Sierra Health Foundation is a private foundation based in Sacramento, California, dedicated to reducing health disparities in Northern California. Founded in 1984 and tax-exempt since April 1986, the foundation operates as a health conversion foundation with a 40-year history of community-driven investment and changemaking. The foundation works to promote health, racial equity, and racial justice through convening, educating, and strategic grantmaking.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$58.7M
+1.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
+28.2% YoY
Grant Count
249
+25.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+2.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sierra Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To invest in and serve as a catalyst for ideas, partnerships and programs that improve health and quality of life through convening, educating and strategic grantmaking.
Vision: A healthful life for all Californians.
Core Values: The foundation seeks opportunities to support innovative ideas and solutions, supports collaboration as a means to achieve its vision, and values diversity in culture and perspective.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Health equity and reducing health disparities
- Racial equity and racial justice
- Mental health awareness and respite
- Reducing disproportionate causes of death among African American children
- Community coalitions working to improve health
- Workplace wellness
- Public policy and education with focus on health equity
- Children, youth and families
- Economic stability and opportunity
- Food access and family wellness
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Sierra Health Foundation funds 26 counties in Northern California and the San Joaquin Valley:
Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano (eastern), Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba.
The Center at Sierra Health Foundation promotes health, racial equity and racial justice in communities throughout California with local, state and national partners.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving:
- Total assets: $58.7 million (as of 2024)
- Total giving: $2.4 million (2024)
- Annual revenue: $13.6 million (2023)
- Total expenses: $16.1 million (2023)
- Total liabilities: $15 million (2023)
Historical Giving:
- Since 1985, the foundation has awarded more than $97 million in cash grants to 1,004 nonprofit organizations and public agencies
Staffing:
- Approximately 84 employees (as of 2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $58,704,602 | $57,860,059 | $54,840,577 |
| Revenue | $18,625,579 | $13,619,116 | $10,671,066 |
| Expenses | $18,302,889 | $16,128,886 | $14,900,664 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,041,325 | $3,696,975 | $4,069,910 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,052,850 | $1,926,199 | $3,334,903 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,538,859 | $2,418,866 | $2,415,840 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
203 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Sierra Health Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Center for Health Program Mgmt ($590,000), Community Partners ($50,000), Asian Health Services ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 21 REASONS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION SACRAMENTO, CA | GENERAL PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| 916 INK SACRAMENTO, CA | RESPONSIVE GRANTS PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| ACADEMY STAY SACRAMENTO, CA | RESPONSIVE GRANTS PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| ALCHEMIST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SACRAMENTO, CA | RESPONSIVE GRANTS PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| ALWAYS KNOCKING SACRAMENTO, CA | PUBLIC POLICY | $4,500 |
| ANTI POLICE-TERROR PROJECT OAKLAND, CA | RESPONSIVE GRANTS PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| ARAB COMMUNITY CENTER FOR INTEGRATION SERVICES SACRAMENTO, CA | RESPONSIVE GRANTS PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| ASIAN HEALTH SERVICES OAKLAND, CA | PUBLIC POLICY | $25,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF LAKE TAHOE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA | RESPONSIVE GRANTS PROGRAM | $10,000 |
| BUTTE COUNTY LOCAL FOOD NETWORK CHICO, CA | RESPONSIVE GRANTS PROGRAM | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Chet P. Hewitt – President & CEO
- Edward Harris – COO/CFO
- Nancy P. Lee – Chair
- Shamus Roller – Vice Chair
- Robert Petersen – Director
- Dr. Claire Pomeroy – Director
- Jose Hermocillo – Director
- Debra McKenzie – Director
- David W. Gordon – Director
- Hang Kaying – President of The Center
- Matthew Cervantes – Associate VP for Programs
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHET P HEWITT | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $543,010 |
| EDWARD HARRIS | COO/CFO | 40 | $295,000 |
| NANCY P LEE | CHAIR | 1.1 | $23,160 |
| SHAMUS ROLLER | VICE CHAIR | 1.1 | $18,760 |
| ROBERT PETERSEN | DIRECTOR | 1.1 | $16,760 |
| DR CLAIRE POMEROY | DIRECTOR | 1.1 | $16,760 |
| JOSE HERMOCILLO | DIRECTOR | 1.1 | $16,760 |
| DEBRA MCKENZIE | DIRECTOR | 1.1 | $16,160 |
| DAVID W GORDON | DIRECTOR | 1.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**40th Anniversary (2024):** Sierra Health Foundation celebrated its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of community-driven investment and changemaking. The foundation created a timeline highlighting 40 moments across 40 years of history.
Sierra Health Foundation Celebrates 40 Years - The Center at Sierra Health**Black Child Legacy Campaign 10-Year Milestone (December 2025):** The Center at Sierra Health Foundation celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Black Child Legacy Campaign, a community-driven movement established by the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths to reduce African American child deaths in Sacramento County.
Sierra Health Foundation Celebrates 40 Years - The Center at Sierra Health**Expanded Black Child Legacy Campaign Funding (February 2026):** The Center and the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths announced a new and expanded funding opportunity through the Black Child Legacy Campaign for Rancho Cordova expansion.
**Food4All Emergency Initiative (2025):** Granted $350,000 in emergency food aid as millions lost access to SNAP benefits.
Emergency Food4All Effort Grants $350,000 in Emergency Food Aid as Millions**Inclusive Economic Development Investment (2024):** Invested $1 million to scale inclusive economic development and community power.
Sierra Health Foundation invests $1 million to scale inclusive economic developmentContact Information
- Address: 1321 Garden Highway, Sacramento, California 95833
- Phone: (916) 922-4755
- Email: info@sierrahealth.org
- Responsive Grants Program Email: rgp@sierrahealth.org
- Website: www.sierrahealth.org
- The Center Website: www.shfcenter.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sierra Health Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To invest in and serve as a catalyst for ideas, partnerships and programs that improve health and quality of life through convening, educating and strategic grantmaking. **Vision:** A healthful life for all Californians. **Core Values:** The foundation seeks opportunities to support innovative ideas and solutions, supports collaboration as a means to achieve its vision, and values diversity in culture and perspective. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Health equity and reducing health dis…
How do I apply for a grant from Sierra Health Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Approximately 250 grants awarded in recent fiscal year • Median grant size: $5,000 • Grant range: $1,000 to $590,000 • Annual charitable disbursements: approximately $4 million **Grant Programs:** • **Responsive Grants Program:** Annual competitive grants with applications accepted throughout the year • **Sponsorship Requests:** Event and program sponsorships • **Match for Meals:** Up to $300,000 matching donations for food banks (through January 2026) • **Food4All Initiat…
Where does Sierra Health Foundation make grants?
Sierra Health Foundation funds 26 counties in Northern California and the San Joaquin Valley: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano (eastern), Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba. The Center at Sierra Health Foundation promotes health, racial equity and racial justice in communities throughout California with local, state and national partners.
What size grants does Sierra Health Foundation award?
In 2024, Sierra Health Foundation awarded 249 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Sierra Health Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sierra Health Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sierra Health Foundation's EIN?
Sierra Health Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0050036. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sierra Health Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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