Sierra Health Foundation

Sierra Health Foundation

Sierra Health Foundation was established in 1984 as the Sierra Foundation for Health, focused on reducing health disparities in 26 Northern California counties. President and CEO Chet P. Hewitt has shaped the institution from a traditional grantmaker into a platform that combines strategic philanthropy with impact investing. The foundation operates statewide through its nonprofit hub, The Center, led by Kaying Hang, and its work is explicitly framed around health, racial equity, and racial justice. The foundation’s portfolio spans direct program grants, mission-aligned investments, and a fund-of-funds approach. Its strategy includes buyout, venture, and fund-of-funds commitments targeting health equity. A significant structural commitment is the San Joaquin Valley Impact Investment Fund, a direct co-investment partnership with Dignity Health. The balance sheet also holds corporate stocks, corporate bonds, and a mixed-use property, Grizzly Creek Ranch in Plumas County. The geographic footprint concentrates on Northern California but extends statewide through The Center’s policy and grantmaking work. With an estimated asset base of $49M (Altss estimate), the foundation’s operating capacity is amplified by deep civic partnerships. Hewitt serves on the boards of the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) and Valley Vision. The foundation is also a member of Philanthropy California and Grantmakers In Health. These networks yield policy research and cross-sector connections that augment its modest capital base. Hewitt’s board service and The Center’s statewide reach position Sierra Health as a leverage point in California health philanthropy, not merely a local grantmaker. Sierra Health’s architecture is distinct in its dual-structure governance: the legacy foundation proper sits alongside The Center, a separately branded philanthropic hub that allows the institution to execute statewide programs, such as the San Joaquin Valley fund and emergency response campaigns like Match for Meals with United Way, without blurring its original regional health mandate. This two-entity model separates grant administration from broader civic programming, providing a clearer view of capital deployment versus operating expenses.