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Home > About Us > Mission and Values

Mission and Values

Mission:

The John R. Oishei Foundation strives to be a catalyst for change to enhance economic vitality and the quality of life for the Buffalo Niagara region.

Values Statement:

The Foundation remains true to Mr. Oishei’s original intent: to improve the lives of Buffalo residents. Foundation trustees and staff act as trustworthy and responsible stewards of these funds, seeking to direct resources with wisdom and compassion. The Foundation strives to ensure that its grantmaking is not only relevant, effective and efficient, but also mindful of the opportunity gap between low-income residents and their more advantaged peers.

The values below guide the actions of The John R. Oishei Foundation and its grantees toward the attainment of excellence. They support the Foundation’s belief that its work must be purposeful, carefully considered and deliberately reviewed.

Interdependency:

The Foundation recognizes that the goals and achievements of the Foundation are interdependent with those of its grantees and foundation colleagues with whom it partners. The Foundation recognizes its work will succeed only to the extent that its partners work succeeds. The Foundation respects and is guided by their knowledge and experience and strives to earn their respect in return.

Communication and Learning:

The Foundation values open communication and opportunities for learning. The Foundation recognizes that clarity and openness enhance the Foundation’s mission by fostering more effective use of its resources. The Foundation values learning opportunities for its trustees and staff and for its grantees. Through knowledge management the Foundation will share lessons learned with the broader community in order to build on success.  

Innovation and Entrepreneurship:

As a catalyst for change the Foundation believes in innovation and entrepreneurship. The Foundation supports efforts that are ambitious, achievable and relevant to its grantmaking goals. The Foundation values new approaches and creative solutions that break from the status quo and that are based on sound objectives and measurement practices.

Collaboration to Leverage Greater Impact:

The Foundation believes that partnerships and collaborative efforts achieve broader and better results. The Foundation values the opportunity to help foster new and innovative partnerships with and among our grantees and its colleagues in grantmaking. The Foundation believes that the value of new relationships will always be greater than the sum of the members. The Foundation values the opportunity to work across different sectors in order to draw additional resources to our region to achieve a multiplier effect.

Informed Leadership:

The Foundation values and promotes informed and focused leadership on critical issues. The Foundation believes that leaders are present at all levels of the community who demonstrate vision and passion, and who are results oriented. The Foundation believes in individuals and organizations that are accountable for their work and dedicated to transforming our region, as well as their communities and neighborhoods. 

Inclusiveness and Respect for Others:

The Foundation values and respects all persons, recognizing that persons of disparate ethnicity, race, age, religion, economic level, sexual orientation, and capacity contribute meaningfully to our region. All persons shall be treated with honesty, integrity and respect.