TRFF is First Foundation Investor in Galvanize’s Equities Strategy, Expands Catalytic Climate Finance Portfolio

A $1.25 million investment in Galvanize is the latest in The Russell Family Foundation’s climate-aligned portfolio. 20 grants were also awarded in 2025 under the Foundation’s Catalytic Climate Finance Program. 

December 16, 2025 (Gig Harbor, Wash) – The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF) announced today that it is the first private foundation investor in the energy-transition public markets strategy of Galvanize, a global asset manager with expertise in energy innovation, industrial transformation and resilience. This investment marks the latest addition to TRFF’s climate-aligned investment portfolio and underscores the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to mobilizing capital through its Catalytic Climate Finance program (CCF). 

In parallel, TRFF awarded $540,000 across 20 grants that complement its investment portfolio by supporting ecosystem partners, advancing climate solutions, and strengthening community resilience as part of TRFF’s multifaceted strategy.

Founded in 2021, Galvanize deploys capital across asset classes—including real estate, private credit, venture and growth, and public equities—to back the systems and companies driving the global transition. Galvanize Global Equities (GGE) is its public-markets platform, focused on businesses already scaling proven transition solutions across the industrial economy.

“We are honored to partner with The Russell Family Foundation as it deepens its commitment to climate-aligned investing,” said Seth Kirkham, Chief Investment Officer, Galvanize Global Equities. “Our strategy aims to identify companies delivering stronger financial performance and meaningful impact through efficiency, electrification, and supply-chain transformation. TRFF’s partnership reinforces that these goals are not in conflict, they are mutually reinforcing drivers of long-term value.”

GGE invests across the industrial landscape, backing established leaders positioned to create value as the global economy is rewired for efficiency, electrification, and resilience. Rather than making early-stage technology bets, the strategy focuses on companies executing the transition today. Support from TRFF will help GGE further its aim to demonstrate how performance-driven capital can accelerate the transition and scale the companies shaping the next era of the industrial economy.

TRFF’s investment in Galvanize is part of the Foundation’s broader Catalytic Climate Finance Program, launched in 2022. The program aligns TRFF’s investment portfolio, grants, partnerships, and voice toward a global real net-zero future.

“We are bringing every tool we have to the table through our Catalytic Climate Finance program, leading with our investment portfolio, channeling capital into solutions that help advance global net zero,” said Kathleen Simpson, TRFF’s CEO. “Grants are a powerful companion to these investments, working alongside them in alignment with the program’s principles of collaboration and promoting community resilience. That’s why we’re excited about our new investment with Galvanize, which deepens our ability to accelerate impact and support innovative leaders on the front lines of change.”

The CCF 2025 grantees are:

• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians – Strengthens Tribal climate resilience, energy planning, and collaborative initiatives across 57 Tribal governments.
• As You Sow – Uses shareholder advocacy to encourage corporations, banks, and utilities toward net-zero, climate accountability, and just business practices.
• Clean Energy Transition Institute – Produces regional research and convenings to guide an equitable, economy-wide clean energy transition in the Northwest.
• Climate Interactive – Builds and scales climate simulators and ambassador networks that help decision-makers test and adopt effective climate policies.
• Climate Philanthropy Catalyst Coalition – Mobilizes donor networks to rapidly grow and diversify U.S. climate philanthropy, especially toward underfunded solutions and communities.
• ClimeOn (fiscally sponsored by Realize Impact) – Helps high-net-wealth families design and pilot workshops that move significant new climate philanthropy using climate psychology and family systems tools.
• Confluence Philanthropy – Grows a network of impact investors and offers education on climate justice, regenerative agriculture, and community-led climate finance.
• Kicking Gas – Runs community-based electrification campaigns and financing models to help households, especially low-to-moderate income (LMI), move off fossil fuels.
• Intentional Endowments Network – Supports endowed institutions to align portfolios with net-zero, climate justice, and sustainable investing goals.
• NW Energy Coalition – Builds capacity of community organizations to shape equitable, affordable clean energy policy and utility regulation in the Northwest.
• Shift Zero – Leads a coalition to advance equitable building decarbonization, healthy homes, and innovative clean energy financing in Washington.
• Sierra Club Foundation – Sustainable Finance Program -Advances sustainable finance campaigns pushing public pensions and treasurers to treat climate as a core fiduciary risk.
• Sightline Institute – Provides policy research and communications on climate, energy, housing, and gas decommissioning to make Cascadia a sustainability model.
• Spark Northwest – Develops community-led clean energy projects and advocacy that build local wealth and power in underserved and Indigenous communities.
• Sustainable Northwest – Project to test models for aggregating carbon credits from community forests to create new revenue for ecological forest management.
• Topo Finance – Develops climate-aligned treasury strategies and tools to decarbonize corporate cash and banking relationships.
• Urban Sustainability Directors Network – Coordinates Cascadia-region local governments to collaborate on equitable, cross-border climate solutions toward Net Zero by 2030.
• VC Include – Accelerates capital into climate-focused emerging fund managers to advance climate justice and inclusive wealth-building.
• VertueLab – Supports and funds climate tech entrepreneurs, especially underrepresented innovators, to scale equitable solutions in the Pacific Northwest.
• Washington Maritime Blue – Fosters a collaborative, equitable “blue economy” by advancing sustainable maritime innovation and workforce development.

TRFF remains committed to pioneering how philanthropy can mobilize capital for a healthier planet and accelerate solutions that benefit all communities.