Terms of Service

The Mustard Seed Fund is operated by an independent facilitator ("the operator") as a community aid project. It is not yet a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It is not a bank, lender, payment processor, or charity.

The platform connects verified, anonymous community members with a specific small need (under $150) to donors who choose to cover part or all of that need. The operator vets each request, strips personally identifying information from what's posted publicly, and pays vendors directly.

Contributions are personal gifts from you to the recipient's vendor. They are not tax-deductible. You will not receive a tax receipt.

Tips added at checkout are optional and go to the operator to compensate for vetting time, cover app and payment processing costs, and go toward filing for 501(c)(3) status. Tips are not gifts to recipients and are treated as income to the operator.

Funded needs are paid to a utility, landlord, vendor, or merchant, never to an individual's personal account. If a vendor cannot be paid directly, the operator will refund contributors or redirect the funds to the General Fund with your permission.

The operator vets requests in good faith but cannot guarantee every circumstance is exactly as represented. If you discover a request was fraudulent, email the operator and the funds will be refunded or reissued where possible.

Because contributions are gifts paid to third-party vendors, they are generally non-refundable once disbursed. If a payment has not yet been disbursed and you request a refund within 48 hours, the operator will process it minus non-recoverable processing fees.

You agree to provide accurate information, to not submit fraudulent requests, and to use the platform for its stated purpose. Abuse results in removal.

These terms may change as the platform evolves (especially once fiscal sponsorship or 501(c)(3) status is in place). Material changes will be noted on this page.

Questions? See how it works or reach the operator through the request form.