UB Institute for Nonprofit Agencies Awarded Second Grant from John R. Oishei Foundation

Buffalo, N.Y. -- Building the management skills of area nonprofit executives remains a high priority for the John R. Oishei Foundation, which has given a $245,000 grant to the University at Buffalo's schools of Management and Social Work for continuing support of UB's Institute for Nonprofit Agencies.

The grant will allow the institute to continue its training in the areas of program planning, organizational and human resources, financial management and evaluation. In addition, it will continue to support the individualized analysis and planning assistance offered to agencies by community consultants and UB faculty members.

A previous grant of $190,000 from the foundation helped to establish the institute, which works with the management of local health and human-service agencies to train and certify executives, managers and staff in program planning, development, management, supervision and evaluation.

Lawrence Shulman, dean of the School of Social Work, expressed his gratitude for the grant and praised the foundation's ongoing commitment "to ensure stronger, healthier and more effective nonprofit organizations in Erie County."

Established in 2001, the institute collaborates with the Not-for-Profit Resource Center for Western New York, which is affiliated with the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, and the CEO Institute that was established by the Agency Executives Association.

Workshops held by the institute have focused on funding and resource development, information technology, and ethics and leadership in social-service organizations. To date, the institute has provided free training and assistance to 17 nonprofit agencies and training for a fee to an additional three agencies.

Thomas E. Baker, executive director of the Oishei Foundation, said its directors approved the grant request because they were impressed with the institute's progress to date, the partnership with the Not-for-Profit Resource Center and plans for the future.

"The foundation is pleased to support UB's efforts in identifying the challenges that confront leaders of regional nonprofit agencies and in finding ways to significantly improve the managers' skills in dealing with them," said Baker.

The John R. Oishei Foundation's mission is to enhance the quality of life for Buffalo-area residents by supporting education, health care, scientific research and the cultural, social, civic and other charitable needs of the community. The foundation was established in 1940 by John R. Oishei, founder of Trico Products Corp., one of the world's leading manufacturers of windshield wiper systems.

The foundation, a major supporter of UB and its community-focused activities, has given or pledged nearly $7.7 million to The Campaign for UB for programs ranging from the Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics to the Toshiba Stroke Research Center to the Community Health Network of Western New York.

The $250 million campaign is one of the largest ever conducted by a public university in New York and New England. Although it's the fifth major fund-raising campaign conducted by UB, it's the first national/international, university-wide and alumni-driven campaign with volunteer leaders from all over the country. Funds raised will be used to enrich academic programs, support students ranging from undergraduates to post-doctoral students and to enhance university life.