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Buffalo, NY · Private foundation

John R. Oishei Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$9.5M
Granted FY2024(still arriving)
168
Grants FY2024
137
Organizations funded FY2023
20%
First-time grantees FY2023
Read the full brief
Median grant, FY2024
$20,000
Largest grant, FY2024
$930,000
Organizations funded a year
137 to 148
FY2019 to FY2023
States reached, FY2024
1
Total assets, FY2024
$330M
Applications
Takes unsolicited applications
Per its most recent filing; check its own site

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2023, 20% of the organizations John R. Oishei Foundation funded were first-time grantees, receiving 18% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2023, 82% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $1.9M went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23
Human ServicesArts & CultureHealthEducationCommunity ImprovementYouth DevelopmentOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2024still arriving138$9.3M13%
FY2023137$11M20%
FY2022140$11M26%
FY2021147$16M27%
FY2020148$12M34%
FY2019147$12Mn/a
100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2019 to 2024.

Education$23MHealth$14MArts & Culture$13MHuman Services$8.6MPhilanthropy$6.4MCommunity Improvement$3.6MHousing & Shelter$1.9MReligion$1.4MOther$0

Where its grants go

Each grant at its grantee’s address, over the share of households in hardship around it.

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2019 to FY2024, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 267 grantees
All grantees of John R. Oishei Foundation by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Education Collaborative of Wny Inc$8,976,802694%
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society Inc$5,904,488340%
The Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation$4,045,000410%
The Bison Children's Scholarship Fund Inc$3,046,050617%
Buffalo Prep Inc$1,915,000618%
Community Connections of Ny Inc$1,866,50069%
Say Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc$1,439,42053%
Ecmc Foundation Inc$1,008,118611%
Mental Health Association of Erie County Inc$951,000443%
Kaleida Health Foundation$800,000118%
City Mission Society Inc$707,50062%
Buffalo Arts and Technology Center Inc$705,000222%
Explore & More a Children's Museum$700,00047%
Our Lady of Victory Homes of Charity Inc$600,0003n/a
Buffalo Fine Arts Academy$600,00022%
Canisius University$530,50040%
Western New York Public Broadcasting Association$530,00032%
Catholic Charities of Buffalo$525,00061%
The Rural Outreach Center Inc$520,00067%
Jericho Road Ministries Inc$507,00051%
Computers for Children Inc$503,912422%
Local Initiatives Support Corporation$500,63530%
Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society Inc$500,00049%
Mount St Mary's Hospital Foundation Inc$500,000230%
Westminster Economic Development Initiative Inc$500,00028%
Gerard Place Housing Development Fund Company Inc$492,000615%
Heart Love & Soul Inc$477,50069%
Polish Community Center of Buffalo Inc$464,60064%
Niagara University$454,64620%
Hilbert College$415,00021%
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center$400,00020%
The Salvation Army$393,0006n/a
The Education Trust Inc$385,00040%
Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara County Inc$377,50048%
D'Youville University$366,50020%
Buffalo String Works Inc$350,760415%
Learning Disabilities Association of Western New York Inc$350,00025%
Compeer West Inc$348,20054%
Western New York Integrated Care Collaborative Inc$340,882341%
Read to Succeed Buffalo Inc$330,000317%
Assembly House 150 Inc$325,000529%
City Year Inc$300,00030%
Ardent Solutions Inc$300,000120%
The Center for Regional Strategies Inc$300,00016%
Bestself Behavioral Health Inc$300,00020%
Daemen University$300,00030%
Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network Inc$296,00045%
Back to Basics Outreach Ministries$295,76257%
Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York Inc$275,000339%
National Comedy Center Inc$275,00027%
Niagara Aquarium Foundation$275,00033%
Road Less Traveled Productions Ltd$270,000518%
Catholic Academy of West Buffalo$258,0002n/a
Gateway-Longview Inc$252,60040%
Community Missions of the Niagara Frontier Inc$252,50061%
Snapcap Inc$250,000363%
Causewave Community Partners Inc$250,000110%
Westminster Foundation$250,0001n/a
Richardson Center Corporation$235,000312%
Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition Inc$222,000321%
St Adalberts Response to Lovecenter Inc$217,5006n/a
The Research Foundation for The State University of New York$217,45040%
Veterans One-Stop Center of Wny Inc$215,00065%
Providence Farm Collective Corp$201,00035%
Housing Options Made Easy$200,00021%
Institute for Nonprofit Practice Inc$200,00021%
Life Impact Inc$200,000115%
The Summit Center Inc$200,00021%
Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers Inc$197,18752%
Grassroots Gardens of Western New York Inc$192,525412%
Erie Community College Foundation Inc$190,000120%
Villa Maria College of Buffalo$189,40041%
Horizon Health Services$185,00010%
Peace of the City Ministries Inc$180,000313%
Oak Orchard Community Health Centerinc$180,00011%
Niagara Falls Boys & Girls Club Inc$175,000110%
The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center Inc$170,000415%
Ujima Company Incorporated$160,00058%
Niagara Community Action Program Inc$156,00061%
Launch New York Inc$150,00032%
Gay & Lesbian Youth Services of WNY Inc$150,000228%
Stitch Buffalo Inc$150,000113%
Young Women's Christian Association of Rochester and Monroe County$150,00013%
Build Promise Inc$150,00018%
Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House Corporation$150,00014%
Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society$150,00025%
Young Men's Christian Association Buffalo Niagara$150,00011%
Friends of Night People Inc$145,00063%
CoNECTINC$140,000313%
Habitat for Humanity Buffalo Inc$135,00062%
Family Help Center Inc$130,00061%
Word of Life Church Buffalo$127,5006n/a
Healthy Community Alliance Inc$125,00063%
Uconnectcare Inc$125,00011%
Rosanna Elizabeth Corey Heckl Foundation$125,0001n/a
Centro Culturale Italiano Di Buffalo Inc$125,000123%
Jamestown Center City Development Corporation$125,00013%
Allied Media Projects Inc$125,00020%
Buffalo Arts Studio$120,00036%
Infinity Visual & Performing Arts Inc$119,000112%
Access of Wny Inc$118,100310%
Buffalo Heritage Carousel Inc$115,000115%
Madonna of the Streets Inc$115,00061%
Resource Council of WNY Inc$110,000210%
YWCA of Niagara Frontier Inc$102,50061%
Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York Inc$100,00020%
Niagara Area Habitat for Humanity Inc$100,000317%
Alfred State College Development Fund Inc$100,00018%
Lockport Locks Heritage District Corporation$100,000117%
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc$100,00017%
Community Music School$100,000212%
Nysarc Inc Erie County Chapter$100,00010%
Field & Fork Network$100,00019%
Independent Health Foundation$100,00031%
Historic Palace Inc$100,000210%
Catholic Health System Continuing Care Foundation$100,000155%
Community Services for Every1 Inc$99,70610%
Green Options Buffalo Inc$99,60017%
Parachute Credit Counseling Inc$99,00033%
Network Religious Communities Inc$97,0006n/a
Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo Inc$95,00051%
Clean Air Coalition of Western New York Inc$95,000415%
Journey's End Refugee Services Inc$90,00050%
Society of St Vincent de Paul of Buffalo & Western New York Inc$85,00061%
Masons Mission Foundation Inc$84,500348%
Just Buffalo Literary Center Inc$81,000110%
Preservation Buffalo Niagara$80,00025%
Community Action Organization of Western New York Inc$80,00060%
Open Buffalo Inc$78,00042%
Pinnacle Community Services Inc$77,00060%
Opportunities Collaborative for Students with Special Needs Inc$75,000130%
Brothers of Mercy Facilities Foundation$75,0001n/a
Harmonia Collaborative Care Inc$75,00021%
Buffalo Society of Artists$75,000353%
Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation Inc$75,000219%
Most Valuable Parents of Buffalo Inc$75,000322%
VOICE Buffalo Inc$75,00028%
Center for Employment Opportunities Inc$72,00010%
The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo$71,0001n/a
Seneca Babcock Community Association Inc$68,0003n/a
Springville Center for the Arts Inc$67,50024%
Buffalo Urban League Inc$67,50060%
Chautauqua County Rural Ministries$67,00062%
Skating Association for the Blind & Hand$60,00034%
Danceability Inc$60,00037%
Burchfield Penney Art Center$60,00021%
The Valley Community Association Inc$60,00061%
Restoration Society Inc$59,00060%
Hispanos Unidos De Buffalo$57,00060%
Project Stork Inc$54,400221%
Erie Regional Housing Development Corpor$52,00061%
The Teachers Desk Inc$50,00037%
Artpark & Company Inc$50,00011%
Saving Grace Outreach Inc$50,000136%
United Way of Buffalo and Erie County$50,00020%
Resurrection Life Fellowship$50,0004n/a
Buffalo Naval Park Committee Inc$50,00015%
Kids Escaping Drugs Inc$50,00016%
Western New York Law Center Inc$50,00012%
Cornell University$48,32510%
Love Inc of Springville Ny$46,000614%
Southern Tier Health Care System Inc$45,5001n/a
Buffalo Funk Fest Foundation$45,00024%
American Heart Association Inc$43,00010%
Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative Inc$42,800210%
The YWCA of Western New York Inc$42,00051%
Somali Bantu Community Organization of W$41,500147%
Fish of East Aurora Inc$40,50067%
African Cultural Center of Buffalo Inc$40,00018%
Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective Inc$40,000110%
Love Inc of the Gtr Gowanda Area$38,50067%
Center for Exploratory and Perceptual Arts Inc$35,00024%
Confident Girl Mentoring Program Inc$35,00026%
Via Visually Impaired Advancement$31,96020%
Kevin Guest House Inc$30,00014%
Irish Classical Theater Co$30,00013%
Rahama$30,000117%
Every Bottom Covered Inc$29,00064%
Hearts for the Homeless of Wny Inc$28,50061%
Old First Ward Community Assoc Inc$28,50062%
Lockport Community Services Inc$28,0001n/a
Tri-Community Food Pantry$28,00063%
Bread of Life Out of Colden Ny Inc$26,50066%
The Service Collaborative of Wny$25,00011%
Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Inc$25,00012%
Buffalo & Erie County Industrial Land Development Corporation$25,00012%
Buffalo Lighthouse Association Inc$25,0001n/a
Jewish Family Services of Western New York$25,00011%
Young Audiences of Western New York Inc D/B/A Arts for Learning Wny$25,00013%
Center for Self Advocacy Inc$25,000115%
Blood Cancer United Inc$25,00010%
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Inc$25,00011%
Home Assistance Referral Team Inc$25,000120%
Compass House$25,00012%
Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center Inc$25,00013%
Rmhc of Western New York Inc$25,00012%
The Tool Library Inc$25,000114%
Cattaraugus Community Action Inc$23,50060%
Hearts and Hands Faith in Action$23,50061%
West Side Community Services Inc$22,50041%
Kenmore New Covenant Tabernacle Inc$22,0004n/a
The Center for Handicapped Children Inc$20,00011%
Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village$20,00013%
East Buffalo Development Corporation$20,00018%
UPward Design for Life Corporation$20,000113%
Home Beneath Our Feet Inc$20,00017%
Living Opportunities of Depaul Inc$20,00010%
The National Federation for Just Communities of Wny Inc$20,000110%
Richardson Architecture Center Inc$20,00013%
Wca Foundation Inc$20,00011%
Akron Newstead Senior Citizens Inc$18,00058%
West Side Rowing Club Incorporated of the City of Buffalo$18,00012%
El Museo Francisco Oller y Diego Rivera$18,000127%
Trinity Lutheran Church$17,5004n/a
Newfane Community Food Pantry$17,0006n/a
University District Community Developmen$16,25011%
Heart of the City Neighborhoods Inc$15,00031%
716 Squash Inc$15,00014%
Cradle Beach Inc$15,00011%
Kathleen Mary House Inc$15,0002n/a
Care Management Coalition of Western New Yorkinc$15,00012%
Heritage Christian Services Inc$15,00020%
Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service Inc$12,50010%
Genesis Center of Wny Inc$12,5002n/a
Fantastic Friends of Wny Inc$11,500113%
Parent Network of New York I Inc$10,00011%
Grace Guest House Inc$10,00013%
Library Foundation of Buffalo & Eri$10,000111%
Wings Flights of Hope$10,00011%
Nami Buffalo & Western New York$10,00013%
Shakespeare in Delaware Park Inc$10,00013%
Saving Grace Ministries Inc$10,00011%
Buffalo Center For Health EquityInc$10,00024%
The Junior League of Buffalo Inc$10,00012%
Metro Community Development Corporation$10,00041%
Buffalo Maritime Center Inc$10,00012%
Christ Redemption Tabernacle Church$9,0002n/a
Lockport Cares Inc$8,50031%
Faith Based Fellowship$8,50031%
Kenmore United Methodist Church$8,0005n/a
Nonprofit Information Networking Association$7,50010%
Jamestown Community Learning Council$7,50011%
Rooted in Love Inc$6,0002n/a
Community Health Center of Buffalo Inc$6,00020%
Roswell Park Alliance Foundation$5,0001n/a
Group Ministries Inc$5,000159%
The Dale Association Inc$4,50030%
Ken-Ton Closet Inc$4,00022%
Canopy of Neighbors Inc$4,00013%
Arts Services Initiative of Western New York Inc$4,00011%
Erie 1 Boces Educational Foundation$4,000117%
Nativitymiguel Middle School of Buffalo$4,0001n/a
My Place Home for the Homeless$3,00011%
Immaculata Home Inc$3,00023%
Abantu Together$2,0001n/a
Buffalo Niagara Partnership Foundation$2,00023%
Veterans Assistance Local Ongoing Recognition Inc$2,0001n/a
Rising Man Foundation$2,0001n/a
Algonquin Sports for Kids$2,00010%
Twin Cities Community Outreach Inc$2,00015%
Western New York Library Resources Council$1,63010%
Buffalo Erie Niagara Land Improvement Corporation$1,26310%
Friends Seminary$1,0001n/a
Wny Women's Foundation Inc$1,00010%
Let Them Lol Inc$1,00010%
Net Positive Inc$50010%
Buffalo Renaissance Foundation Inc$50010%

What it could do for these grantees

Plus 51 recipients with no EIN on record ($7.6M), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

John R. Oishei Foundation supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 17 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 200 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetEducation Collaborative of Wny Inc: $8,976,802 over 6y, 94% of budgetBuffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society Inc: $5,904,488 over 3y, 40% of budgetThe Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation: $4,045,000 over 4y, 9.8% of budgetThe Bison Children's Scholarship Fund Inc: $3,046,050 over 6y, 17% of budgetBuffalo Prep Inc: $1,915,000 over 6y, 18% of budgetCommunity Connections of Ny Inc: $1,866,500 over 6y, 9.0% of budgetSay Yes Buffalo Scholarship Inc: $1,439,420 over 5y, 2.6% of budgetEcmc Foundation Inc: $1,008,118 over 6y, 11% of budgetMental Health Association of Erie County Inc: $951,000 over 4y, 43% of budgetKaleida Health Foundation: $800,000 over 1y, 18% of budgetCity Mission Society Inc: $707,500 over 6y, 1.8% of budgetBuffalo Arts and Technology Center Inc: $705,000 over 2y, 22% of budgetExplore & More a Children's Museum: $700,000 over 4y, 6.6% of budgetBuffalo Fine Arts Academy: $600,000 over 2y, 1.8% of budgetCanisius University: $530,500 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetWestern New York Public Broadcasting Association: $530,000 over 3y, 1.5% of budgetCatholic Charities of Buffalo: $525,000 over 6y, 0.5% of budgetThe Rural Outreach Center Inc: $520,000 over 6y, 7.4% of budgetJericho Road Ministries Inc: $507,000 over 5y, 1.2% of budgetComputers for Children Inc: $503,912 over 4y, 22% of budgetLocal Initiatives Support Corporation: $500,635 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBuffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society Inc: $500,000 over 4y, 9.0% of budgetMount St Mary's Hospital Foundation Inc: $500,000 over 2y, 30% of budgetWestminster Economic Development Initiative Inc: $500,000 over 2y, 7.7% of budgetGerard Place Housing Development Fund Company Inc: $492,000 over 6y, 15% of budgetHeart Love & Soul Inc: $477,500 over 6y, 9.2% of budgetPolish Community Center of Buffalo Inc: $464,600 over 6y, 3.9% of budgetNiagara University: $454,646 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetHilbert College: $415,000 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetNiagara Falls Memorial Medical Center: $400,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetThe Education Trust Inc: $385,000 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetNative American Community Services of Erie and Niagara County Inc: $377,500 over 4y, 8.2% of budgetD'Youville University: $366,500 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetBuffalo String Works Inc: $350,760 over 4y, 15% of budgetLearning Disabilities Association of Western New York Inc: $350,000 over 2y, 5.3% of budgetCompeer West Inc: $348,200 over 5y, 4.4% of budgetWestern New York Integrated Care Collaborative Inc: $340,882 over 3y, 41% of budgetRead to Succeed Buffalo Inc: $330,000 over 3y, 17% of budgetAssembly House 150 Inc: $325,000 over 5y, 29% of budgetCity Year Inc: $300,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetArdent Solutions Inc: $300,000 over 1y, 20% of budgetThe Center for Regional Strategies Inc: $300,000 over 1y, 5.9% of budgetBestself Behavioral Health Inc: $300,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetDaemen University: $300,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetBuffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network Inc: $296,000 over 4y, 4.7% of budgetBack to Basics Outreach Ministries: $295,762 over 5y, 6.6% of budgetHispanic Heritage Council of Western New York Inc: $275,000 over 3y, 39% of budgetNational Comedy Center Inc: $275,000 over 2y, 6.7% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 200.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo IncNY268.8× affinity190 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc · The Western New York Foundation · The Peter and Elizabeth C Tower Foundation · First Niagara Foundation · United Way of Buffalo and Erie County · Buffalo Bills Foundation Inc · Cullen Foundation · The Margaret L Wendt Foundation · Children's Foundation of Erie County Inc · East Hill Foundation · Health Foundation for Western & Central New York · Feedmore Western New York Inc

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

Compare John R. Oishei Foundation with peer funders

About John R. Oishei Foundation

How much does John R. Oishei Foundation give?
John R. Oishei Foundation reported 168 grants totaling $9,466,396 in its FY2024 IRS filing. It funded between 137 and 148 organizations a year over FY2019 to FY2023.
What does John R. Oishei Foundation fund?
By grant dollars over FY2019 to FY2024, its largest causes are Education (31%), Health (18%), Arts & Culture (17%).
Who are John R. Oishei Foundation's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2019 to FY2024: Education Collaborative of Wny Inc ($9.0M), Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Society Inc ($5.9M), The Children's Hospital of Buffalo Foundation ($4.0M).
Does John R. Oishei Foundation fund new organizations?
In FY2023, 20% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Does John R. Oishei Foundation accept unsolicited applications?
Its most recent filing reports that it accepts unsolicited grant applications.
Which funders back the same organizations as John R. Oishei Foundation?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo Inc, The Western New York Foundation, The Peter and Elizabeth C Tower Foundation.
Where is John R. Oishei Foundation based?
John R. Oishei Foundation is based in Buffalo, NY.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 321 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024 (period ending 2024-12-31), released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object 202503219349101045 · view filing · oishei.org

Play a game based on John R. Oishei’s filings →

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