The Center at Sierra Health Foundation (The Center) and the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths (RAACD) are pleased to announce a new and expanded funding opportunity through the Black Child Legacy Campaign (BCLC). BCLC is a community-driven movement established by the RAACD Steering Committee to reduce African American child deaths in Sacramento County.
Since its founding in 2015, the campaign has united residents, systems leaders and community-based organizations (CBOs) around a shared goal: ensuring every African American child in Sacramento County grows up safe, healthy and with equal opportunity to thrive.
If your community-based organization serve Black families in Rancho Cordova, you may be eligible to apply to become the eighth Community Incubator Lead site under the BCLC network.
The Project
In 2011, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Disproportionate African American Child Deaths found that African American children in Sacramento County were dying at twice the rate of other groups. In response, the RAACD Steering Committee was formed in 2013 to develop a strategic plan targeting four key areas: perinatal conditions, infant sleep-related deaths, child abuse and neglect homicides, and third-party homicides. This led to the launch of the Black Child Legacy Campaign in 2015, which partnered with seven community-based organizations (Community Incubator Leads) in high-risk neighborhoods to implement community-driven solutions to these issues. The campaign is now expanding to Rancho Cordova, seeking a new community-based organization to lead local efforts and address ongoing disparities in African American child deaths. The awarded organization will coordinate neighborhood-level RAACD efforts by supporting Cultural Brokers and Crisis Intervention Workers in trauma-informed care, disseminating community messaging, convening stakeholders, managing small re-granting programs aligned with BCLC goals under RAACD Steering Committee supervision, and more.
Eligibility Criteria and Funding Details
The Center at Sierra Health Foundation manages BCLC and supports the RAACD Steering Committee in implementing the initiative. This funding opportunity will award one 501(c)(3) or Tribal community-based organization up to $75,000 over 3 months (April 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026) to execute efforts that reduce African American child deaths across the four focus areas.
Organizations must:
- Demonstrate strong experience serving and partnering with Black families and other marginalized communities.
- Demonstrate a clear commitment to Rancho Cordova, being located there or able to expand services to Rancho Cordova in the next 6-12 months.
- Have an office in Sacramento County.
- Provide direct, community-driven services with sufficient staffing (at least three full-time staff or equivalent).
- Offer wraparound supports and intensive case management for youth and families.
- Show deep community engagement, culturally representative leadership and staff, and capacity to grow services for Black families.
- Meet standard non-discrimination, financial and application requirements.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online by 1:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) on March 6, 2026. Late applications will not be reviewed. Early submission is strongly encouraged but is not required to respond to this funding opportunity.
Download the Application (PDF)
Proposers’ Resources
You can watch the Review Webinar below and on YouTube.
Contact Us
Please email us at raacd@shfcenter.org with any questions, with the subject line: BCLC: 8th Site Application Online Help. We encourage you to reach out early; if you contact us on the day applications are due, we are unlikely to respond and offer the help you need.
Application Resources
Download the required application attachments: