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Nuclear Threat Initiative
Nuclear Threat Initiative reported $16.8 million in revenue and $23.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.11 went to program services, $17.96 to management and general costs and $6.93 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 81.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $494,011 (Co-Chair, Board of Directors). 38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 60% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $23MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.1% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.0% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.9% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 81.4% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.2% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $494,011 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.12% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 38 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 38.1 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 22 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseBiological Policy and Programs (NTI | bio). In 2025, NTI | bio reduced biological risks imperiling humanity by strengthening biotechnology governance, reducing the risk of bioweapon development and use, and fostering the next generation of global biosecurity leaders. The AIxBio Global Forum, launched by NTI | bio, emerged as the leading international platform for collective action to reduce risks at the intersection of AI and the life sciences (AIxBio). The Forum's High-Level Statement on Biosecurity Risks at the Convergence of AI and the Life Sciences, released in June 2025 with prominent…
Communications and Public Education (COMMS). With reports about possible resumption of nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 1992, NTI's Critical Mass project mobilized and expanded the Nevadans Against Nuclear Weapons Testing coalition, organized in 2024. Nevada is the only state with the infrastructure for testing, and the project helped to create a political bulwark against resumed testing, given strong bipartisan opposition to it in the state. NTI worked with business, tourism, conservation, and community groups, as well as veterans and other victims of past nuclear tests to…
2025 GNPP Accomplishments: In 2025, the Global Nuclear Policy Program led NTI's efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and reduce the risk of nuclear use. In an increasingly fraught geopolitical environment, NTI worked to build strategic stability in the U.S.-Russia-China nuclear relationships, strengthen global guardrails against the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and promote the conduct of unilateral fail-safe reviews to prevent the accidental or unauthorized use of a nuclear weapon. In April, NTI's paper, "Navigating Disruption in the Global Nuclear Order," shared findings and…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co-Chair, Board of Directors Director/trustee, officer, 25 hrs/week | $441,391 | $0 | $52,620 | $494,011 |
| Senior Vice President and Acting Chief Operating Officer Officer, 45 hrs/week | $380,018 | $0 | $87,739 | $467,757 |
| Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Vice President Officer, 45 hrs/week | $365,775 | $0 | $84,134 | $449,909 |
| VP, FutureSafe Officer, 40 hrs/week | $284,508 | $0 | $74,275 | $358,783 |
| VP, Nuclear Materials Security Officer, 40 hrs/week | $273,554 | $0 | $72,831 | $346,385 |
| VP, Global Biological Policy and Programs Officer, 40 hrs/week | $287,105 | $0 | $46,145 | $333,250 |
| VP, Communications Officer, 40 hrs/week | $244,046 | $0 | $85,143 | $329,189 |
| VP, Development Officer, 40 hrs/week | $232,692 | $0 | $58,213 | $290,905 |
38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Nuclear Threat Initiative (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $5.3M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b22 · 18 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 582
- Volunteers Part I, line 620
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| The Economist Group Limited Programmatic subject matter consulting. | $1,078,000 |
| K2 Services LLC Managed IT services | $387,170 |
| Teal Media Programmatic subject matter consulting. | $281,345 |
| SPAndreasen Consulting LLC Programmatic subject matter consulting. | $274,387 |
| RSG Strategies Inc Programmatic subject matter consulting. | $242,966 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 16 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
23 private foundations reported grants to Nuclear Threat Initiative totaling $6.1M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Nuclear Threat Initiative's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Nuclear Threat Initiative, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Nuclear Threat Initiative spent in 2025, $75.11 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Nuclear Threat Initiative's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Nuclear Threat Initiative reported that 75.1% of its $23.3 million in expenses went to program services, 18.0% to management and general and 6.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Nuclear Threat Initiative pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Nuclear Threat Initiative reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $494,011, for the role of Co-Chair, Board of Directors (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Nuclear Threat Initiative get its money?
Of $16.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 81.4% came from contributions and grants (including 2.2% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Nuclear Threat Initiative a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-2289435 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602329349301575 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202522119349301667 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442059349301254 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342339349301414 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202222189349300302 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103089349301810 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043099349302859 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-2289435: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.