Bainum Family Foundation

06/04/2026

Students are driving real change by equipping their communities to make healthier choices and creating lasting impact across Loudoun County and beyond.

We’re excited to see how Bainum Foundation Farm is supporting this student-led work and helping bring these meaningful efforts to life.

05/20/2026

In 2025, we took a step forward — moving beyond a traditional “do no harm” approach and embracing a more intentional goal: doing the most good for the early childhood field.

That shift led to our Impact Thesis, a clear roadmap for how we invest. It guides what we fund, why it matters, and how we define success — not just financially, but in real impact for children, families, and the people who support them.

ICYMI: See how our journey has shaped this approach — and how we’re putting it into action with new tools to drive lasting systems change (link in comments).

05/12/2026

ICYMI: Meet our newest cohort of Global Education Fund partners, as part of our Family Philanthropy initiative.

Across 10+ countries, they're expanding access to high-quality early care and learning — supporting children, families, and communities while driving lasting systems change.

Learn more (link in comments).

05/07/2026

What happens when we pull back support for the early childhood workforce?

“The Pay Equity Fund filled an important gap,” says Ma**ca Cox Mitchell, our Chief Program Officer, in a recent WTOP News piece. Without it, experienced educators may leave — and families will feel it first through fewer options, higher costs, and tougher choices about work and care.

The impact won’t stop in D.C. This decision could ripple nationwide, influencing how other states invest in — or step back from — their early childhood systems.

Read the full story (link in comments).

04/17/2026

04/08/2026

At the Bainum Family Foundation, striving toward a society where all children thrive means making sure our resources are used in ways that benefit the communities we serve. That’s why how we invest matters just as much as what we fund.

Through impact investing, we go beyond “do no harm” and take a more intentional approach — using our investments alongside our grants to help drive stronger outcomes for children, families, and the educators who support them.

Our Chief Financial Officer, Mike Brannan, shares more about the foundation’s journey in our latest blog — read it through the link in comments.

04/06/2026

This The New York Times piece (link in comments) reinforces what many of us already know: fixing child care isn’t about small adjustments — it requires rethinking the system itself.

Today, families and educators are often working within a system that wasn’t built around the day-to-day realities of children or their needs. Real progress starts by treating child care as a public good and designing with accessibility, affordability, and quality in mind from the beginning.

03/31/2026

ICYMI: As the weather warms up, we're looking back at how our partner, Port Discovery Children's Museum, kept children, families, and educators engaged in learning all winter long.

Through their At Play Learning Institute, they reached nearly 300 early childhood professionals, along with 93 children, and 84 parents and caregivers — bringing playful learning into everyday moments.

Read more in our recent spotlight (link in comments).

03/18/2026

Excited to share the fourth cohort of Global Education Fund (GEF) partners, part of our Legacy initiatives! From direct service to systems strengthening, these multi-year partners are expanding access to high-quality early care and education for children and families around the world.

We’re proud to support organizations that are meeting immediate needs while helping communities build a stronger future.

Learn more about their work and the communities they serve in our latest blog (link in comments).

03/12/2026

Real change happens when support is embedded within the community itself. That's exactly what The Corner at Debs Store represents in Jacksonville's Historic Eastside. It's a place where neighbors can buy fresh food, access job support and financial services, and connect with one another — all in one place. It’s more than a grocery store. It's a true community gathering place — supporting families today while propelling long‑term transformation and economic mobility.

Grateful to partner with LIFT JAX as they strengthen opportunity and stability for children and families. For a deeper look at the difference they're making, check out this Candid piece (link in comments).