Ploughshares Foundation prioritizes international humanitarian relief, refugee/immigrant assistance, and human rights advocacy while also supporting local community services and higher education in the Boston/Cambridge area. Their giving mixes emergency response (earthquakes, conflicts, refugee crises) with longer‑term social justice and public health investments, and they fund both large international NGOs and smaller community organizations. Recipients include repeat grantees across health, refugee relief, and civil‑rights/philanthropic intermediaries, reflecting a dual focus on global crisis response and regional civic well‑being.
Ploughshares Foundation’s recent grantmaking is anchored by emergency humanitarian relief and refugee support, with repeated funding for crises in Gaza, Turkey and Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Haiti, and along the U.S.-Mexico border. The foundation also backs human rights advocacy and local civic services, creating a mix of international response and community-based giving. In 2024, it gave $100,000 to Doctors Without Borders for earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria, aid to Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel, and work along the U.S.-Mexico border. It also awarded $100,000 to Partners in Health for work in Haiti, Mexico, and Peru. Other large grants went to the International Rescue Committee for crisis work in Gaza and Israel and for aid and work with Afghans worldwide, and to Save the Children for programs in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Haiti, the U.S. border with Mexico, and emergency aid to Ukraine and children in Gaza. The pattern shows a foundation that funds both immediate relief and longer-running humanitarian and social-justice efforts through established intermediaries and local organizations.
Humanitarian crisis response is central to the foundation’s portfolio. It gave $70,000 to Direct Relief International for earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria, work in Yemen, Lebanon, Haiti, the Middle East, and where most needed, and $50,000 to Mercy Corps for humanitarian aid in response to the crisis in Gaza and Israel. Refugee and migrant support also appears repeatedly: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee received $60,000 for aid to Rohingya and Central American migrant justice, while Doctors Without Borders received $95,000 for medical and humanitarian programs for refugees and IDPs, including work in Reynosa, Mexico and other cities on the Mexico-U.S. border. The foundation also funded civic and social-justice work through American Friends Service Committee, including $20,000 for prison justice programs and $30,000 for relief and peace initiatives in Israel and Gaza.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized, with a p25 of $3,000, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent list shows many repeat recipients across 2023 and 2024, including Doctors Without Borders, Direct Relief International, Partners in Health, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and Lenny Zakim Fund. That points to ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards. Ploughshares Foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it also funds individuals. The grant list includes both general support and purpose-specific awards, with many grants split across several program areas within a single award.
$3.6M
$80.6M
$3.7M
$4M
Most grants fall between $3K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 2% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Moderate number of mid‑to‑large grants distributed across both international NGOs and local nonprofits, with frequent repeat funding to core grantees; a mix of crisis/emergency grants and general operating or program support rather than only one‑off gifts.
Notable grantees: Partners In Health, Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières, International Rescue Committee, Lenni Zakim Fund, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Ploughshares Foundation gives nationally, with the greatest concentration of grants going to recipients in Washington, DC. The recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based, with recipients in many states including Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and California. Boston and Cambridge appear repeatedly through grantees such as Boston Foundation, Lenny Zakim Fund, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and First Parish in Cambridge. Other recurring recipient locations include Frederick, MD; Hagerstown, MD; Stamford, CT; and Philadelphia, PA.
Its recent grants center on humanitarian relief, refugee and immigrant support, and human rights advocacy. Examples include funding for Gaza, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Haiti, the U.S.-Mexico border, prison justice programs, and local social-justice groups in Boston and Cambridge.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is relatively moderate: the 25th percentile is $3,000, the median is $5,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,000. The recent list also includes larger awards of $50,000 to $100,000 for major humanitarian partners.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2023 and 2024, including Doctors Without Borders, Direct Relief International, Partners in Health, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, Earlham College, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, American Friends Service Committee, Lenny Zakim Fund, Americares Foundation, and First Parish in Cambridge.
Its grants are national, but the top state by grant count is DC. The recipient list is otherwise spread across the U.S., with repeated awards to organizations in Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and California.
The recipient country distribution shown in the data is entirely U.S.-based: 743 grants, or 100.0%, went to recipients in the United States. The purposes of those grants often support work in other countries, but the recipient organizations are U.S.-located.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARTNERS IN HEALTH | BOSTON, MA | $85,000 | 2026 | $50,000 FOR WORK IN HAITI AND MEXICO |
| LENNY ZAKIM FUND | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2026 | YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY AND ILLNESS |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $70,000 | 2026 | FOR AID TO GAZA, THE WEST BANK, AND ISRAEL AND FOR WORK ALONG THE US/MEXICO BORDER |
| UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $60,000 | 2026 | $20,000 FOR CLIMATE CRISIS |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $60,000 | 2026 | $20,000 FOR PRISON JUSTICE PROGRAMS; AND $40,000 FOR RELIEF/AID TO GAZA |
| EARLHAM COLLEGE | RICHMOND, IN | $60,000 | 2026 | $40,000 FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS; $20,000 FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT |
| FIRST PARISH IN CAMBRIDGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | $30,000 FOR TUESDAY MEALS ENDOWMENT; $20,000 FOR FIRST PARISH |
| UNITED MID COAST CHARITIES INC | CAMDEN, ME | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MERCY CORPS | BOONE, IA | $50,000 | 2026 | HUMANITARIAN AID IN GAZA AND THE MIDDLE EAST |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN | FAIRFIELD, CT | $50,000 | 2026 | FOR PROGRAMS IN SYRIA, YEMEN, SOUTH SUDAN, HAITI, AND ALONG US BORDER WITH MEXICO; AND FOR EMERGENCY AID TO UKRAINE AND TO CHILDREN IN GAZA |
| DIRECT RELIEF INTERNATIONAL | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $45,000 | 2026 | WORK IN YEMEN, LEBANON, HAITI, IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHERE MOST NEEDED |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MN | $45,000 | 2026 | FOR CRISIS WORK IN GAZA AND THE MIDDLE EAST |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE | NEW YORK, NY | $41,000 | 2026 | FOR WORK OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| AMERICARES FOUNDATION INC | STAMFORD, CT | $40,000 | 2026 | FOR WORK IN GAZA AND UKRAINE |
| GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK | BOSTON, MA | $38,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA | NEW YORK, NY | $38,000 | 2026 | FOR PROGRAMS AIMED AT REFUGEE AND MIGRANT RIGHTS; ELIMINATING THE DEATH PENALTY AND REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS IN GAZA |
| WBUR RADIO STATION FUND | BOSTON, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | $25,000 FOR NEWS AND SPECIAL COVERAGE |
| CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | $10,000 FOR RISE UP CAMBRIDGE |
| MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS | BOSTON, MA | $35,000 | 2026 | EGYPTIAN DEPARTMENT CURATORS FUND |
| 350ORG | BOSTON, MA | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| NATURAL RESOURCE DEFENSE COUNCIL | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| OXFAM AMERICA | BOSTON, MA | $30,000 | 2026 | $25,000 FOR GLOBAL REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION CRISIS AND AID TO GAZA EMERGENCY APPEAL |
| MILLS COLLEGE LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | FOR MILLS STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND MILLS FACULTY SALARIES |
| UNRWA USA NATIONAL COMMITTEE | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| US FUND FOR UNICEF | NEW YORK, NY | $28,000 | 2026 | FOR WORK WITH MIGRANT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK |
| PROJECT BREAD | EAST BOSTON, MA | $26,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| GREATER BOSTON LEGAL SERVICES | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| GLOBAL GIVING | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | FOR PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT WOMEN AND GIRLS, AND FOR MIDDLE EAST CRISIS RELIEF FUND |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES | TIPTON, IA | $25,000 | 2026 | FOR WORK IN MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, UKRAINE AND IN THE WEST BANK AND GAZA |
| NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE | AUGUSTA, ME | $22,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $22,000 | 2026 | RELIEF EFFORTS FOR GAZA AND FOR UKRAINIAN FAMILIES |
| CURE VIOLENCE GLOBAL | CHICAGO, IL | $22,000 | 2026 | PROGRAMS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND US CITIES |
| HAND IN HAND | PORTLAND, OR | $22,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY OF MAINE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $22,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WORLD MONUMENTS FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | FOR WORK IN ABYDOS, EGYPT |
| UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST URBAN MINISTRY | ROXBURY, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | $10,000 FOR RYP (ROXBURY YOUTH PROGRAMS) |
| CASA MYRNA | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| GREENPEACE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MAINE COAST HERITAGE TRUST | TOPSHAM, ME | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION-EATON FIRE RELIEF AND RECOVERY FUND | PASADENA, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | FOR AID TO ALTADENA |
| CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION -WILDFIRE RECOVERY FUND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | FOR RELIEF AND RECOVERY IN ALTADENA |
| CARE | ATLANTA, GA | $20,000 | 2026 | $6,000 FOR AID TO AFGHAN FAMILIES; $8,000 TO UKRAINE AND $6,000 FOR RELIEF EFFORTS IN LEBANON |
| MAINE PUBLIC | LEWISTON, ME | $20,000 | 2026 | PROGRAMMING COSTS |
| AREA INTERFAITH OUTREACH FOOD PANTRY | ROCKLAND, ME | $18,000 | 2026 | FOOD PANTRY AND ENERGY CLIENT SERVICES AND NOT FOR BUILDING |
| ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION | BROOKLYN, NY | $18,000 | 2026 | $14,000 FOR VOTE EVERYWHERE PROGRAM |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $18,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BROOKLINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BROOKLINE, MA | $17,000 | 2026 | $10,000 FOR SAFETY NET PROGRAM AND $2,000 FOR BHS SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
PARTNERS IN HEALTH
$85,000$50,000 FOR WORK IN HAITI AND MEXICO
LENNY ZAKIM FUND
$75,000YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION, SOCIAL JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY AND ILLNESS
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$70,000FOR AID TO GAZA, THE WEST BANK, AND ISRAEL AND FOR WORK ALONG THE US/MEXICO BORDER
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE
$60,000$20,000 FOR CLIMATE CRISIS
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
$60,000$20,000 FOR PRISON JUSTICE PROGRAMS; AND $40,000 FOR RELIEF/AID TO GAZA
EARLHAM COLLEGE
$60,000$40,000 FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS; $20,000 FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
FIRST PARISH IN CAMBRIDGE
$50,000$30,000 FOR TUESDAY MEALS ENDOWMENT; $20,000 FOR FIRST PARISH
UNITED MID COAST CHARITIES INC
$50,000GENERAL
MERCY CORPS
$50,000HUMANITARIAN AID IN GAZA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
SAVE THE CHILDREN
$50,000FOR PROGRAMS IN SYRIA, YEMEN, SOUTH SUDAN, HAITI, AND ALONG US BORDER WITH MEXICO; AND FOR EMERGENCY AID TO UKRAINE AND TO CHILDREN IN GAZA
DIRECT RELIEF INTERNATIONAL
$45,000WORK IN YEMEN, LEBANON, HAITI, IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND WHERE MOST NEEDED
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$45,000FOR CRISIS WORK IN GAZA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE
$41,000FOR WORK OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA INC
$40,000GENERAL
AMERICARES FOUNDATION INC
$40,000FOR WORK IN GAZA AND UKRAINE
GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK
$38,000GENERAL
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
$38,000FOR PROGRAMS AIMED AT REFUGEE AND MIGRANT RIGHTS; ELIMINATING THE DEATH PENALTY AND REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS IN GAZA
WBUR RADIO STATION FUND
$35,000$25,000 FOR NEWS AND SPECIAL COVERAGE
CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$35,000$10,000 FOR RISE UP CAMBRIDGE
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
$35,000EGYPTIAN DEPARTMENT CURATORS FUND
350ORG
$30,000GENERAL
NATURAL RESOURCE DEFENSE COUNCIL
$30,000GENERAL
OXFAM AMERICA
$30,000$25,000 FOR GLOBAL REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION CRISIS AND AID TO GAZA EMERGENCY APPEAL
MILLS COLLEGE LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$30,000FOR MILLS STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND MILLS FACULTY SALARIES
UNRWA USA NATIONAL COMMITTEE
$30,000GENERAL
US FUND FOR UNICEF
$28,000FOR WORK WITH MIGRANT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK
PROJECT BREAD
$26,000GENERAL
GREATER BOSTON LEGAL SERVICES
$25,000GENERAL
GLOBAL GIVING
$25,000FOR PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT WOMEN AND GIRLS, AND FOR MIDDLE EAST CRISIS RELIEF FUND
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
$25,000FOR WORK IN MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, UKRAINE AND IN THE WEST BANK AND GAZA
NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE
$22,000GENERAL
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN
$22,000RELIEF EFFORTS FOR GAZA AND FOR UKRAINIAN FAMILIES
CURE VIOLENCE GLOBAL
$22,000PROGRAMS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND US CITIES
HAND IN HAND
$22,000GENERAL
NATURE CONSERVANCY OF MAINE
$22,000GENERAL
WORLD MONUMENTS FUND
$20,000FOR WORK IN ABYDOS, EGYPT
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST URBAN MINISTRY
$20,000$10,000 FOR RYP (ROXBURY YOUTH PROGRAMS)
CASA MYRNA
$20,000GENERAL
GREENPEACE FUND
$20,000GENERAL
MAINE COAST HERITAGE TRUST
$20,000GENERAL
NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
$20,000STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$20,000GENERAL
PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION-EATON FIRE RELIEF AND RECOVERY FUND
$20,000FOR AID TO ALTADENA
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION -WILDFIRE RECOVERY FUND
$20,000FOR RELIEF AND RECOVERY IN ALTADENA
CARE
$20,000$6,000 FOR AID TO AFGHAN FAMILIES; $8,000 TO UKRAINE AND $6,000 FOR RELIEF EFFORTS IN LEBANON
MAINE PUBLIC
$20,000PROGRAMMING COSTS
AREA INTERFAITH OUTREACH FOOD PANTRY
$18,000FOOD PANTRY AND ENERGY CLIENT SERVICES AND NOT FOR BUILDING
ANDREW GOODMAN FOUNDATION
$18,000$14,000 FOR VOTE EVERYWHERE PROGRAM
EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
$18,000GENERAL
BROOKLINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$17,000$10,000 FOR SAFETY NET PROGRAM AND $2,000 FOR BHS SCHOLARSHIP FUND