This year, Sierra Health Foundation celebrates 40 years of grantmaking, partnership and changemaking. In a field that moves quickly to meet evolving community needs and navigate uncertainty, we’re taking time to honor this milestone and the people who made it possible. Since our beginnings as the Sierra Foundation for Health in 1984, the world—and our funding region —has transformed.
Our courageous public, philanthropic and community partners have shown what’s possible when we invest in equity and act together. To mark this anniversary, we are launching our 40th Anniversary Timeline, highlighting 40 moments across 40 years of the Foundation’s history. This interactive timeline showcases pivotal milestones—from early investments in rural health and telemedicine to groundbreaking support for overlooked communities and issue areas, and deepened investments in nonprofit capacity, climate resilience, youth opportunity and inclusive economic development.
From our first 44 grants supporting local health programs in five Sacramento-area counties to expanding our health and racial equity work across all of California, our 40-year journey has been defined by collaboration and innovation. Sierra Health Foundation has awarded more than $112 million in grants to more than 1,500 organizations across 26 Northern California counties. Alongside our partners, we have helped launch pioneering efforts such as the NorCal AIDS Initiative, Positive Youth Justice Initiative, the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund and Community Economic Mobilization Initiative. We have also expanded our impact through The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, which funds thousands of grassroots nonprofit organizations and manages public-private partnerships to transform the distribution of public and philanthropic dollars in pursuit of health and racial equity.
We invite you to explore the timeline and celebrate with us. These stories belong not just to Sierra Health Foundation, but to the communities, leaders and organizations that have driven change alongside us. Together, we look forward to the next chapter of advancing health, racial equity and justice for all Californians.