The Ploughshares Fund board of directors recently awarded grants to over 20 organizations
The Ploughshares Fund board of directors recently awarded $1.5 million in new grants to over 20 organizations working to end nuclear threats.
“These investments will develop new champions, provide vital research and empower American citizens to create a new vision for a saner nuclear policy,” said Ploughshares Fund President Joe Cirincione. “We have a balanced portfolio,” Cirincione explained, “The board invests in the best expert research, the most effective advocates, the clearest media messengers and, increasingly, in the new mass movements energizing public involvement on policy issues.”
For example, a new grant to National Security Action will allow that organization of former and future government officials to craft a new nuclear posture plan for the United States. To promote diplomacy and reduce the risk of war, the board gave a grant to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft to help launch this new institute and work on the threat of new wars in the Middle East and to promote diplomacy with North Korea. “We want to inject new ideas and proposals, providing political space to de-escalate current tensions and create viable diplomatic solutions,” said Director of Programs Michelle Dover.
A new grant to the Center for Non-Proliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute at Monterey will support the development of a new generation of arms control specialists working with the latest technology. The board’s support for the Herbert Scoville, Jr. Peace Fellowship allows new college graduates to get a foothold in the field, placing them with the most effective organizations operating in Washington, DC. A first-time grant to the Fuller Project for International Reporting will promote coverage of the vital role of women in preventing and reducing conflicts around the world. The latter grant is part of the foundation’s new Women’s Initiative aimed at raising the role and number of women in nuclear security.
Ploughshares Fund awards board-level grants three times a year. Grants must seek to reduce the number of nuclear weapons, prevent the emergence of new nuclear states or build regional security where nuclear weapons exist.
“We are enormously grateful to the hundreds of supporters who donated to Ploughshares Fund this year,” said Managing Director Liz Warner, “Their strong and steady support — with contributions large and small — makes all these grants possible.” Organizations that received grants at the October board meeting include:
- Arms Control Association
- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
- Cato Institute
- Center for a New American Security
- Center for Non-proliferation Studies at Middlebury
- Federation of American Scientists
- Friends Committee on National Legislation
- Fuller Project for International Reporting
- Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
- International Crisis Group
- National Committee on North Korea
- National Iranian American Council
- National Security Action
- Nuclear Watch New Mexico
- Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
- ReThink Media
- The Stimson Center
- Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility
- West End Strategy Team, LLC
- Women’s Action for New Directions
Ploughshares Fund is a global security foundation based in San Francisco, with an office in Washington, DC. Founded in 1981, Ploughshares Fund supports initiatives to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons. It is the largest US philanthropic organization focused exclusively on nuclear security.