California's Strategic Plan Implementation Grants for Asthma

Project Timeline: 2004-2012

Asthma prevalence is a significant health concern in California, with nearly four million Californians suffering from asthma at some point in their lifetime. Based on data from the California Health Interview Survey, the lifetime asthma prevalence in 2001 was nearly 12%.  This results in 40,000 hospitalizations in California due to asthma.  Asthma also has significant health disparity concerns.  The hospitalization rate for African Americans is nearly four times higher for African-American children compared to Whites.

In 2004, the Sequoia Foundation teamed with the California Department of Public Health to  administer the Strategic Plan Implementation Grants (SPRIG) to support local organizations in addressing asthma in their communities.  Between 2004-2007, SPRIG  awarded  thirty-four grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000.  Funded programs have utilized the grants to conduct direct asthma education in underserved populations.  In 2010, the SPIG deepened its commitment to community education by funding four CBOs at $40,000 a year for two years.