Terms and Conditions

Draft for National's approval. These Terms are waiting on EFF National's final approval. Lines marked with a Bylaws article restate the 2027–2028 Bylaws, which are already in force.

Effective October 4, 2026 · Version 2026-10-04

The short version. You join EFF through one application and a chapter. Your $25 national dues are paid once, for life, and paying them is your acceptance. You agree to live by EFF's Bylaws and its Code of Conduct, to treat people well online and in person, and to keep other people's information private. In return, EFF treats you fairly: you are told in writing, you can give your side, and you can appeal. If you are ever in danger, call or text 988, or call 911.

1. Who we are

Esther Funds Foundation ("EFF", "we") is a Christ-centered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports college students, with a focus on helping underrepresented, low-income and first-generation students finish college (Bylaws, Article XXXIX §1). Its tagline is Every Future Fulfilled.

MyEFF (my.estherfundsfoundation.org) and the EFF app are EFF's official membership system. These Terms cover your use of them and your membership in EFF.

2. Your MyEFF account

Be you. Use your real name and an email address you check. One account per person. Never sign in as someone else or let anyone use your account.
Keep it safe. Keep your password to yourself. EFF will never ask you for it. If you think someone else got into your account, change your password and tell us at nationals@estherfundsinc.org.
Keep your email current. Notices sent to the email on file count as written notice (Article LII §3), so an old address means missed notices.
Who it's for. MyEFF membership is for college students, plus the leaders, advisors and volunteers EFF appoints (Article VIII §1). It is not meant for children under 13. If you are under 18, please read these Terms with a parent or guardian.
Closing it. You can close your account at any time at /account/delete or in the app. Our Privacy policy says what is kept and why.

3. Membership and your chapter

One application, through a chapter. Every student member joins through one membership application in MyEFF and belongs to a chapter; there is no national-only membership (Article VIII §1). If your campus has no chapter taking members, you can serve as a Campus Ambassador or apply to start a chapter.
Open to every student regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability or religion, who respects EFF's Christian mission and agrees to the Code of Conduct. Officers and the Director of Ministry also affirm EFF's Statement of Faith (Article VIII §1).
Paying is your acceptance. When you apply, you pay the $25 national dues. Once they are paid, you are accepted as a member, and your acceptance letter appears in MyEFF.
Members who were already in MyEFF before national dues began are grandfathered: they are members already and never pay national dues.
Onboarding comes first. New members complete the Esther Experience before induction. Only members who finish onboarding may be invited to induction, request an official EFF recommendation letter, or receive member-only benefits (Article VIII §4). It must always be free of hazing, intimidation, humiliation or coercion.
If a chapter rescinds your membership, it must give a reason. EFF National reviews every rescind and decides whether you stay an EFF member without a chapter or whether your membership ends. Membership may be revoked or suspended only for the reasons in Article VIII §6, and always with due process.
After graduation you become an Alumni Member: you can stay connected, attend, mentor and give, but you don't vote in chapter business or hold a collegiate office (Article LII §4).
What membership doesn't promise. Membership does not guarantee funding, a scholarship, an office, a recommendation, or employment. Scholarships and programs follow their own published criteria.

4. National dues and payments

$25, once, for life. National dues are twenty-five dollars, paid once for life, to Esther Funds Foundation through MyEFF or as National directs, and never to an individual (Article VIII §3).
Card payments go through Stripe. When you pay by card, you pay on Stripe's secure checkout page. Stripe processes the payment under its own terms; EFF never sees or stores your card number.
Refunds. National dues, commitment fees, Royal Court votes and donations are non-refundable, except that EFF refunds any charge made in error or made twice (Article XV §7). If you think you were charged by mistake, write to nationals@estherfundsinc.org.
Local chapter dues belong to your chapter. A chapter may set local dues only under a plan National approved in writing, never above National's cap of $20 (Article VIII §3). They are paid to the chapter's approved account, never to a person or a personal payment app like Venmo, Cash App or Zelle, and never through EFF's national accounts. EFF does not collect chapter dues (Article XV §3). Waivers and payment plans for local dues are your chapter's choice, and refunds of local dues follow the chapter's approved plan (Article XV §7).
Add-ons. Items you add at checkout, like a member tee, are sold at cost and made and shipped by Printful, which receives the name and address on your order. Merchandise follows the store's published return policy (Article XV §7).

5. The Bylaws and Code of Conduct apply

By applying, you agree to EFF's 2027–2028 National Bylaws (also at estherfundsfoundation.org/bylaws) and to the National Code of Conduct, which is Article XXXIX of the Bylaws. The Code says that submitting a membership application, holding an office, joining an EFF group chat, creating content for EFF, or leading or attending EFF events means your words and actions while representing EFF fall under it, online and offline (Article XXXIX §2), and that compliance is required to keep taking part (Article XXXIX §10).

If these Terms and the Bylaws ever disagree, the Bylaws win.

6. Conduct online and in MyEFF

Respect people. No harassment, bullying, intimidation or retaliation, in person, in messages or on social media (Article XXVI). No hazing of any kind (Article XXXIX §5).
Be who you are. Don't pretend to be another person, an officer, or EFF, and don't make fake accounts, posts or messages in anyone's name (Article XXXIX §5).
AI, with care. AI tools are welcome for drafting captions, flyers and graphics, and you are responsible for what you publish. Never alter or regenerate EFF's name, logos, seal or program marks; never publish AI images of real members without their consent, fake photos of EFF events, checks or awards, or invented testimonials; and never put member records or anything confidential into a public AI tool (Article L).
Private information stays private. Don't copy, export, screenshot, sell or share another person's personal information outside EFF, or collect it through outside forms (Article XLVIII §1).
Use MyEFF as it's meant to be used. Don't try to get into anything you weren't given access to, don't scrape or copy the directory, don't send spam, and don't upload anything unlawful, sexual, hateful or that you don't have the right to share. EFF may hide content that breaks these Terms and will say why.
No political campaigns. As a 501(c)(3), EFF does not take part in campaigns for or against any candidate (Article LII §5).

7. Photos and your information

No one's photograph, video or personal story is used in EFF or chapter promotion without that person's consent, and never a minor's without a parent or guardian's written consent. You may withdraw consent for future use at any time (Article XLVIII §2). Any questions about whether you receive the Pell Grant, are first-generation, or how you describe your background are optional, private, reported only as totals, and never used to decide membership, office or discipline (Article LIII §§2–3).

Our Privacy policy explains what MyEFF collects, who can see it, and how to close your account.

8. Messages, notices and electronic signatures

A notice sent through MyEFF, or to the email address you keep on file with EFF, is written notice under the Bylaws (Article LII §3).
Typed names, drawn signatures, initials and agreements you make in MyEFF are binding signatures (Article LII §3). Ticking "I agree" on your application is how you sign these Terms.
MyEFF Messages are for EFF. Be kind there too; you can block and report anyone, and a report goes to EFF National.

9. Discipline, removal and appeals

Due process. Before a disciplinary decision, you are told in writing what the concern is and which rule it involves, and you have at least five business days to give your side. Findings are written down and given to you (Article XXV §§5–9). Steps usually move from a private conversation to a written warning, probation, suspension and, only when needed, removal (Article XXXIX §8).
Appeals. Anyone removed from an EFF role or chapter by the National Office may appeal in writing within seven calendar days of the written notice (Article XXXIV §2). Officer removals through the chapter strike system follow Article XII. Your record in MyEFF shows what you can appeal, so you don't have to know the rules by heart.
Something wrong? Ask EFF National for help privately through the Lighthouse. Reporting misconduct in good faith is protected: retaliation is its own violation (Article XXVI §4).

10. Care and safety

In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988, any time. In an emergency, call 911.

MyEFF is not an emergency service, and nobody may be watching your message right when you send it. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Chapters do not handle sensitive matters like sexual assault, threats of harm, abuse or legal matters on their own; they connect you to emergency help and to EFF National (Article XLVIII §3). Activities with anyone under 18 follow Article XLVII, Protection of Minors.

11. What EFF is and isn't responsible for

We work hard to keep MyEFF running and your information safe, but MyEFF is provided as it is, and it may sometimes be unavailable or contain mistakes. Tell us and we will fix them.
EFF is not responsible for personal misconduct, negligence or illegal acts by individual members, officers or advisors acting outside their authorized EFF roles (Article XXXVI §4).
Links to other websites and services, like Stripe, Printful or a scholarship provider, are run by those organizations under their own terms.
To the fullest extent the law allows, EFF is not liable for indirect or consequential losses from using MyEFF. Nothing here limits a right the law says can't be limited.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, and disputes go to the state or federal courts in Leon County, Florida, as the Bylaws provide (Article XXXVIII).

12. Changes to these Terms

If we change these Terms in a way that matters, we will tell members in MyEFF before the change takes effect, and the new version and date will appear at the top of this page. Changes to the Bylaws themselves follow Article LIV. If you keep using MyEFF after a change takes effect, the new Terms apply.

13. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Write to nationals@estherfundsinc.org. A real person reads every message.

Esther Funds Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States. Terms and Conditions, version 2026-10-04, effective October 4, 2026.