, you must register an account (“Shoestring Collective Account”) to access and use certain features of the Shoestring Collective Platform as prompted by the Site, such as publishing or reading content. Shoestring Collective determines what content is reserved for registered Users only at our discretion. If you are registering a Shoestring Collective Account for a company or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to legally bind that entity and grant us all permissions and licenses provided in these Terms.

You can register a Shoestring Collective Account using an email address and creating a password. At this point we do not allow registering through your account with certain third-party social networking services, such as Facebook or Google (“SNS Account”).

You must provide accurate, current and complete information during the registration process and keep your Shoestring Collective Account and Shoestring Collective Account profile page information up-to-date at all times. If you are found to have utilized false information, such as hoax names or non-existing email addresses, in order to gain access to our content, you will be immediately terminated as a user and barred from the site.

You may not register more than one (1) Shoestring Collective Account unless Shoestring Collective authorizes you to do so. You may not assign or otherwise transfer your Shoestring Collective Account to another party.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your Shoestring Collective Account credentials and may not disclose your credentials to any third party. You must immediately notify Shoestring Collective if you know or have any reason to suspect that your credentials have been lost, stolen, misappropriated, or otherwise compromised or in case of any actual or suspected unauthorized use of your Shoestring Collective Account. You are liable for any and all activities conducted through your Shoestring Collective Account, unless such activities are not authorized by you and you are not otherwise negligent (such as failing to report the unauthorized use or loss of your credentials).

IV. Intellectual Property

Using our Services does not give you ownership of any intellectual property rights in our Services or the content you access. Except in the context of browsing or accessing our Services in accordance with these Terms, you may not use content from our Services unless you obtain permission from its owner or are otherwise permitted by law. These Terms do not grant you the right to use any branding or logos used in our Services. Do not remove, obscure, or alter any legal notices displayed in or along with our Services.

V. Mobile Application License

Some of our Services may be available on mobile devices and these Terms apply to your use of our Services on such devices. If you are accessing the Services via a mobile application (the “Application”), we grant you a revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited right to install and use the Application on mobile devices owned and controlled by you, and to access and use the Services on those devices. You agree to only use the Application for the purpose for which it was designed and intended, and, unless such restrictions are prohibited by law, not to reverse engineer or decompile the Application, attempt to do so, or assist anyone in doing so. Do not use our Services on any mobile device in a way that distracts you and prevents you from obeying traffic or safety laws.

VI. Website Content

Our Services may display both Shoestring Collective-created content and content that is not created or developed by Shoestring Collective. We may review third party-content to determine whether it is illegal or violates our policies, and we may remove or refuse to display content that we reasonably believe violates our policies or the law. But we do not routinely screen third-party content that is published via our Services. We cannot guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or quality of any such content, or the qualifications of those posting it.

Any content created by other entities such as videos or PDFs are posted with the original creator’s branding and are collected at the Shoestring Collective solely for training and educational purposes in order to present to our Users a more complete overview over stakeholders and providers in the respective field/technical area. If your content has been posted within this framework and you would like to have us remove it, please email us at [contact_us AT shoestringcollective.com].

Shoestring Collective is not paid by the respective providers to display this content, will attribute the content in full where applicable, and is not responsible for its creation. Shoestring Collective is also not paid by Users of the website who access the content directly. The only time Shoestring Collective receives any payments from Users in relation to content or services on the website happens so the website can keep operating at all.

The content uploaded to an individual website or blog on Shoestring SPACE is the responsibility of that individual or entity. Plugins and themes included in the service are the responsibility of the respective plugin or theme author(s).

VII. Payments and Donations

Shoestring Collective is not paid by the respective third-party providers to display content related to their products and/or services on our website; it is provided solely for training and educational purposes. Shoestring Collective is also not paid by Users of the website who access the content directly, even though they may be required to register in order to access it.

The only time the Shoestring Collective receives any payments from Users in relation to content or services on the website happens so the website can keep operating at all. Shoestring Collective may collect payments and donations for merchandise sold on the side through a web store unrelated to the educational content provided. Donations made are also not to be seen as payment in return for products/services/content, but as a contribution to the overall work of Shoestring Collective.

Shoestring SPACE is a paid platform providing web hosting services. The content uploaded to an individual website or blog on Shoestring SPACE is the responsibility of that individual or entity. Plugins and themes included in the service are the responsibility of the respective plugin or theme author(s).

Shoestring Collective utilizes third-party providers to process payments. Any disputes regarding issues with payments or donations need to be resolved with the respective payment provider.

VIII. User Contributions/Content

Shoestring Collective may, at its sole discretion, enable Users to

create, upload, post, send, receive and store content, such as text, photos, audio, video, or other materials and information on or through the Shoestring Collective Platform (“User Content”); and
access and view User Content and any content that Shoestring Collective itself makes available on or through the Shoestring Collective Platform, including proprietary Shoestring Collective content and any content licensed or authorized for use by or through Shoestring Collective from a third party (“Shoestring Collective Content” and together with User Content, “Collective Content”).

Shoestring Collective may include interactive areas in which you may post original content and information (the “User Content”). You retain all rights in, and are solely responsible for, the User Content you post. You are also solely responsible for your use of such interactive features, and use them at your own risk. We reserve the right to remove or modify User Content for any reason, including User Content that we believe violates these Terms or our policies.

When you post User Content to Shoestring Collective , you give Shoestring Collective and its affiliates a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable and fully sub-licensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display such User Content throughout the world in any media. To the extent such content is attached to a profile on the Shoestring Collective platform, the foregoing license includes a right to reproduce your profile, and any name, likeness or photograph contained in such profile. If you submit feedback or suggestions about our Services, we may use your feedback or suggestions without obligation to you.

You acknowledge and agree that the Shoestring Collective Platform and Shoestring Collective Content, including all associated intellectual property rights, are the exclusive property of Shoestring Collective and/or its licensors or authorizing third-parties. You will not remove, alter or obscure any copyright, trademark, service mark or other proprietary rights notices incorporated in or accompanying the Shoestring Collective Platform, Shoestring Collective Content or User Content. All trademarks, service marks, logos, trade names, and any other source identifiers of Shoestring Collective used on or in connection with the Shoestring Collective Platform and Shoestring Collective Content are trademarks or registered trademarks of Shoestring Collective in the United States and abroad. Trademarks, service marks, logos, trade names and any other proprietary designations of third parties used on or in connection with the Shoestring Collective Platform, Shoestring Collective Content, and/or Collective Content are used for identification purposes only and may be the property of their respective owners.

You will not use, copy, adapt, modify, prepare derivative works of, distribute, license, sell, transfer, publicly display, publicly perform, transmit, broadcast or otherwise exploit the Shoestring Collective Platform or Collective Content, except to the extent you are the legal owner of certain User Content or as expressly permitted in these Terms. No licenses or rights are granted to you by implication or otherwise under any intellectual property rights owned or controlled by Shoestring Collective or its licensors, except for the licenses and rights expressly granted in these Terms.

By creating, uploading, posting, sending, receiving, storing, or otherwise making available any User Content on or through the Shoestring Collective Platform, you grant to Shoestring Collective a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual (or for the term of the protection), sub-licensable and transferable license to such User Content to access, use, store, copy, modify, prepare derivative works of, distribute, publish, transmit, stream, broadcast, and otherwise exploit in any manner such User Content to provide and/or promote the Shoestring Collective Platform, in any media or platform. Unless you provide specific consent, Shoestring Collective does not claim any ownership rights in any User Content and nothing in these Terms will be deemed to restrict any rights that you may have to use or exploit your User Content.

You are solely responsible for all User Content that you make available on or through the Shoestring Collective Platform. Accordingly, you represent and warrant that:

you either are the sole and exclusive owner of all User Content that you make available on or through the Shoestring Collective Platform or you have all rights, licenses, consents and releases that are necessary to grant to Shoestring Collective the rights in and to such User Content, as contemplated under these Terms; and
neither the User Content nor your posting, uploading, publication, submission or transmittal of the User Content or Shoestring Collective’s use of the User Content (or any portion thereof) will infringe, misappropriate or violate a third party’s patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, moral rights or other proprietary or intellectual property rights, or rights of publicity or privacy, or result in the violation of any applicable law or regulation.

You will not post, upload, publish, submit or transmit any User Content that:

is fraudulent, false, misleading (directly or by omission or failure to update information) or deceptive;
is defamatory, libelous, obscene, pornographic, vulgar or offensive;
promotes discrimination, bigotry, racism, hatred, harassment or harm against any individual or group;
is violent or threatening or promotes violence or actions that are threatening to any other person;
promotes illegal or harmful activities or substances; or
violates Shoestring Collective’s Content Policy or any other Shoestring Collective policy.

Shoestring Collective may, without prior notice, remove or disable access to any User Content that Shoestring Collective finds to be in violation of these Terms or Shoestring Collective’s then-current Policies or Standards, or otherwise may be harmful or objectionable to Shoestring Collective, its Users, third parties, or property.

Shoestring Collective respects copyright law and expects its Users to do the same. If you believe that any content on the Shoestring Collective Platform infringes copyrights you own, please notify us in accordance with our Copyright Policy.

IX. Copyright

We respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement and terminate accounts of repeat infringers according to the process set out in the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

If you believe that any material on the Site infringes upon any copyright which you own or control, you may file a DMCA Notice of Alleged Infringement with Shoestring Collective ‘s Designated Copyright Agent:

Shoestring Collective Copyright Agent

Sofie Dittmann

email: contact_us AT shoestringcollective.com

SUBJECT: Copyright

X. Translations/Multi-Lingual Offering and Content

To extend the Shoestring Collective Platform and to increase the reach of our content, some content may be displayed on other websites, in applications, within emails, and in online and offline advertisements at our discretion in accordance with copyright law. To assist Users who speak different languages, content may be translated, in whole or in part, into other languages. Shoestring Collective cannot guarantee the accuracy or quality of such translations and Users are responsible for reviewing and verifying the accuracy of such translations. The Shoestring Collective Platform may contain translations powered by Google or a third-party plug-in such as Polylang. Polylang and Google disclaim all warranties related to the translations, express or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties for merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.

XI. Third-Party Sites/Services/Content

The Shoestring Collective Platform may contain links to third-party websites or resources (“Third-Party Services”). Such Third-Party Services may be subject to different terms and conditions and privacy practices. Shoestring Collective is not responsible or liable for the availability or accuracy of such Third-Party Services, or the content, products, or services available from such Third-Party Services. Links to such Third-Party Services are not an endorsement by Shoestring Collective of such Third-Party Services.

XII. Availability

Due to the nature of the Internet, Shoestring Collective cannot guarantee the continuous and uninterrupted availability and accessibility of the Shoestring Collective Platform. Shoestring Collective may restrict the availability of the Shoestring Collective Platform or certain areas or features thereof, if this is necessary in view of capacity limits, the security or integrity of our servers, or to carry out maintenance measures that ensure the proper or improved functioning of the Shoestring Collective Platform. Shoestring Collective may improve, enhance and modify the Shoestring Collective Platform and introduce new Shoestring Collective Services from time to time.

XIII. Disclaimers

While Shoestring Collective strives to provide quality Services and Content, there are some things that we cannot guarantee. If you choose to use the Shoestring Collective Platform or Collective Content, you do so voluntarily and at your sole risk. The Shoestring Collective Platform and Collective Content is provided “as is”, without warranty of any kind, either express or implied.

Editorial and other content is offered as guidance only, and is not meant, nor should it be construed as, a replacement for certified, professional expertise

You acknowledge that our Services and Software might include third party data and contributions, that there are certain inherent limitations to the accuracy or currency of such information and data, that our Services and Content may be incomplete, may contain inaccuracies, or may be based on opinion. Shoestring Collective DOES NOT SCREEN SUCH INFORMATION FOR ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, Shoestring Collective AND ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ABOUT THE SERVICES AND CONTENT. THE SERVICES AND SOFTWARE ARE PROVIDED “AS IS.” Shoestring Collective ALSO DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

XIV. Volunteer Management and Facilitation

Shoestring Collective is not only a resource library and knowledge hub, it is also a platform where people seeking to volunteer can connect with groups and organizations who need them. When Users sign up as volunteers and other individuals/groups/organizations accept their skills and services as volunteers, they are entering into a contract directly with each other.

Shoestring Collective is not and does not become a party to or other participant in any contractual relationship between Users, nor is Shoestring Collective a recruiter or volunteer manager. Shoestring Collective is not acting as an agent in any capacity for any User.

While we may help facilitate the resolution of disputes, Shoestring Collective has no control over and does not guarantee

the existence, quality, safety, suitability, or legality of any volunteer skills or resume as presented by the volunteer to another individual/group/organization,
the truth or accuracy of any descriptions or documentation submitted by the prospective volunteer to another individual/group/organization, or
the performance or conduct of any User or third party.

Shoestring Collective does not endorse any User, product or service. We also do not have the capacity to conduct background checks of any sort. Any vetting which needs to be done should be performed by the individual/group/organization accepting the prospective volunteer’s services. The mere relating of address and other information along with such description is not an endorsement, certification or guarantee by Shoestring Collective about any User seeking to volunteer, including of the User’s identity or background or whether the User is trustworthy, safe or suitable. You should always exercise due diligence and care when deciding whether to enter into a volunteer relationship with any other User.

XV. Prohibited Activities

You are solely responsible for compliance with any and all laws, rules, regulations, and Tax obligations that may apply to your use of the Shoestring Collective Platform. In connection with your use of the Shoestring Collective Platform, you will not and will not assist or enable others to:

breach or circumvent any applicable laws or regulations, agreements with third-parties, third-party rights, or our Terms, Policies or Standards;
use the Shoestring Collective Platform or Collective Content for any commercial or other purposes that are not expressly permitted by these Terms or in a manner that falsely implies Shoestring Collective endorsement, partnership or otherwise misleads others as to your affiliation with Shoestring Collective;
copy, store or otherwise access or use any information, including personally identifiable information about any other User, contained on the Shoestring Collective Platform in any way that is inconsistent with Shoestring Collective’s Privacy Policy or these Terms or that otherwise violates the privacy rights of Users or third parties;
use the Shoestring Collective Platform in connection with the distribution of unsolicited commercial messages (“spam”);
offer, as a User, any content or parts of content to which you do not own the copyright;
contact another User for any purpose other than asking a question related to a your own booking, Listing, or the User’s use of the Shoestring Collective Platform, including, but not limited to, recruiting or otherwise soliciting any User to join third-party services, applications or websites, without our prior written approval;
request, accept or make any payment for Shoestring Collective content. If you do so, you acknowledge and agree that you: (i) would be in breach of these Terms; (ii) accept all risks and responsibility for such payment, and (iii) hold Shoestring Collective harmless from any liability for such payment;
discriminate against or harass anyone on the basis of race, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age or sexual orientation, or otherwise engage in any abusive or disruptive behavior;
use, display, mirror or frame the Shoestring Collective Platform or Collective Content, or any individual element within the Shoestring Collective Platform, Shoestring Collective’s name, any Shoestring Collective trademark, logo or other proprietary information, or the layout and design of any page or form contained on a page in the Shoestring Collective Platform, without Shoestring Collective’s express written consent;
dilute, tarnish or otherwise harm the Shoestring Collective brand in any way, including through unauthorized use of Collective Content, registering and/or using Shoestring Collective or derivative terms in domain names, trade names, trademarks or other source identifiers, or registering and/or using domains names, trade names, trademarks or other source identifiers that closely imitate or are confusingly similar to Shoestring Collective domains, trademarks, taglines, promotional campaigns or Collective Content;
use any robots, spider, crawler, scraper or other automated means or processes to access, collect data or other content from or otherwise interact with the Shoestring Collective Platform for any purpose;
avoid, bypass, remove, deactivate, impair, descramble, or otherwise attempt to circumvent any technological measure implemented by Shoestring Collective or any of Shoestring Collective’s providers or any other third party to protect the Shoestring Collective Platform;
attempt to decipher, decompile, disassemble or reverse engineer any of the software used to provide the Shoestring Collective Platform;
take any action that damages or adversely affects, or could damage or adversely affect the performance or proper functioning of the Shoestring Collective Platform;
export, re-export, import, or transfer the Application except as authorized by United States law, the export control laws of your jurisdiction, and any other applicable laws; or
violate or infringe anyone else’s rights or otherwise cause harm to anyone.

You acknowledge that Shoestring Collective has no obligation to monitor the access to or use of the Shoestring Collective Platform by any User or to review, disable access to, or edit any User Content, but has the right to do so to in order to

operate, secure and improve the Shoestring Collective Platform (including without limitation for fraud prevention, risk assessment, investigation and customer support purposes);
ensure Users’ compliance with these Terms;
comply with applicable law or the order or requirement of a court, law enforcement or other administrative agency or governmental body;
respond to User Content that it determines is harmful or objectionable; or
as otherwise set forth in these Terms. Users agree to cooperate with and assist Shoestring Collective in good faith, and to provide Shoestring Collective with such information and take such actions as may be reasonably requested by Shoestring Collective with respect to any investigation undertaken by Shoestring Collective or a representative of Shoestring Collective regarding the use or abuse of the Shoestring Collective Platform.

If you feel that any User you interact with, whether online or in person, is acting or has acted inappropriately, including but not limited to anyone who

engages in offensive, violent or sexually inappropriate behavior,
you suspect of stealing from you, or
engages in any other disturbing conduct,

you should immediately report such person to the appropriate authorities and then to Shoestring Collective by contacting us with your police station and report number (if available); provided that your report will not obligate us to take any action beyond that required by law (if any) or cause us to incur any liability to you.

XVI. Limitation of Liability

Participation in any Experience or Event or use of any other Service connecting you with volunteers or volunteer opportunities or any other interaction you have with other Users whether in person or online remains with you. Neither Shoestring Collective nor any other party involved in creating, producing, or delivering the Shoestring Collective Platform or Collective Content will be liable for any incidental, special, exemplary or consequential damages, including lost profits, loss of data or loss of goodwill, service interruption, computer damage or system failure or the cost of substitute products or services, or for any damages for personal or bodily injury or emotional distress arising out of or in connection with

these Terms,
from the use of or inability to use the Shoestring Collective Platform or Collective Content,
third-party WordPress plugins and/or themes,
from any communications, interactions or meetings with other Users or other persons with whom you communicate, interact or meet with as a result of your use of the Shoestring Collective Platform, or
from your utilization of the Shoestring Collective Platform or Shoestring Collective Content, whether based on warranty, contract, tort (including negligence), product liability or any other legal theory, and whether or not Shoestring Collective has been informed of the possibility of such damage, even if a limited remedy set forth herein is found to have failed of its essential purpose.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL Shoestring Collective OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS, OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS, BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUES, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF OR INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICES AND SOFTWARE. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF Shoestring Collective, AND ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS, FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING IN ANY MANNER TO THE USE OF THE SERVICES, IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US, IF ANY, TO USE THE SERVICES TO WHICH SUCH CLAIM RELATES IN THE 12 MONTH PERIOD PRECEDING THE FILING OF SUCH CLAIM. IN THE INTEREST OF CLARITY, THIS LIMITATION ALSO APPLIES TO PREMIUM SERVICES.

XVI. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Shoestring Collective, its corporate affiliates, independent contractors, service providers and consultants, and each of their respective directors, employees and agents, from and against any claims, damages, costs, liabilities and expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to any User Content you post, store or otherwise transmit on or through the Services or your use of or inability to use the Services, including without limitation any actual or threatened suit, demand or claim arising out of or relating to the User Content, your conduct, your violation of these Terms or your violation of the rights of any third party.

XVII. Modifications

Shoestring Collective reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time in accordance with this provision. If we make changes to these Terms, we will post the revised Terms on the Shoestring Collective Platform and update the “Last Updated” date at the top of these Terms. We will also provide you with notice of the modifications by email at least thirty (30) days before the date they become effective. If you disagree with the revised Terms, you may terminate this Agreement with immediate effect. We will inform you about your right to terminate the Agreement in the notification email. If you do not terminate your Agreement before the date the revised Terms become effective, your continued access to or use of the Shoestring Collective Platform will constitute acceptance of the revised Terms.

XVIII. Arbitration

This Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Agreement shall apply if you

reside in the United States; or
do not reside in the United States, but bring any claim against Shoestring Collective in the United States (to the extent not in conflict with “Applicable Law and Venue”).

1. Overview of Dispute Resolution Process.

Shoestring Collective is committed to participating in a consumer-friendly dispute resolution process. To that end, these Terms provide for a two-part process for individuals to whom this section applies: (1) an informal negotiation directly with Shoestring Collective’s customer service team, and (2) a binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) using its specially designed Consumer Arbitration Rules (as modified by this section). Specifically, the process provides:

Claims can be filed with AAA online (www.adr.org);
Arbitrators must be neutral and no party may unilaterally select an arbitrator;
Arbitrators must disclose any bias, interest in the result of the arbitration, or relationship with any party;
Parties retain the right to seek relief in small claims court for certain claims, at their option;
The initial filing fee for the consumer is capped at $200;
The consumer gets to elect the hearing location and can elect to participate live, by phone, video conference, or, for claims under $25,000, by the submission of documents;
The arbitrator can grant any remedy that the parties could have received in court to resolve the party’s individual claim.

2. Pre-Arbitration Dispute Resolution and Notification.

Prior to initiating an arbitration, you and Shoestring Collective each agree to notify the other party of the dispute and attempt to negotiate an informal resolution to it first. We will contact you at the email address you have provided to us; you can contact Shoestring Collective’s customer service team by emailing us. If after a good faith effort to negotiate one of us feels the dispute has not and cannot be resolved informally, the party intending to pursue arbitration agrees to notify the other party via email prior to initiating the arbitration. In order to initiate arbitration, a claim must be filed with the AAA and the written Demand for Arbitration (available at www.adr.org) provided to the other party, as specified in the AAA Rules.

3. Agreement to Arbitrate.

You and Shoestring Collective mutually agree that any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the breach, termination, enforcement or interpretation thereof, or to the use of the Shoestring Collective Platform, the Volunteer Services, or the Collective Content (collectively, “Disputes”) will be settled by binding arbitration (the “Arbitration Agreement”). If there is a dispute about whether this Arbitration Agreement can be enforced or applies to our Dispute, you and Shoestring Collective agree that the arbitrator will decide that issue.

4. Exceptions to Arbitration Agreement.

You and Shoestring Collective each agree that the following claims are exceptions to the Arbitration Agreement and will be brought in a judicial proceeding in a court of competent jurisdiction: (i) Any claim related to actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation or violation of a party’s copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, patents, or other intellectual property rights; (ii) Any claim seeking emergency injunctive relief based on exigent circumstances (e.g., imminent danger or commission of a crime, hacking, cyber-attack).

5. Arbitration Rules and Governing Law.

This Arbitration Agreement evidences a transaction in interstate commerce and thus the Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this provision. The arbitration will be administered by AAA in accordance with the Consumer Arbitration Rules (the “AAA Rules“) then in effect, except as modified here. The AAA Rules are available at www.adr.org or by calling the AAA at 1–800–778–7879.

6. Modification to AAA Rules – Arbitration Hearing/Location.

In order to make the arbitration most convenient to you, Shoestring Collective agrees that any required arbitration hearing may be conducted, at your option, (a) in the county where you reside; (b) in Wayne County; (c) in any other location to which you and Shoestring Collective both agree; (d) via phone or video conference; or (e) for any claim or counterclaim under $25,000, by solely the submission of documents to the arbitrator.

7. Modification of AAA Rules – Attorney’s Fees and Costs.

You may be entitled to seek an award of attorney fees and expenses if you prevail in arbitration, to the extent provided under applicable law and the AAA rules. Unless the arbitrator determines that your claim was frivolous or filed for the purpose of harassment, Shoestring Collective agrees it will not seek, and hereby waives all rights it may have under applicable law or the AAA rules, to recover attorneys’ fees and expenses if it prevails in arbitration.

8. Arbitrator’s Decision.

The arbitrator’s decision will include the essential findings and conclusions upon which the arbitrator based the award. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court with proper jurisdiction. The arbitrator may award declaratory or injunctive relief only on an individual basis and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by the claimant’s individual claim.

9. Jury Trial Waiver.

You and Shoestring Collective acknowledge and agree that we are each waiving the right to a trial by jury as to all arbitrable disputes.

10. No Class Actions or Representative Proceedings.

You and Shoestring Collective acknowledge and agree that we are each waiving the right to participate as a plaintiff or class User in any purported class action lawsuit, class-wide arbitration, private attorney-general action, or any other representative proceeding as to all Disputes. Further, unless you and Shoestring Collective both otherwise agree in writing, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one party’s claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of any class or representative proceeding. If this paragraph is held unenforceable with respect to any Dispute, then the entirety of the Arbitration Agreement will be deemed void with respect to such Dispute.

11. Severability.

Except as provided in elsewhere in this section, in the event that any portion of this Arbitration Agreement is deemed illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be severed and the remainder of the Arbitration Agreement shall be given full force and effect.

12. Changes.

Notwithstanding the provisions of “Modification of these Terms”, if Shoestring Collective changes this section “Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Agreement” after the date you last accepted these Terms (or accepted any subsequent changes to these Terms), you may reject any such change by sending us written notice (including by email) within thirty (30) days of the date such change became effective, as indicated in the “Last Updated” date above or in the date of Shoestring Collective’s email to you notifying you of such change. By rejecting any change, you are agreeing that you will arbitrate any Dispute between you and Shoestring Collective in accordance with the provisions of the “Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Agreement” section as of the date you last accepted these Terms (or accepted any subsequent changes to these Terms).

13. Survival.

Except as provided within and subject to other sections in these Terms, this Section will survive any termination of these Terms and will continue to apply even if you stop using the Shoestring Collective Platform or terminate your Shoestring Collective Account.

XIX. Applicable Law and Venue

The laws of the State of Ohio, excluding its conflict of law provisions, will apply to any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services. All claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services will be litigated exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Wayne County, Ohio, and you and Shoestring Collective consent to personal jurisdiction and exclusive venue in such courts.

XX. Term and Termination, Suspension and Other Measures

This Agreement shall be effective for a 30-day term, at the end of which it will automatically and continuously renew for subsequent 30-day terms until such time when you or Shoestring Collective terminate the Agreement in accordance with this provision.

You may terminate this Agreement at any time via the “Cancel Account” feature on the Shoestring Collective Platform or by sending us an email. If you cancel your Shoestring Collective Account as a Host, any confirmed booking(s) will be automatically cancelled and your Guests will receive a full refund. If you cancel your Shoestring Collective Account as a Guest, any confirmed booking(s) will be automatically cancelled and any refund will depend upon the terms of the Listing’s cancellation policy.

Without limiting our rights specified below, Shoestring Collective may terminate this Agreement for convenience at any time by giving you thirty (30) days’ notice via email to your registered email address.

Shoestring Collective may immediately, without notice terminate this Agreement if

you have materially breached your obligations under these Terms, the Payments Terms, our Policies or Standards,
you have violated applicable laws, regulations or third party rights, or
Shoestring Collective believes in good faith that such action is reasonably necessary to protect the personal safety or property of Shoestring Collective, its Users, or third parties (for example in the case of fraudulent behavior of a User).

In addition, Shoestring Collective may take any of the following measures

to comply with applicable law, or the order or request of a court, law enforcement or other administrative agency or governmental body, or if
you have breached these Terms, the Payments Terms, our Policies or Standards, applicable laws, regulations, or third party rights,
you have provided inaccurate, fraudulent, outdated or incomplete information during the Shoestring Collective Account registration, content creation process or thereafter, or (iv) Shoestring Collective otherwise becomes aware of or has received complaints about your performance or conduct, or
Shoestring Collective believes in good faith that such action is reasonably necessary to protect the personal safety or property of Shoestring Collective, its Users, or third parties, or to prevent fraud or other illegal activity:
- refuse to surface, delete or delay any User Content;
- limit your access to or use of the Shoestring Collective Platform;
- temporarily or permanently revoke any special status associated with your Shoestring Collective Account; or
- temporarily or in case of severe or repeated offenses permanently suspend your Shoestring Collective Account.

In case of non-material breaches and where appropriate, you will be given notice of any intended measure by Shoestring Collective and an opportunity to resolve the issue to Shoestring Collective’s reasonable satisfaction.

Notwithstanding any of these Terms, Shoestring Collective reserves the right, without notice and in its sole discretion, to terminate your license to use the Services and view any Content, and to block or prevent your access to and use of the Services. Shoestring Collective reserves the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time if they are found to be in material violation (see: Prohibited Activities). In the event of termination of access to the Services for any reason, you have no right to obtain a copy of any data or communications you stored or effected via the Platform, or any other data.

When this Agreement has been terminated, you are not entitled to a restoration of your Shoestring Collective Account or any of your User Content. If your access to or use of the Shoestring Collective Platform has been limited or your Shoestring Collective Account has been suspended or this Agreement has been terminated by us, you may not register a new Shoestring Collective Account or access and use the Shoestring Collective Platform through an Shoestring Collective Account of another User.

XXI. Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Shoestring Collective with respect to the subject matter of these Terms, and supersede and replace any prior version of the Terms. These Terms create no third party beneficiary rights.

XXII. Waiver, Severability, and Assignment

Shoestring Collective’s failure to enforce a provision of these Terms is not a waiver of its right to do so later. If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions of the Terms will remain in full effect and an enforceable Term or Terms will be substituted reflecting our intent as closely as possible. You may not assign any of your rights under these Terms, and any attempt to do so will be void. Shoestring Collective may assign its rights to any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, or to any successor in interest of any business associated with the Services.

XXIII. Questions and Contact Information

Any questions or comments about the Site or its contents should be directed [contact_us AT shoestringcollective.com].