Terms of Service

1. About Community Ventures

Community Ventures provides online and physical infrastructure for community participation, projects, events, shared resources, and makerspace activities. Some Services may require an account, membership, invitation, certification, payment, or approval.

Additional posted rules, safety procedures, membership agreements, waivers, project agreements, event rules, and equipment-specific requirements may apply. A more specific written agreement controls for the activity it covers if it conflicts with these Terms.

2. Eligibility and accounts

You must be legally able to agree to these Terms. If you use the Services for an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind it. Where authorization is legally required, a minor may use the Services only with that authorization and appropriate supervision.

When you use an account, you agree to:

• provide accurate information and keep it reasonably current;
• protect your account and sign-in methods;
• not share credentials or allow unauthorized account use; and
• promptly report suspected unauthorized access.

3. Acceptable use and community conduct

You must use the Services lawfully, safely, and respectfully. You may not:

• harass, threaten, discriminate against, exploit, or impersonate another person;
• post unlawful, fraudulent, defamatory, abusive, or intentionally deceptive content;
• infringe intellectual-property, privacy, contractual, or other rights;
• introduce malware, probe security controls, disrupt operations, or access systems without authorization;
• bypass membership, payment, certification, safety, access-control, or usage restrictions;
• falsify project, inventory, checkout, certification, financial, maintenance, safety, or audit records; or
• use Community Ventures resources for spam or unauthorized commercial solicitation.

4. Makerspace, tools, and physical activities

Online access to equipment or certification information does not authorize physical access or use. Follow all posted rules, training and supervision requirements, access restrictions, and applicable laws. Do not use equipment you are not qualified or authorized to use. Stop work and report unsafe, damaged, or malfunctioning equipment.

Physical activities involve risks that software and instructions cannot eliminate. Separate membership agreements, waivers, insurance requirements, or activity-specific acknowledgements may apply. Borrowed property must be returned as required by the applicable lending rules; disclosed deposits, replacement costs, repair charges, or late fees may apply.

5. Projects, events, groups, and transactions

Member-submitted listings are not guaranteed to be accurate, complete, funded, available, safe, or suitable. Commitments involving money, property, labor, intellectual property, transportation, regulated activity, or risk may require a separate written agreement. A listing, RSVP, expression of interest, application, or discussion does not itself create a binding funding or partnership obligation.

6. Your content

You retain ownership of content you submit and represent that you have the rights needed to submit it. You grant Community Ventures a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, format, display, and distribute it as reasonably necessary to operate, secure, promote, and improve the Services and the activity for which it was submitted.

Content you intentionally submit as public may be visible and shared publicly. We may remove or restrict content that violates these Terms, creates safety or legal risk, interferes with the Services, or is no longer appropriate for the activity where it was submitted.

7. Community Ventures content and software

The Services and organization-provided materials are owned by or licensed to Community Ventures. Except as allowed by law or an applicable open-source license, you may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, reverse engineer, or create derivative works from them without permission. We grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use the Services for their intended purposes while you comply with these Terms.

8. Privacy

Our collection and use of personal information are described in the Community Ventures Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

9. Third-party services and links

The Services may integrate with or link to third-party systems. We do not control those services; their own terms and privacy policies apply. A link or integration does not necessarily imply endorsement.

10. Service availability and changes

We may add, change, suspend, or discontinue features. We aim to operate reliable Services but do not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free, or permanently available access. Keep copies of content or records you need unless Community Ventures has separately agreed to maintain an official record.

11. Suspension and termination

We may restrict, suspend, or terminate access to enforce agreements; address unsafe conduct, misuse, nonpayment, or policy violations; protect people, property, data, or systems; comply with law; or discontinue a Service. Where appropriate, we may provide notice or an opportunity to address the issue. Urgent, serious, repeated, or unlawful conduct may require immediate action.

12. Disclaimers

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Services are provided "as is" and "as available." Community Ventures disclaims warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and warranties arising from course of dealing or usage of trade.

Information in the Services is not professional legal, medical, financial, engineering, safety, or regulatory advice. You remain responsible for professional review, permits, inspections, training, protective equipment, and risk assessment. Rights that cannot legally be excluded remain unaffected.

13. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Community Ventures and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, members, contractors, and service providers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or lost profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or opportunities related to the Services.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, aggregate liability arising from the online Services will not exceed the greater of the amount you paid specifically for the affected online Service during the prior twelve months or 100 Canadian dollars. These limits do not apply where prohibited by law or alter a separate signed agreement.

14. Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Community Ventures and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and contractors from claims, damages, losses, and reasonable costs arising from your unlawful use, your content, your violation of these Terms, or your infringement of another person's rights. This does not shift a party's own fraud, willful misconduct, or liability that cannot legally be shifted.

15. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws applicable where Community Ventures is organized and operates, unless applicable law requires otherwise. Before formal proceedings, both sides agree to make a reasonable good-faith effort to resolve the issue directly. This does not prevent urgent injunctive relief or use of a tribunal, small-claims process, regulator, or other forum provided by law.

16. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms and will post revisions with a new effective date. Material changes may receive additional notice. Continued use after revised Terms take effect means you accept them; otherwise, stop using the Services.

17. General provisions

If a provision is unenforceable, it will be modified only as much as necessary and the rest will remain in effect. Failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. You may not transfer these Terms without our consent. We may transfer them during an organizational restructuring, merger, asset transfer, or similar change. These Terms, the Privacy Policy, and applicable specific written agreements constitute the agreement concerning your use of the Services.

18. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact Community Ventures through the support contact shown in the relevant Service, account area, or sign-in consent screen, or through comvent.org. Do not send passwords, private keys, or other authentication secrets.