John R. Oishei Foundation Grant

_NOTE: At this time, we are not accepting new grant requests, and organizations that have a current or pending grant with the Foundation, including those who have been awarded transition grants, can access the portal and submit requested information._

Background

For decades, the Oishei Foundation has supported a diverse group of hard-working organizations and individuals, all dedicated to building a thriving community.

Bringing racial equity into greater focus.

The inequities are clear. Black people in Buffalo earn 40% less, die 10 years sooner, and own their homes one-third less often than white people.

Real change requires real change.

Buffalo is both one of the poorest and one of the most segregated cities in the country. As we continue to ask why and consider what has to change, we have reached the conclusion (as many others have) that racial inequity is rooted in systems, and is directly linked to financial well-being.

For these reasons, the Oishei Foundation will change its approach, focusing first on Buffalo’s East Side communities, and going deeper than symptoms to address the root causes and systemic barriers that perpetuate racial inequity and deny Black people the opportunity to build financial stability that leads to generational wealth.

The region’s resurgence will only be complete when everyone is included.

It’s about time.

We will transition all grantmaking, support, and services to align with our new strategic focus.

Eligibility

_ You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's [website]().

Application Details

for racial
equity.

2 3

Building a foundation for racial equity.
Real change requires real change.
Centering racial equity, changing systems.
Mission . Vision . Values .
Strategic focus and goal .
Strategic pillars .
Indicators of progress .
Next steps, together .
SECTION THREE: RESEARCH FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Evidence and context.
Foundational concepts .
Internal analysis .
Community context .
It starts with a strong Foundation .
Endnotes and glossary .

requires
real change.

To our group of hard-working organizations and individuals,
all dedicated to building a thriving Buffalo-Niagara region.
that many of our neighbors—especially communities of color—
still face stark inequities .
We’ve known this for years—which is why we started more
partners. concentrated efforts to support racial equity in 2017.
strategic planning process through which we gained an
even deeper understanding of some challenging truths:

• Buffalo is both one of the poorest and one of the most
• segregated cities in the country—a city in which Black people,
• concentrated on the city’s East Side, earn 40% less,
• die 10 years sooner, and own their homes one-third less
• often than white people .*
• Can we really call ourselves the City of Good Neighbors
• when these are the facts?
• Yes, we came together as a community after the racist attack

on May 14, 2022 . But the systemic barriers never went away .
disproportionately affected those on the East Side, who are

everyone is included . And that requires getting at the root the experience and expertise of the people living
causes that lead to racial inequities so that everyone can and working in East Side communities to inform how
prosper.
access to better healthcare, education, and transportation . believe those closest to the issues hold the keys to
They can build sustainable wealth . And the entire community identifying the solutions .
benefits, with more well-paying jobs, more thriving businesses,
organizations already doing
to realizing their full potential .
this work .
forward—the Oishei Foundation will narrow our focus to
partners across the region .
broaden our impact. Specifically, we will address the root
causes of racial inequity and build financial prosperity for
a racially just region .
proud neighborhoods, home to strong Black communities
and people who contribute in powerful ways, yet do not a foundation for racial equity—
a foundation for a better Buffalo.
With resolve,
community can thrive .
William G . Gisel, Jr ., Chairman of the Board of Directors
Christina P . Orsi, President

changing
systems.

14 15

Mission.
Vision.
Values.

We work with communities
Act against racism.
for a racially just, vibrant
Build on strengths.
We center colleagues’ and communities’ agency,
Buffalo-Niagara region.
strengths, resources, and opportunities .
Be trustworthy.
We build and sustain trust through transparency,
accountability, and humility .
A thriving, prosperous
Work together.
where diversity is our
across sectors and across differences.
strength .
Make a difference.
our own and the region’s capacity to learn, improve,
and change .

communities and expanding throughout the
focus Buffalo-Niagara region over time.
of significant historical, systemic, and recurring
and goal.
the communities on the East Side that are full of
knowledge, pride, resilience, strength, and creativity .
the disparities in regional prosperity (financial
security and wealth).
capabilities while changing how we work with and
alongside communities to achieve lasting change .

existing strengths as we build our capacity
around these strategic pillars:

• 1
• Centering racial equity.
• —
• Act against racism by aligning our organization’s governance,
• operations, grantmaking, nonprofit capacity building,
• and leadership programs with our strategic focus and goals .
• —
• Prioritize breaking down barriers to wealth creation
• of Black residents on the East Side, then communities
• of color throughout the Buffalo-Niagara region.
• —
• Strengthen white ally engagement in efforts to mitigate
• systemic bias and deepen involvement in educating
• on anti-racism to support racial equity across the region .
• 22 Oishei Foundation—Our New Direction 23

2 3
Becoming a learning organization. Building, sharing, and using power.
— —
Use learning to inform responsiveness and reward action: Share decision-making with residents most affected
build “action-learning cycles” (i .e ., ask what we want to by wealth disparities and co-create strategic activities
happen, ask what happened, then apply lessons learned, and measures of progress .
—
“now what?”) into all programmatic efforts.
—
Build collaborative and continuous learning partnerships set tables for community leaders of varied lived
with the community to listen, reflect, and evolve; experience to learn together, build community,
community knowledge, experiences, concerns, and align around a common goal .
Support and/or lead cross-sector partnerships to
and sustainable outcomes .
—
Prioritize learning about and identifying inequities community voices .
that have given white people and white-led organizations
material advantages over people of color .
decision-making, recruitment of board and staff,
and sourcing grantees/partners .

4 5
root causes, including policy solutions, to by making grants and
dismantle racial and other structural barriers mission-aligned investments.
—
Support advocacy work, which may include grassroots decision-making with strategic direction and goal .
—
mobilization, public education campaigns, and research .
—
Use communications strategies to educate and influence. grantmaking to support mission while ensuring
— strong fiscal stewardship.
Create and/or support high-impact coalitions to address
systems change .
commercial corridors, green infrastructure, vacant lot
development, quality affordable housing, etc.).
—
Promote equitable and inclusive civic engagement .
Direct grant funding toward resolving underlying root
causes of inequity in communities .

SHORT-TERM (1–3 years)
Operationalizing the new strategy.
keep these short-term goals in mind, understanding that
change will take time.
Indicators —
Community, public, and private coalitions are joined or built,
supported, and aligned on common strategy and goals .
Racial-equity focused stakeholder engagement
of progress.
—
The Oishei Foundation has developed a policy agenda .
Increased participation of community members
in Oishei decision-making .
Staff and board have cultural humility to work
with relevant stakeholders .
procedures reviewed and revised to align with values
and strategy .
as transparent, meaningful, and streamlined for
grant-seekers .
Develop mission-aligned investment criteria to utilize in
decision-making for the Foundation’s investment portfolio .
—
Increased economic investment on Buffalo’s East Side:

• neighborhood revitalization initiatives
• 28 Oishei Foundation—Our New Direction and civic infrastructure, without displacement . 29

Collective efforts contributing toward
positive long-term change.
in partnership with stakeholders across the community to
drive toward change together .
Communities of color attract outside
public/private investment .
Decline in people of color (families/children)
living in poverty .
Reduced spatial segregation by race—
dissimilarity index and isolation/exposure indices .
—
Median income increases, disaggregated by race .
Household debt reduced to not be a barrier
to economic security .
savings/retirement, and business ownership for
people of color .
Wealth gap closing in Buffalo-Niagara region
for people of color .
These short- and long-term indicators of progress are
a starting point—preliminary milestones that will be modified

will take time . We will
approach this work in phases .
From June 2022 through September 2023,
together.
on the previous pages, and designed a
transition plan for our grantees and partners .
and people throughout the community of our
commitment to this new strategic direction .
time for partners who rely on us for significant support
to adjust .
programs, using this new direction as a guide .
very valuable work of so many organizations that are deeply
32 2O0is2h3e—i F2o0u33n d Sattrioante—gOicu Fr rNamewe wDoirrekction committed to advancing racial equity . 33

Phase 3: Learning & Engagement

It’s about time for foundational change.
patience, advancing this work
together in phases .
partnerships and build new ones
with those advancing racial equity .
to rebuild systems that thrive
on equity .
a better Buffalo.
We will extend expertise
with humility .
We will share our power with
communities, so they can lead .
We will listen more, learn more,
and act more .
36 37

The entire Oishei Foundation team commits to this work, having
as partners and as a community—joining with those already
engaged in these efforts.
Mark J . Scott, Ph .D
Also contributing:

• Mobile Safety-Net Team
• Allison Geddes
• Brandon Redmond
• Annie Todd
• 38 39

Building
a foundation
for racial
equity.
Our New Direction
80 81

2 3

Building a foundation for racial equity.
SECTION ONE: OUR COMMITMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Real change requires real change.
To our friends and partners .
SECTION TWO: OUR NEW DIRECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Centering racial equity, changing systems.
Mission . Vision . Values .
Strategic focus and goal .
Strategic pillars .
Indicators of progress .
Next steps, together .
SECTION THREE: RESEARCH FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Evidence and context.
Foundational concepts .
Internal analysis .
Community context .
It starts with a strong Foundation .
Endnotes and glossary .
4 5

SECTION ONE: OUR COMMITMENT
Real change
requires
real change.
6 7

For decades, the Oishei Foundation has supported a diverse
To our group of hard-working organizations and individuals,
all dedicated to building a thriving Buffalo-Niagara region.
We’re proud of our work and, through our partners, believe
we've made a difference. But as we look around, it’s clear
friends and
that many of our neighbors—especially communities of color—
still face stark inequities .
We’ve known this for years—which is why we started more
partners. concentrated efforts to support racial equity in 2017.