Private foundation · Chicago, IL

Ploughshares Foundation

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Typical grant size
$3K $5K $10K
25th · median · 75th percentile
Unique recipients
243
Repeat grantees
222
funded 2+ years

Application procedures · from 2024 990-PF

DeadlinesNO
ContactDONALD M EPHRAIM · 3123219700
MaterialsALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE IN WRITTEN FORM. THEY MUST INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANIZATION WHICH IS SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION, THE GRANT AMOUNT(S) REQUESTED BY SUCH ORGANIZATION AND THE USE WHICH THE SUBMITTING ORGANIZATION INTENDS TO MAKE OF ANY GRANT(S) THAT MAY BE RECEIVED FROM THIS FOUNDATION. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST, IN ADDITION, INCLUDE A COPY OF THE SUBMITTING ORGANIZATION'S IRS DETERMINATION LETTER EVIDENCING QUALIFICATION AS A SECTION 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION, TOGETHER WITH A COPY OF THE SUBMITTING ORGANIZATION'S MOST RECENTLY FILED IRS FORM 990.
RestrictionsNO

Leadership · from 2024 990-PF

Donald M Ephraim
OFFICER & DIRECTOR
Eliot S Ephraim
OFFICER & DIRECTOR
David M Ephraim
OFFICER & DIRECTOR

Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part VII. Officers, directors, and trustees as reported by the foundation.

Payout rate · TY 2024
5.0%
grants paid ÷ assets · ~5% IRS minimum
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
1,809
Total grants awarded
$16.7M
Total amount
$9K
Average grant
$100K
Largest grant

Giving by year

2024
$3.5M
367 grants
2023
$3.5M
369 grants
2022
$3.4M
374 grants
2021
$3.2M
360 grants
2020
$3.1M
339 grants

Top recipients

Partners in Health
6 grants · MD
$485K
Doctors Without Borders
5 grants · MD
$470K
5 grants · MA · ✓ Exact match
$400K
Direct Relief International
5 grants · CA
$315K
4 grants · MA · ✓ Exact match
$310K
5 grants · MA · ✓ Exact match
$300K
5 grants · IN · ✓ Exact match
$300K
Save the Children
5 grants · CT
$280K
5 grants · ME · ✓ Exact match
$250K
First Parish in Cambridge
5 grants · MA
$250K

Recipient names are as reported on the 990-PF. ✓ Exact match = EIN matched to IRS records by exact name + state; ≈ likely match = EIN inferred from a closely similar name. The recipient EIN is never stated on the form — it is DoubleNine’s match.

Recent grants · most recent filings first

Partners in Health
$50,000 FOR WORK IN HAITI AND MEXICO
MA · TY 2024
$85K
Lenny Zakim Fund
YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY AND ILLNESS
MA · TY 2024
$75K
Doctors Without Borders
FOR AID TO GAZA, THE WEST BANK, AND ISRAEL AND FOR WORK ALONG THE US/MEXICO BORDER
MD · TY 2024
$75K
Earlham College
$40,000 FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS; $20,000 FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
IN · TY 2024
$60K
International Rescue Committee
FOR CRISIS WORK IN GAZA AND ISRAEL AND FOR AID AND WORK WITH AFGHANS WORLDWIDE
MN · TY 2024
$60K
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
$20,000 FOR CLIMATE CRISIS
MA · TY 2024
$60K
American Friends Service Committee
$20,000 FOR PRISON JUSTICE PROGRAMS; AND $30,000 FOR RELIEF/AID TO GAZA
PA · TY 2024
$55K
United Mid Coast Charities Inc
GENERAL
ME · TY 2024
$50K
First Parish in Cambridge
$30,000 FOR TUESDAY MEALS ENDOWMENT; $20,000 FOR FIRST PARISH
MA · TY 2024
$50K
Save the Children
FOR PROGRAMS IN SYRIA, YEMEN, SOUTH SUDAN, HAITI, AND ALONG US BORDER WITH MEXICO; AND FOR EMERGENCY AID TO UKRAINE AND …
CT · TY 2024
$50K
Mercy Corps
HUMANITARIAN AID IN RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS IN GAZA AND ISRAEL
IA · TY 2024
$50K
Direct Relief International
WORK IN YEMEN, LEBANON, HAITI, IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHERE MOST NEEDED
CA · TY 2024
$45K
American Jewish World Service
FOR WORK OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
NY · TY 2024
$41K
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc
GENERAL
NY · TY 2024
$40K
Americares Foundation Inc
FOR WORK IN GAZA AND UKRAINE
CT · TY 2024
$40K
Amnesty International USA
FOR PROGRAMS AIMED AT REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS; ELIMINATING THE DEATH PENALTY AND REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND TO PROTE…
NY · TY 2024
$38K
Greater Boston Food Bank
GENERAL
MA · TY 2024
$35K
Care
$10,000 FOR AID TO AFGHAN FAMILIES; $10,000 TO UKRAINE AND $15,000 FOR RELIEF EFFORTS IN LEBANON
GA · TY 2024
$35K
Museum of Fine Arts
EGYPTIAN DEPARTMENT CURATORS FUND
MA · TY 2024
$35K
Cambridge Community Foundation
$10,000 FOR RISE UP CAMBRIDGE
MA · TY 2024
$32K
Oxfam America
$25,000 FOR GLOBAL REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION CRISIS AND AID TO GAZA/ISRAEL
MA · TY 2024
$30K
Mills College Legacy Scholarship Fund
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND FACULTY SALARIES
CA · TY 2024
$30K
350org
GENERAL
MA · TY 2024
$30K
Natural Resource Defense Council
GENERAL
NY · TY 2024
$30K
Project Bread
GENERAL
MA · TY 2024
$26K
Us Fund for Unicef
FOR WORK WITH MIGRANT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK
NY · TY 2024
$25K
Catholic Relief Services
AID TO US/MEXICO BORDER, CENTRAL AMERICA AND UKRAINE
MD · TY 2024
$25K
Global Giving
FOR PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT WOMEN AND GIRLS, AND FOR MIDDLE EAST CRISIS RELIEF FUND
DC · TY 2024
$25K
Wbur Radio Station Fund
$12,000 FOR NEWS AND SPECIAL COVERAGE
MA · TY 2024
$25K
World Central Kitchen
RELIEF EFFORTS FOR UKRAINIAN FAMILIES AND FAMILIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
DC · TY 2024
$22K
Cure Violence Global
PROGRAMS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND US CITIES
IL · TY 2024
$22K
World Monuments Fund
FUND TO CONSERVE THE MORTUARY TEMPLE OF AMENHOTEP III IN EGYPT
NY · TY 2024
$20K
Maine Coast Heritage Trust
GENERAL
ME · TY 2024
$20K
Greenpeace Fund
GENERAL
DC · TY 2024
$20K
Hope for Haiti
FOR HEALTHCARE IN HAITI
FL · TY 2024
$20K
Natural Resources Council of Maine
GENERAL
ME · TY 2024
$20K
Greater Boston Legal Services
GENERAL
MA · TY 2024
$20K
New England Conservatory of Music
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
MA · TY 2024
$20K
Nature Conservancy of Maine
GENERAL
ME · TY 2024
$20K
City of Cambridge Scholarship Fund
GENERAL
MA · TY 2024
$20K
Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry
$10,000 FOR RYP (ROXBURY YOUTH PROGRAMS)
MA · TY 2024
$20K
Casa Myrna
GENERAL
MA · TY 2024
$18K
Equal Justice Initiative
GENERAL
AL · TY 2024
$18K
Brookline Community Foundation
$10,000 FOR SAFETY NET PROGRAM AND $2,000 FOR BHS SCHOLARSHIP FUND
MA · TY 2024
$17K
Andrew Goodman Foundation
GENERAL
NY · TY 2024
$16K
Brookline Emergency Food Pantry
GENERAL
MA · TY 2024
$16K
Seeds of Peace
GENERAL
NJ · TY 2024
$16K
Client Reality Project
GENERAL
DC · TY 2024
$16K
Charitywater Inc
GENERAL
TN · TY 2024
$15K
Human Rights Watch
GENERAL
NY · TY 2024
$15K

Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV. Up to 50 most recent grants shown.