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
No grants recorded for .
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
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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