Mutual aid means community based, as opposed to a government or organization support, such as federal aid. It's not simultaneously mutually beneficial, where one party gets money and another gets a product as others in the thread have speculated. It's mutual in that, someone in the community with means donates to me when I'm in need, and I donate when someone else in the community is in need, if I have the means.
While charitable organizations can donate to individuals in the form of grants, it is highly unusual that those monies are used in a way that does not align to the organizational mission or charitable purpose. For example, if I were part of a charitable organization supporting individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) we may want to provide a grant to a local independent living center. While the center doesn't work exclusively with people with DD, developmentally delayed individuals often do need support living independently. Therefore, we have overlapping interests and this would be appropriate. However, we wouldn't give a grant to, say, fund breast cancer research.
Alternatively, a 501(c)(3) can also act as a fiscal sponsor for another group, in lieu of them establishing their own nonprofit . When acting as a fiscal sponsor, the 501(c)(3) enters into a contractual agreement and they collect tax deductable donations on another's behalf, usually retaining a percentage for administrative costs. When looking for the TUR's motive, this seems the most likely scenario (besides being performative). However, this is also generally done between organizations with overlapping interests.
I would venture to guess that they do not have a contractual relationship nor has any selection committee been formed. Plus, since Penny is likely the sole decision maker, the first recipient is a long-time friend, a separate account probably wasn't opened, the activity likely doesn't align to the organizational purpose (I haven't read any of their documents but there certainly isn't an immediate logical connection) and it's being given in cash... This definitely appears that they're using other peoples' money as their own, and not according to the way they've told the IRS they would. It seems to be more of a passthrough situation (read: tax fraud) than a fiscal sponsorship.
Fiscal sponsorships can be a good thing but can also be tricky, especially for small organizations without planning, training or attorneys. This can go wrong really fast and jeopardize their tax exempt status.
Here's another thread about a troon acting as a fiscal sponsor, that went left-- resulting in jail time: Thread 'Jorey Lee Brewis / Katt Brewis / kattcrazed / kisakattful / pdxtranspride / kattsense'
https://kiwifarms.net/threads/jorey...ed-kisakattful-pdxtranspride-kattsense.28882/
You might want to add tax fraud and prison to the tranch downfall poll.
Edit: words hard