The Open Philanthropy Project awarded a grant of $6,000,000 over three years to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) to support its biosecurity program. NTI is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC, that works on policy analysis and capacity-building projects, among other approaches, to reduce risks posed by weapons of mass destruction and disruption (WMD)—including nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological, and cyber weapons. This grant falls within Open Philanthropy’s work on biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, and is intended to expand and sustain NTI’s biosecurity program.
Open Philanthropy’s Program Officer for Biosecurity and Pandemic Preparedness, Jaime Yassif, considers NTI one of the most globally influential and effective organizations working to reduce WMD risks, and has particular confidence in Dr. Elizabeth Cameron, who recently joined NTI to lead its biosecurity program. Based on these and other factors, Open Philanthropy believes NTI has the potential to do impactful and important work over the next few years, much of which could be relevant to mitigating global catastrophic risks.