How The Mustard Seed Fund actually works

Neighbors submit small, specific needs under $150, a utility bill, school shoes, a brake repair. An operator vets each request, confirms the vendor, and posts an anonymous card so donors can quietly cover part or all of it.

100% of the core donation amount goes to the recipient's vendor, never to a personal bank account. The utility company, landlord, or store is paid directly, and proof of disbursement (receipt or reference number) is posted on the seed's public page.

Tips are 100% optional (you can pick "No tip"). They're the only way this service is funded. Every tip covers three things:

• •Operator compensation , time spent vetting each request, confirming vendors, and handling disbursement.
• •App & payment processing costs , hosting, card processing fees, storage for verification documents.
• •501(c)(3) filing fund , savings toward the ~$600 IRS filing fee so future donations become tax-deductible.

The Mustard Seed Fund is currently operated by an independent facilitator, a solo human, not a corporation. It is not yet a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. That means:

• •Donations are treated as personal gifts and are not tax-deductible.
• •Once the filing fund is met, we'll file for official nonprofit status and update this page.
• •Until then, we keep every dollar in/out in a public ledger and post disbursement proof for every funded seed.