First recognized by the United Nations in 1973, June 5 marks World Environment Day. In honor of this occasion, we celebrate the remarkable work of our grantees in one of our Legacy Programs, the G3 Fund.  

Established in 2013 by our founders for the third generation of the Bainum family (or “G3”), the G3 Fund supports organizations dedicated to environmental sustainability and justice, including combating climate change. The G3 Fund is a component of our Family Philanthropy efforts, which encompasses the ongoing philanthropic endeavors of four generations of the Bainum family.  

Through the G3 Fund, third generation Bainum family members collectively engage in grantmaking using systemic approaches to tackle complex challenges. This year, all G3 Fund grants will be directed to nonprofit organizations that are prioritizing frontline, community-led efforts to achieve equitable, innovative solutions that address climate issues and environmental justice.

Last year’s grant recipients included the CLIMA Fund, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Front and Centered, FUSEE (Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology), and Project Drawdown. This year, we are excited to continue these valuable partnerships while also expanding our portfolio to include several new organizations.  

While World Environment Day provides an opportunity to celebrate our grantees, we recognize that their work is ongoing. We are thrilled to be supporting our grantees who work every day to fight climate change, protect our environment, and strive to create a more just and sustainable world.  

The G3 Fund Committee is excited to continue leveraging its impact with these great organizations. Learn more about their invaluable work, and areas of focus, from the list below: 

• Deep South Center for Environmental Justice — Advancing environmental and climate justice in the Gulf Coast Region through research, education, policy change and leadership development. 
• FUSEE (Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology) — Promoting ecological protection and restoration of fire-adapted ecosystems and nurturing a paradigm shift in fire management policies and practices that changes society’s relationship with wildland fire. 
• Drawdown Lift, a program of the global nonprofit Project Drawdown — Identifying and promoting solutions at the intersection of human and planetary well-being, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.  
• CLIMA Fund — Investing in grassroots climate justice movements globally, particularly in the Global South, with an emphasis on groups led by women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and small-scale farmers.
• Front and Centered — A diverse and powerful coalition of communities of color-led groups across Washington State who come together to advance equity, environmental and climate justice. through capacity building, leadership support, research and development, policy analysis, and advocacy.