Ploughshares Fund Inc
San Francisco, CA · EIN 94-2764520. Reported 211 grants totalling $15.7M to 122 organizations across tax years 2020-2023, on Form 990 Schedule I.
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For Ploughshares Fund Inc, by its IRS classification it raises and distributes funds for international affairs (NTEE Q124).
- How spread out its giving is. 122 distinct organizations, with 5% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 57% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is about the 57% median for grantmaking charities -- noticeably lower than the 67% private foundations manage. Organizations like this one rotate more of their list each year, which is where an opening for a newcomer tends to be.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $70,000. Half of what it reported fell between $50,000 and $85,000; the smallest was $7,500 and the largest $275,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Zero Action | Washington, DC | $811,500 | 8 | 3 | 2022 |
| Foreign Policy for America | Washington, DC | $490,000 | 4 | 3 | 2022 |
| Arms Control Assn | Washington, DC | $465,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Union of Concerned Scientists | Cambridge, MA | $465,000 | 5 | 3 | 2022 |
| Intl Civil Soc Action Ntwk | Washington, DC | $430,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Friends Cmte on Natl Legisla | Washington, DC | $370,000 | 5 | 3 | 2022 |
| Inkstick Media Inc | New Market, MD | $285,000 | 4 | 3 | 2022 |
| Nuclear Threat Initiative Inc | Washington, DC | $278,950 | 5 | 3 | 2022 |
| Beyond the Bomb | Washington, DC | $275,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Federation of American Scient | Washington, DC | $270,000 | 4 | 3 | 2022 |
| Council for a Livable World | Washington, DC | $255,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| J Street | Washington, DC | $255,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| President & Fellows of Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Quincy Inst Resp Statecraft | Washington, DC | $245,000 | 4 | 3 | 2022 |
| Rethink Media Inc | Berkeley, CA | $245,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Niac Action | Washington, DC | $235,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Bulletin of the Atomic Scient | Chicago, IL | $230,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| International Crisis Group | Washington, DC | $230,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Wa Physicians for Social Resp | Seattle, WA | $230,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Win Without War Educ Fund | Washington, DC | $230,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Foreign Policy for America | Washington, DC | $225,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Arms Control Association | Washington, DC | $215,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Tri-Valley Comm Agnst a Radio | Livermore, CA | $200,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Vet Voice Foundation | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Moveonorg Civic Action | Berkeley, CA | $190,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Pres & Fellows of Middlebury | Middlebury, VT | $190,000 | 3 | 1 | 2021 |
| National Comm on North Korea | Washington, DC | $185,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Foundation for a Civil Societ | New York, NY | $180,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Nuclear Threat Initiative Inc | Washington, DC | $177,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Win Without War Education Fund | Washington, DC | $157,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Herbert Scoville JR Peace Fel | Washington, DC | $155,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Marshallese Edu Initiative | Springdale, AR | $155,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Trustees of Princeton Uni | Princeton, NJ | $155,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Global Zero | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Inkstick Media Inc | New Market, MD | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| International Civil Society Actionnetwork Inc | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pres & Fellows of Middlebury | Monterey, CA | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Congr Progressive Caucus Ctr | Washington, DC | $145,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Pres & Fel of Middlebury Coll | Monterey, CA | $145,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| Atlantic Cncil of the US Inc | Washington, DC | $140,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Federation of American Scientists | Washington, DC | $135,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Nuclear Watch New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM | $135,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Union of Concerned Scientists Inc | Cambridge, MA | $135,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Womens Action for New Dir Ed | Washington, DC | $132,500 | 3 | 2 | 2021 |
| Womens Action for New Direct | Washington, DC | $132,500 | 3 | 2 | 2021 |
| Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Washington, DC | $130,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Henry L Stimson Center | Washington, DC | $130,000 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| New Venture Fund | Washington, DC | $120,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Women Cross Dmz Women De-Mil | San Francisco, CA | $120,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Physicians for Social Respons | Washington, DC | $115,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Rethink Media Inc | San Francisco, CA | $112,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Stimson Center | Washington, DC | $110,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Vet Voice Foundation | Portland, OR | $105,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Women of Color Advancing Peac | Washington, DC | $105,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Veterans for Peace | St Louis, MO | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Marshallese Educational Initiative Inc | Springdale, AR | $95,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Moveon Org Civic Action | Beaverton, OR | $95,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Moveonorg Civic Action | Washington, DC | $95,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Fulcrum Arts | Pasadena, CA | $85,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists | Chicago, IL | $85,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fcnl Education Fund | Washington, DC | $85,000 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| J Street | Washington, DC | $85,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| J Street Education Fund Inc | Washington, DC | $85,000 | 3 | 2 | 2021 |
| Vet Voice Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | $85,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Women Cross Dmz | Los Angeles, CA | $80,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| International Crisis Group | Washington, DC | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Nuclear Truth Project Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pacific Forum International | Honolulu, HI | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Physicians for Social Responsibility Inc | Seattle, WA | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft | Washington, DC | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Trustees of the Uni of Penn | Philadelphia, PA | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cofa Alliance Ntl Ntwk of Wa | Seattle, WA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Common Defense Civic Engage | New York, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kairos Center | Wrightsvlle Bch, NC | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Niac Action | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Secure Families Foundation | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Secure Families Foundation | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Nuclear Truth Project | Moodys, OK | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Open Mind Legacy Project Inc | New York, NY | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Southwest Research and Information Center | Albuquerque, NM | $73,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Secure Families Foundation | Alachua, FL | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment | Livermore, CA | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Women Cross Dmz Women De-Mil | Honolulu, HI | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Whitman College Brd of Truses | Walla Walla, WA | $68,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Henry L Stimson Center | Washington, DC | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mercy Corps | Portland, OR | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Nuclear Watch of New Mexico | Santa Fe, NM | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Women in Intl Security Wiis | New York, NY | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bomshelltoe | Los Angeles, CA | $63,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Carnegie End for Intl Peace | Washington, DC | $62,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| As You Sow | Berkeley, CA | $55,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Herbert Scoville JR Peace Fellowship | Washington, DC | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security Wcaps | Washington, DC | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Arms Control Association | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cato Institute | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Center for American Progress | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Cntr for New Amer Secrty Inc | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Common Defense Civic Engage | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2 | 1 | 2020 |
| Games for Change Inc | Woodside, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| New America Foundation | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Physicians for Social Respons | Santa Barbara, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Proj on Govt Oversight | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Women of Color Advancing Peac | Woodbridge, VA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Physicians for Social Responsibility Inc | Washington, DC | $49,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Massachusetts Insit of Tech | Cambridge, MA | $45,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cntr for Intl Policy Inc | Washington, DC | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| The 1947 Partition Archive | Berkeley, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Cntr for Strategic & Int Stu | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Fund for Constitutional Govt | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Truman Ctr for Ntl Policy | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Whitman College Board of Trustees | Walla Walla, WA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Working Families Organization | Brooklyn, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Trustees of the Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, NJ | $24,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Downwind Film LLC | Santa Fe, NM | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fcnl Education Fund | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| National Iranian Amer Council | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Downwind Film LLC | Santa Fe, NM | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Miaan Group | Brooklyn, NY | $13,500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| National Iranian American Council | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Various Other Non-Profit Organizations | San Francisco, CA | $8,885 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Das Bombe LLC | Brooklyn, NY | $8,500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
42 of 122 (34%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.
- Global Zero Action
SEE SCH O FOR PURPOSE OF GRANT - President and Fellows of Middlebury College
1. TO SUPPORT A FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR NUCLEAR EXPERTS IMPACTED BY THE INVASION OF UKRAINE.3. TO SUPPORT JEFFREY LEWIS RESEARCH, ANALYSIS, AND MEDIA OUTREACH ON NUCLEAR AND MISSILE ACTIVITIES IN NORTH KOREA AND CHINA.2. TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES OF THE MIDDLE EAST NEXT GENERATION OF ARMS CONTROL SPECIALISTS TO PROMOTE REGIONAL SECURITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. - Foreign Policy for America
TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES PROMOTING A DIPLOMACY-FIRST FOREIGN POLICY FOR THE UNITED STATES, PARTICULARLY ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS-RELATED ISSUES. - Arms Control Association
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. - Nuclear Threat Initiative
1. TO SUPPORT STAFF TIME DEDICATED TO THE INVOLVEMENT ON THE CORE TEAM FOR THE STOP THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE ROUNDTABLE.2. TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NARRATIVE STRATEGY FOR SHIFTING POLITICAL WILL IN FAVOR OF NUCLEAR RISK REDUCTION AND THE ELIMINATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.3. TO SUPPORT THE GENDER CHAMPIONS IN NUCLEAR POLICY (GCNP) INITIATIVE. - Win Without War Education Fund
1. TO MOBILIZE A BROAD BASE OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR PROGRESSIVE FOREIGN POLICIES, INCLUDING NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION, DENUCLEARIZATION, AND DIPLOMACY WITH NUCLEAR-ARMED STATES.2. TO SUPPORT A FELLOWSHIP POSITION THAT EXPLORES THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF NUCLEAR POLICY AND THE EXPERIENCES OF COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY NUCLEAR WEAPONS.3. TO SUPPORT STAFF TIME DEDICATED TO THE INVOLVEMENT ON THE CORE TEAM FOR THE STOP THE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE ROUNDTABLE.
What kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 33 of 122 recipients we could match to a registered organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 59 | $3,594,500 | $57,500 |
| 2021 | 58 | $4,037,000 | $70,000 |
| 2022 | 55 | $4,272,835 | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 39 | $3,754,500 | $80,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
61% of its giving went to organizations in District of Columbia. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are the strongest signal available that two funders have overlapping priorities -- and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $70,000 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in District of Columbia.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Ploughshares Fund Inc's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2020-2023). Nothing here is scraped, inferred or estimated.
On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 32 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 9 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.
Address of record on the latest return: 315 Bay Street 4TH Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94133.
EIN 94-2764520 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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