Ploughshares Fund Inc
Ploughshares Fund is a public grantmaking foundation based in San Francisco, California, established in 1981. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it pools contributions from individuals, families, and foundations to support initiatives focused on nuclear weapons prevention and reduction. The organization operates as the largest US philanthropic foundation focused exclusively on nuclear weapons issues, having awarded over $100 million in grants since its founding.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$27.3M
-13.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.8M
-12.1% YoY
Grant Count
39
-29.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$96K
+23.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization's stated mission is to reduce the nuclear threat and build a safe, secure, nuclear weapon-free world. Ploughshares Fund develops and invests in initiatives to reduce and ultimately eliminate the world's nuclear stockpiles and promote stability in regions of conflict. The foundation's work centers on preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons and preventing conflicts that could lead to their use.
Grantmaking
Ploughshares Fund distributes grants to support its nuclear weapons prevention work. Recent grant announcements include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grant-making priorities include the District of Columbia, California, and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $27.3 million
- Revenue: $5.1 million
- Expenses: $9.72 million
- Net Income: -$4.62 million
- Total Liabilities: $3.33 million
- Total Giving: $4.39 million
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total Assets: $31.7 million
- Revenue: $9.1 million
- Investments: $5.7 million
The organization employs 21 staff members.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,342,062 | $31,713,205 | $27,533,939 |
| Revenue | $5,100,151 | $9,103,541 | $6,339,927 |
| Expenses | $9,724,669 | $8,959,502 | $8,495,557 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,181,654 | $294,857 | $1,115,236 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
189 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
7 open opportunities from Ploughshares Fund Inc
Bold Experiments Grants
PLOUGHSHARES FUND INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
September 1, 2026
Core Support Grants
PLOUGHSHARES FUND INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
September 1, 2026
Expanding Capacity Grants
PLOUGHSHARES FUND INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
September 1, 2026
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include President and Fellows of Middlebury College ($250,000), Foreign Policy for America ($225,000), Arms Control Association ($215,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARMS CONTROL ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, DC | 1. TO SUPPORT STAFF TIME DEDICATED TO THE INVOLVEMENT ON THE CORE TEAM FOR THE STOP THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE ROUNDTABLE2. TO SUPPORT THE ARMS CONTROL ASSOCIATION'S RESEARCH, PUBLIC EDUCATION, MEDIA OUTREACH, POLICY ADVOCACY, AND CONGRESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT WORK ON PRESSING NUCLEAR POLICY ISSUES.3. TO SUPPORT THE PHYSICISTS COALITION FOR NUCLEAR THREAT REDUCTION'S GRASSROOTS NETWORK OF SCIENTISTS CONCERNED ABOUT NUCLEAR DANGERS AND WILLING TO EDUCATE LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE NEED FOR POLICY CHANGE. | $215,500 |
| BOMBSHELLTOE (FISCAL SPONSOR - FULCRUM ARTS) LOS ANGELES, CA | 1. TO SUPPORT THE ATOMIC TERRAIN PROJECT AND ITS WORK TO STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN AND DEVELOP ORIGINAL SCHOLARSHIP AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE NUCLEAR AND ENVIRONMENTAL FIELDS.2. TO SUPPORT THE PARTICIPATION OF THE ATOMIC TERRAIN PROJECT AT THE 2024 NEW YORK ART BOOK FAIR. | $85,500 |
| BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS CHICAGO, IL | 1. TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF NETWORKING EVENTS FOR EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN NUCLEAR WEAPONS POLICY IN THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA.2. TO SUPPORT THE BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIENTISTS COVERAGE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS ISSUES. | $85,000 |
| CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE WASHINGTON, DC | 1. TO SUPPORT A CARNEGIE POLICY DIALOGUE ON KEY ISSUES.2. TO SUPPORT TONG ZHAO'S RESEARCH ABOUT A POTENTIAL CHINESE SHIFT TO A LAUNCH-UNDER-ATTACK POSTURE, AS WELL AS A RELATED TRACK II MEETING AND POLICYMAKER ENGAGEMENT. | $130,000 |
| DOWNWIND FILM LLC SANTA FE, NM | TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES AROUND SCREENINGS OF THE FIRST WE BOMBED NEW MEXICO DOCUMENTARY FILM AT FILM FESTIVALS. | $20,000 |
| FCNL EDUCATION FUND WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO EDUCATE POLICYMAKERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT SAFER NUCLEAR POLICIES AND DIPLOMACY WITH IRAN, NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA, AND CHINA. | $20,000 |
| FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS WASHINGTON, DC | 1. TO SUPPORT MATT KORDA AND MACKENZIE KNIGHT'S RESEARCH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS ON POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES TO CURRENT US NUCLEAR LAUNCH AUTHORITY POLICY.2. TO SUPPORT THE NUCLEAR INFORMATION PROJECT, ITS POLICYMAKER AND MEDIA OUTREACH, AND ITS ANALYSIS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS, BUDGETS, AND CURRENT AND FUTURE POLICIES AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE NEW GLOBAL RISK PROGRAM. | $135,000 |
| FOREIGN POLICY FOR AMERICA WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES PROMOTING A DIPLOMACY-FIRST FOREIGN POLICY FOR THE UNITED STATES, PARTICULARLY ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS-RELATED ISSUES. | $225,000 |
| GLOBAL ZERO WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT A RESPONSIBLE WIND-DOWN OF OPERATIONS AND HELP PROVIDE A SOFTER LANDING TO GLOBAL ZERO STAFF DURING THIS TRANSITION. | $150,000 |
| HERBERT SCOVILLE JR PEACE FELLOWSHIP WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT FELLOWS WORKING ON INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY ISSUES AT LEADING WASHINGTON, DC-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. | $55,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Joseph Cirincione serves as President. The organization was founded by Sally Lilienthal.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALEN AMINI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| AMY MCGRATH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BEN RHODES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CONNIE FOOTE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DON MORDECAI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DOUG MICHELMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EMMA BELCHER | PRESIDENT | 40 | $425,973 |
| ETHAN KELLY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| FARSHAD FARAHAT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GRETCHEN HUND | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN FEIKEMA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARGARET A TOUGH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICAHEL WEAR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PHILIP AMES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SCOTT SAGAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHANNON SEDGWICK DAVIS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SKYLER BROWN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TERRY GAMBLE BOYER | CHAIR | 3.5 | — |
| TYLER WIGG-STEVENSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH WARNER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $181,894 |
| JAMSHADE FAANI | FINANCE DIRECTOR/CONTROLLER | 40 | $129,190 |
| BONNIE FISK | DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR | 40 | $133,482 |
| CHARLES CROSBY | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING | 40 | $132,109 |
| JOHN BAKER | DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS | 40 | $101,474 |
| SARA KUTCHESFAHANI | DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS | 40 | $136,616 |
| TOM COLLINA | SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR | 40 | $137,352 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced multiple grant rounds in recent years supporting nuclear weapons reduction and elimination initiatives. These announcements demonstrate ongoing active grantmaking aligned with the organization's core mission of preventing nuclear proliferation and promoting global security.
Ploughshares Fund Announces $1,270,000 in Grants to Eliminate Nuclear WeaponsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ploughshares Fund Inc fund?
The organization's stated mission is to reduce the nuclear threat and build a safe, secure, nuclear weapon-free world. Ploughshares Fund develops and invests in initiatives to reduce and ultimately eliminate the world's nuclear stockpiles and promote stability in regions of conflict. The foundation's work centers on preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons and preventing conflicts that could lead to their use.
How do I apply for a grant from Ploughshares Fund Inc?
Ploughshares Fund distributes grants to support its nuclear weapons prevention work. Recent grant announcements include: • $1,270,000 in grants to eliminate nuclear weapons • $970,000 in grants to stop nuclear threats • $890,000 in grants to reduce the threat from nuclear weapons • $565,000 in grants to counter rising nuclear threat • $1 million for nuclear threat reduction Typical grant awards range from $6,000 to $400,000. The foundation's grant-making focuses on education, philanthropy, volu…
Where does Ploughshares Fund Inc make grants?
The foundation's grant-making priorities include the District of Columbia, California, and Washington.
What size grants does Ploughshares Fund Inc award?
In 2024, Ploughshares Fund Inc awarded 39 grants totaling $3.8M — an average of about $96K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Ploughshares Fund Inc's EIN?
Ploughshares Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2764520. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ploughshares Fund Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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