Who controls the money?

The short answer: Xerish Storehouse does — and that's what makes your gift real.

When you add money on Xerish, you are making a charitable contribution to Xerish Storehouse, a Washington nonprofit organized as a donor-advised fund sponsor (IRS 501(c)(3) recognition pending). That contribution is irrevocable — it belongs to the Storehouse, permanently and exclusively. This isn't fine print to apologize for; it is the legal fact that makes your gift a genuine charitable contribution rather than money you parked somewhere.

So when I give to an organization, am I just making a suggestion?

Legally, yes — you are recommending a grant, and the Storehouse holds final authority over every dollar. In practice, your recommendation is honored. Every organization and church on Xerish has already passed the Storehouse's vetting standard (F.I.G.S.) and sits on its Pre-Approved Recipient List, so recommendations to them execute automatically under a board-approved framework — typically within minutes after the standard clearing window.

When would the Storehouse ever redirect a gift?

Only if the recipient leaves the list — for example, an organization loses its IRS charitable status, a credible fraud finding emerges, or it fails re-vetting. In that case pending recommendations pause for human review and you're notified. The Storehouse's authority is not a trapdoor; it is the safeguard that ensures money you meant for Kingdom work can never be forced to a recipient who no longer qualifies for it.

Why does it work this way?

Because that is what a donor-advised fund is, and it's why your contribution is tax-deductible when you make it. The same structure used by the largest charitable sponsors in the country protects givers, protects recipients, and keeps one promise absolute: 100% of what you give to an organization reaches that organization.