2026/27 · Privacy information
Your words.
Handled with care.
This notice explains how we look after your information when you prepare, save or submit an application. Updated .
Who handles your information
Leviathan Studios Ltd is the controller for The Cause Award. Contact jb@lvthn.co about your information, to exercise your rights or to raise a privacy concern.
What we collect and why
We use your name, email, project name and type, location, optional website link and three answers to administer the award, check eligibility, assess submitted entries and contact you about your application. We also keep your declarations, the terms and privacy version you acknowledged, submission reference, confirmation-email delivery status, any published result and relevant dates. Required fields are needed to assess an entry; an optional link and newsletter choice can be left blank.
Our lawful basis for award administration, judging and protecting accounts from misuse is our legitimate interest in running a fair, secure award and responding to applicants. We use recipient delivery information to agree and fulfil the award service, and keep records where required by law. Newsletter subscriptions use separate consent. There are no solely automated award decisions.
Saving and returning to a draft
Request a single-use sign-in link to verify your email and access saved work. Links expire after 15 minutes. An essential, secure session cookie keeps you signed in; signing out ends that browser’s session. We save your answers when you choose Save draft. Application text is not kept in browser storage, so save before leaving the page.
A saved draft is not an entry and is not judged. Jb can read drafts for administration. Please avoid including bank details, medical information, sensitive personal histories or other people’s private information; explain the project’s purpose and impact without identifying individuals unnecessarily.
Who can see it
Access is limited to the studio’s authorised administrator and, for submitted entries, the judges who need it for assessment. We use Cloudflare for hosting, private application storage and anti-spam protection, and Brevo for requested sign-in emails and an application confirmation after submission. These providers process information to deliver those services. We do not sell application information. Application and administration pages exclude analytics and session recording.
Your private application space shows saved progress, submitted answers and any result we release to you. A confirmation email includes your name, project and reference, without copying your application answers. We keep a delivery record and the message needed for safe retries. Access links are stored as hashes, and security rate limits use hashed identifiers. Application answers and access tokens are excluded from routine application logs. We agree the recipient announcement before publication, as described in the award terms.
Service providers and international processing
Our providers operate internationally, so information may be processed outside the UK or European Economic Area. Their data-processing terms provide for applicable adequacy arrangements and contractual safeguards, including standard contractual clauses and the UK addendum where needed. See Cloudflare’s data-processing terms and Brevo’s data-protection information. Contact us for details of the safeguards relevant to your information.
Newsletter choices
The optional checkbox records your interest in Notes from the deep. To subscribe, complete the separate newsletter signup on the main site and confirm the email it sends. Saving or submitting an application does not subscribe you. You can unsubscribe from newsletter emails at any time. Your choice has no effect on eligibility or judging.
How long we keep it
Unsubmitted drafts are deleted within 90 days after applications close. Unsuccessful entries and their assessment records are deleted within 12 months after the recipient announcement. Recipient delivery records are kept while we provide the service and for any applicable legal record-keeping period. If a specific complaint or legal obligation requires a record for longer, access is restricted and it is removed when that need ends. Expired sign-in links, sessions and rate-limit records are cleared as part of account maintenance.
Your choices and rights
You can ask to access or correct your information, request deletion or restriction, or object to processing based on legitimate interests. Data portability applies where the legal conditions are met. Some rights depend on the purpose and circumstances; we will explain any limits when responding. Email jb@lvthn.co to make a request or withdraw your application. Withdrawal before judging means we will no longer consider the entry.
You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office or, in Ireland, the Data Protection Commission. We welcome the chance to resolve a concern directly first.
Wider site
The website privacy policy covers the rest of the site. Read the award offer and entry terms.