BITI Terms & Conditions

Bridging Illness to Income (BITI)

Terms & Conditions
Effective Date: July 25, 2026

These Terms and Conditions govern donations, sponsorships, applications, program participation, and use of the website, services, resources, and materials offered by Bridging Illness to Income (“BITI,” “we,” “our,” or “us”).

By submitting an application, completing a donation or sponsorship transaction, participating in a BITI program, or selecting a checkbox indicating acceptance, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the applicable portions of these Terms and Conditions.

1. About BITI

  • BITI is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals living with chronic illness pursue financial stability and maintain greater financial security.
  • BITI may offer financial assistance, educational resources, webinars, personalized support, partnerships, and other programs consistent with its charitable mission.
  • Program availability, eligibility requirements, services, geographic coverage, application periods, and funding limits may change based on funding, organizational capacity, and community needs.
  • Information provided through BITI is offered for educational, informational, and charitable support purposes.

2. Website and General Use

  • You agree to use BITI’s website, application forms, services, and materials only for lawful purposes.
  • You may not attempt to interfere with the website, gain unauthorized access to information, submit fraudulent information, impersonate another person, or misuse BITI’s programs or resources.
  • BITI may update, suspend, discontinue, or restrict access to any part of its website, programs, or services when reasonably necessary.
  • BITI strives to provide accurate information but does not guarantee that every website page, resource, deadline, or program description will always be complete, current, or free from errors.

3. Donations

  • All donations are voluntary.
  • Donations are generally non-refundable except when required by law, when a transaction was made in error and BITI approves the request, or when BITI determines that a refund is appropriate.
  • Making a donation does not guarantee a particular program result, service, benefit, financial return, or outcome for any applicant or participant.
  • Unless BITI expressly accepts a donation for a legally restricted purpose, BITI may allocate donated funds among its programs, services, and reasonable operating needs at its discretion.
  • If a designated program is fully funded, discontinued, or unable to use a donation as originally intended, BITI may contact the donor or redirect the funds to a substantially similar charitable purpose when permitted by law.
  • Donors may not direct or control the selection of individual applicants or recipients unless BITI has expressly established a lawful program that permits such involvement.
  • Any statement concerning the tax treatment of a donation is general information only. Donors should consult a qualified tax professional regarding their individual circumstances.

4. Sponsorships and Partnerships

  • Sponsorship benefits may include recognition, posts, mentions, logo placement, links, event participation, or other benefits described in a sponsorship agreement or sponsorship package.
  • The specific benefits, schedule, payment terms, and sponsorship period will be determined by the applicable written agreement or sponsorship package.
  • BITI reserves reasonable discretion over the timing, format, location, and presentation of sponsor-related content unless otherwise stated in a written agreement.
  • Sponsors must provide accurate and authorized logos, descriptions, links, and other requested materials by the applicable deadlines.
  • BITI is not responsible for delays caused by missing, inaccurate, late, or incomplete sponsor materials.
  • Sponsorship payments are non-refundable after payment unless otherwise required by law or stated in a written sponsorship agreement.
  • BITI may decline, suspend, or end a sponsorship that conflicts with its mission, values, legal obligations, charitable status, or community standards.
  • A sponsorship does not give the sponsor control over BITI’s applicant selection, grant decisions, programs, operations, or charitable activities.

5. Medical Debt Bridge Program

  • The Medical Debt Bridge Program provides grant assistance to eligible individuals living with chronic illness who have active, unpaid medical debt.
  • During the pilot phase, applicants must reside in East Tennessee and satisfy all current eligibility and documentation requirements.
  • BITI may expand, reduce, or otherwise change the program’s geographic service area after the pilot phase.
  • Applicants must provide complete, accurate, current, and truthful information, including acceptable documentation verifying their medical debt and financial need.
  • Acceptable documentation may include an online billing portal screenshot, a recent medical statement, a collection notice, or other documentation requested or approved by BITI.
  • BITI may contact an applicant, healthcare provider, creditor, collection agency, or other appropriate party when reasonably necessary to verify information or arrange an approved payment, subject to applicable law and any required authorization.
  • Submitting an application or satisfying basic eligibility requirements does not guarantee approval or financial assistance.
  • Applications may be evaluated based on eligibility, verified financial need, the amount and nature of the medical debt, available funding, program capacity, and other program priorities established by BITI.
  • BITI may request additional information or documentation before making a decision.
  • If funding is not immediately available, an otherwise eligible applicant may be placed on an eligibility or waiting list. Placement on a list does not guarantee future assistance.
  • Grant amounts may vary based on individual circumstances, verified debt, program limits, and available funding.
  • When reasonably possible, approved assistance will be paid directly to the healthcare provider, creditor, collection agency, or other appropriate recipient rather than to the applicant.
  • An approved grant does not create an employment relationship, loan, investment, or continuing obligation by BITI.
  • Program assistance is a grant and ordinarily does not need to be repaid. BITI may seek repayment or pursue other available remedies if assistance was obtained through fraud, material misrepresentation, forged documents, or intentionally false information.
  • BITI may deny an application, revoke an approval, discontinue assistance, or disqualify an applicant from future opportunities when eligibility requirements are not met or program rules are violated.

6. No Guarantee of Assistance or Outcomes

  • BITI does not guarantee that an applicant will receive assistance or that assistance will cover the full amount of any medical debt.
  • Assistance is subject to eligibility verification, available funding, program capacity, and BITI’s review process.
  • BITI does not guarantee that a healthcare provider, creditor, or collection agency will accept a payment or proposed arrangement.
  • BITI does not guarantee that participation will eliminate medical debt or produce a particular financial, employment, health, credit, income, or business outcome.
  • Past assistance, approval, participation, or eligibility does not guarantee future assistance.

7. Educational Information and Professional Advice

  • BITI’s website, webinars, guides, referrals, and educational resources are provided for general informational and educational purposes.
  • BITI does not provide legal, tax, medical, investment, credit-repair, or professional financial advice.
  • Participants should consult an appropriately qualified professional before making decisions that require professional advice.
  • References or links to third-party organizations, professionals, services, or websites do not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of their services or results.

8. Applicant Responsibilities

  • Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all submitted information and documents are accurate, authentic, current, and complete.
  • Applicants must have the legal right to submit all information and documents included with an application.
  • Applicants must promptly notify BITI if important information changes while an application is being reviewed.
  • Applicants may not submit altered, misleading, forged, or fraudulent documentation.
  • Applicants must cooperate with reasonable verification requests and provide any authorization needed for BITI to verify debt or arrange an approved payment.
  • Failure to comply with these responsibilities may result in denial, removal from the program, revocation of assistance, or disqualification from future opportunities.

9. Privacy and Applicant Information

  • BITI may collect contact information, location information, financial-need information, medical-debt documentation, application responses, and other information reasonably necessary to operate its programs.
  • BITI may use this information to process applications, verify eligibility, evaluate financial need, communicate with applicants, prevent fraud, make approved payments, maintain records, improve programs, and satisfy legal or reporting obligations.
  • BITI may share relevant information with employees, authorized volunteers, contractors, technology providers, payment processors, professional advisers, healthcare providers, creditors, collection agencies, or other service providers when reasonably necessary to operate the program, verify information, or complete an approved payment.
  • When authorization is legally required before information can be verified or shared, BITI will request that authorization.
  • BITI may also disclose information when required by law, legal process, a court order, or a lawful government request, or when reasonably necessary to protect BITI, an applicant, or another person from fraud, misuse, or harm.
  • BITI does not sell applicants’ personal information.
  • BITI will take reasonable administrative, organizational, and technical measures to protect personal information. However, no electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
  • Applicants should submit documents only through the methods approved or requested by BITI and should avoid sending sensitive information through unapproved channels.
  • BITI may retain application and program records for as long as reasonably necessary to administer programs, prevent fraud, maintain financial records, satisfy grant requirements, and comply with applicable legal obligations.

10. Content and Intellectual Property

  • Unless otherwise stated, BITI owns or is authorized to use the text, graphics, guides, educational materials, logos, branding, and other original content it provides.
  • BITI content may not be copied, republished, sold, altered, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission, except where permitted by law.
  • Sponsors, applicants, participants, and other parties may not use BITI’s name, logo, branding, or program materials in a misleading, unauthorized, or harmful manner.
  • Any permitted use of BITI branding must follow the conditions established by BITI.

11. Code of Conduct

Applicants, participants, sponsors, volunteers, and others engaging with BITI are expected to:

  • Treat other people with dignity and respect.
  • Avoid harassment, discrimination, threats, intimidation, retaliation, or harmful behavior.
  • Communicate honestly and respectfully with BITI representatives, partners, applicants, and participants.
  • Avoid misrepresenting an affiliation with BITI or speaking on BITI’s behalf without authorization.
  • Follow applicable program rules, event requirements, and laws.

BITI may restrict access, remove a participant, discontinue a relationship, or take other appropriate action when these standards are violated.

12. Third-Party Services and Links

  • BITI may use or link to third-party platforms for applications, donations, payment processing, scheduling, email communication, webinars, document submission, or other services.
  • Third-party platforms may have their own terms, privacy policies, security practices, and service limitations.
  • BITI is not responsible for the availability, content, security, actions, or practices of independently operated third-party websites or services.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, BITI and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, contractors, and agents will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from the use of BITI’s website, participation in a program, reliance on educational information, a donation, a sponsorship, or the use of a third-party service.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited under applicable law.

14. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to be responsible for losses, claims, or expenses resulting from your fraudulent conduct, intentional misconduct, unlawful use of BITI’s services, violation of these Terms and Conditions, or infringement of another party’s rights.

15. Changes to Programs and Terms

  • BITI may revise these Terms and Conditions to reflect changes in its programs, operations, technology, funding, or legal obligations.
  • Updated terms will be posted with a revised effective or “Last Updated” date.
  • Material changes will apply prospectively unless applicable law permits or requires otherwise.
  • Applicants and participants may be asked to accept updated terms before submitting a new application or continuing in a program.

16. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute will be handled in an appropriate state or federal court having jurisdiction in Tennessee, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

17. Severability and No Waiver

  • If any portion of these Terms and Conditions is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining portions will remain in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  • BITI’s decision not to enforce a provision on one occasion does not waive its right to enforce that provision later.

18. Contact Information

Questions about these Terms and Conditions or BITI’s programs may be sent to:

Bridging Illness to Income
Johnson City, Tennessee
Email: Info@bridgingillnesstoincome.org

19. Agreement

By submitting an application, completing a donation or sponsorship transaction, participating in a BITI program, or affirmatively accepting these Terms and Conditions, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the provisions that apply to your interaction with BITI.

Last Updated: July 25, 2026