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Giffords
| Giffords | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Type: | 501(c)(4) |
| Top official: | Emma Brown, executive director |
| Founder(s): | Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly |
| Year founded: | 2013 |
| Website: | Official website |
Giffords is a nonprofit organization that advocates for gun safety legislation. As of December 2025, the organization said it was "fighting to end the gun lobby’s stranglehold on our political system. We’re daring to dream what a future free from gun violence looks like. We’re going to end this crisis, and we’re going to do it together. "[1] Giffords is affiliated with Giffords PAC, a hybrid political action committee, and Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a 501(c)(3).[1]
Background
Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and her husband Mark Kelly founded the organization Americans for Responsible Solutions, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, in 2013. They founded the organization after Giffords was critically wounded in a shooting at a constituent meeting in 2011 and in response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012.[2][3]
In 2016, Americans for Responsible Solutions merged with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and the organization was renamed Giffords.[2]
As of December 2022, the Giffords website said, "Since founding Giffords in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting, we’ve helped pass a remarkable 525 significant gun safety laws in 49 states."[4]
Leadership
As of December 2025, Emma Brown was the executive director of Giffords.[5]
Work and activities
Electoral activities and influence
As of December 2025, Giffords endorsed federal and state-level candidates who supported gun safety laws. Additionally, the organization offered Giffords Champion Awards, which "spotlight up-and-coming candidates for elected office across the country who have made preventing gun violence their top priority. Winners [were] selected by GIFFORDS PAC ... and [received] substantial support for their campaigns."[6][7]
Legislative and policy work
As of December 2025, Giffords released an annual Gun Law Scorecard. Scorecards were issued by analyzing "every gun law in every state—including new laws as they’re enacted. Policies [were] assigned point values based on how effective they [were] at reducing gun violence, the points [were] tallied to determine grades and rankings, and the grades [were] compared to the latest CDC gun death data."[8] According to Giffords, "[T]he results have never changed: States with stronger gun laws have lower gun death rates."[8]
Legal efforts
Via its law center, Giffords participated in gun violence lawsuits. As of December 2025, it said, "Our attorneys are committed to holding the forces that drive gun violence—whether it’s through negligence, greed, or both—accountable for their role in this uniquely American epidemic. We’ve joined forces with government officials and gun violence survivors to sue ghost gun manufacturers, social media corporations, and even the NRA for jeopardizing public safety."[9]
Giffords also ran the Second Amendment Courtwatch. A resource that tracked Second Amendment litigation, Courtwatch "highlight[ed] legal victories for the gun violence prevention movement and detail[ed] the gun lobby’s dangerous litigation in courts across the country."[10]
Amicus brief activity
Giffords and pro bono partners submitted amicus briefs as of December 2025. According to the organization, "From state courts to the Supreme Court, we are standing up to the gun lobby and fighting to keep our communities safe from gun violence. Whether defending bans on ghost guns, advocating for domestic violence survivors, or addressing the dangers of police shootings, our briefs champion a wide range of solutions—all while demonstrating that the Second Amendment is fully compatible with gun safety laws, policies, and programs."[11] To read the briefs, click here.
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
Affiliations
As of December 2025, Giffords was affiliated with Giffords PAC, a hybrid political action committee. The PAC endorsed federal and state-level candidates, released political ads, held election events, and awarded Giffords Champion Awards.[12][13]
Giffords was also affiliated with Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a 501(c)(3). The law center offered resources on state gun laws, including the Gun Law Scorecard, a directory of its amicus briefs, and a database of gun legislation.[1][14]
Finances
The following is a breakdown of Giffords' revenues and expenses from 2015 to 2022. The information comes from the Internal Revenue Service.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $4.6 million | $4.5 million |
| 2016 | $4.7 million | $4.8 million |
| 2017 | $4.9 million | $4.2 million |
| 2018 | $9.0 million | $5.0 million |
| 2019 | $10.9 million | $8.9 million |
| 2020 | $7.0 million | $8.9 million |
| 2021 | $14.3 million | $11.1 million |
| 2022 | $9.4 million | $13.0 million |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Giffords, "Our Mission," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Giffords, "History," accessed April 29, 2020
- ↑ Giffords, "Giffords Celebrates 10 Years of Courage," January 9, 2023
- ↑ Giffords, "2023 Annual Report," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords, "Emma Brown," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords, "Giffords Champion Award," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords, "Endorsements," accessed December 9, 2025
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Giffords Law Center, "Annual Gun Law Scorecard," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords Law Center, "Lawsuits," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords Law Center, "Second Amendment Courtwatch," September 30, 2025
- ↑ Giffords Law Center, "Amicus Briefs," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords, "Elections Matter," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords, "Victories," accessed December 8, 2025
- ↑ Giffords Law Center, "Gun Laws," accessed December 9, 2025
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