Terms of Service — Grain
Last updated: September 13, 2026 · Contact: grain@ripenedgrain.com
1. What Grain is
Grain (ripenedgrain.com) is a curated directory and journal for Christians: New Grain (ways to give and serve) and Ripened Harvest (ways to study and be formed). Curation is the product — every listing is checked by a person and carries the date it was last verified. Grain is a small, personally run project based in the United States. It is not incorporated, has no staff or board, and holds no tax-exempt status. By using the site you agree to these Terms.
2. Who may use Grain
You may browse freely. To create an account you must be at least 13 and able to enter a binding agreement. Grain is directed at a general adult audience and is not designed for children under 13 (see the Privacy Policy). Some initiatives involve real-world activity that may include minors or vulnerable people; if you take part or organize, you are responsible for the Safeguarding Policy and all laws that apply to you.
3. Accounts
An account (email + password, or magic link) lets you save items, write journal pieces, and propose initiatives. Keep your login secure; you are responsible for everything done under your account. Use a real email you control. We may suspend or close an account that breaks these Terms, poses a safeguarding risk, or that we cannot verify. You may close your account anytime by writing to us.
4. Acceptable use
Do not use Grain to: post anything unlawful, fraudulent, defamatory, harassing, hateful, or sexually exploitative — and never anything that sexualizes, endangers, or exploits a minor; impersonate anyone or misrepresent your relationship to an organization or initiative; solicit or collect money through Grain or run a fundraising/investment/"seed-faith" appeal (Grain handles no money — §7); harvest users' information, spam, or contact them outside an initiative they joined; upload malware or attempt to break access controls / row-level security; or post content you don't have the right to post. Grain declines and removes content outside historic, Bible-based Christian orthodoxy as described in its Statement of Faith and Curation Criteria, for member submissions as well as its own listings.
5. Content you submit
You keep ownership of what you submit. By submitting it you grant Grain a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to store, display, reproduce, adapt for formatting, and distribute that content in connection with operating and promoting Grain. The license ends for future display when you delete the content or account, except where we must keep copies for a legal obligation, a dispute, or a safeguarding concern, and except for content others have saved or that exists in backups. You confirm you have the right to submit it and that it's accurate to your knowledge and infringes no one's rights.
Review is not a guarantee. Personal journal entries are private to you. Public journal pieces and initiatives are submitted for review; an admin decides whether to publish. Review is an editorial judgment against Grain's criteria — not verification that claims are true, that an initiative is safe, or that anyone is who they say. Grain may edit for formatting, decline, unpublish, or remove any content or account at any time, with or without notice.
6. Listings and initiatives are not endorsements
A listing means a person checked it against a written standard on a stated date. It is not an endorsement of every position an organization holds, nor a warranty of completeness. The same is true of member initiatives: publishing means it passed an editorial review — nothing more. Grain does not run background checks, does not verify identities, and does not vet the individuals involved. Grain is not a party to any initiative and is not responsible for what organizers or participants do. If you join or organize, you do so at your own risk. The transparency model — public discussion under real names, with moderation and reporting — is an accountability tool, not a safety guarantee.
7. No donations, no advice
Grain does not accept, hold, or process donations or payments. Gifts go directly to the listed organization on its own site. Nothing on Grain is professional advice — financial, legal, tax, medical, safeguarding, or spiritual. Financial screening reads public filings; it is not an audit or a recommendation to give.
8. Third-party sites
Grain links out constantly. We don't control linked sites and aren't responsible for their content, accuracy, safety, or privacy. Following a link is at your own risk and subject to that site's terms.
9. Disclaimer of warranties
Grain is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant the site will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that any organization, resource, initiative, or person is trustworthy, safe, or suitable. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain disclaimers.
10. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent allowed by law, Grain and the person who runs it will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for loss arising from your use of the site, reliance on any listing or content, or any interaction or initiative between you and any organization, user, or third party — including real-world harm from participating in an initiative. Total liability for any claim will not exceed US $100. Some jurisdictions do not allow these limits.
11. Indemnity
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Grain and its operator from claims, losses, and reasonable costs (including legal fees) arising from content you submit, your use of the site, an initiative you organize or join, or your breach of these Terms.
12. Changes and termination
We may update these Terms; the "last updated" date will change and continued use means acceptance. We may change, suspend, or discontinue any part of Grain, and remove content or close accounts, as described above.
13. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and of the state where Grain's operator resides, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, and any dispute will be brought in the courts located there.