REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. Community Assessment in Disaster: Framework, Process, and Tools

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1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Community Assessment in Disaster: Framework, Process, and Tools May 22, 2013 Contact: Andrea Zussman, Disaster Preparedness Officer The San Francisco Foundation Proposals must be submitted via to by: June 21, 2013

2 PROJECT OVERVIEW The San Francisco Foundation, a leading Bay Area foundation in disaster preparedness, seeks to develop strategies and tools to assess community needs and make decisions about the use of Foundation resources in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Project deliverables will be used by Foundation staff. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND In 2006, The San Francisco Foundation (TSFF) launched a Disaster Preparedness Project to strengthen both the Bay Area communities that would be disproportionately affected by disaster and the organizations that serve them. As a leading Bay Area foundation in the disaster arena, TSFF has worked with community leaders, nonprofits, government, and other foundations to 1) help prepare vulnerable Bay Area communities for disasters and 2) establish coordinated mechanisms for disaster response and recovery with other philanthropic institutions. TSFF staff members have also prepared the Foundation itself to act quickly to provide resources and other support to agencies serving vulnerable communities. As a community foundation, The San Francisco Foundation has built deep relationships with vulnerable Bay Area communities through its responsive grantmaking, technical assistance and leadership development programs over several decades. TSFF has many and deep relationships in the community as well as with government and philanthropic partners. In supporting disaster relief and recovery, TSFF hopes to tap into these relationships to develop a clear future of how TSFF resources can be most impactful in the short and long-terms. Because nonprofits play a critical role in disasters, we strengthen the capacity of key nonprofit service providers to meet the needs of Bay Area communities in the aftermath of a catastrophic disaster. TSFF currently has agreements with 46 food, shelter, health, and mental health service providers, through which it will expedite $25,000 grants to meet urgent community needs in low-income communities and communities of color immediately following a disaster. Bay Area disaster intermediaries also play a critical role in preparing and supporting intermediary nonprofits for disasters, and connecting them with government disaster partners. In recognition of their critical roles and small and under-resourced organizational structures, TSFF supported five intermediaries with more than $500,000 during the fiscal year. We believe that greater collaboration within and among nonprofits, government, and philanthropy is critical to ensuring the preparedness, response and resiliency of communities to a disaster, and we are working hand-in-hand with all to protect the Bay Area.

3 PROJECT INFORMATION In post-disaster settings, the needs of affected communities, especially existing vulnerable communities, must be assessed quickly and efficiently in order to prioritize a response. Disasters can affect a community in many ways ranging from disrupting needed services (e.g., transportation, communication, public utilities, etc.) to damaging homes and important infrastructures related to industry and the economic viability of a community. Social services that meet short-term and long-term needs are essential during the response and recovery periods. In order to manage the situation effectively and efficiently, information collected about an affected community should be connected to a process for making decisions so that the response can be guided by accurate and timely information 1. Careful consideration must be taken in planning and conducting post-disaster community assessments as it can provide information that may be vital to planning and prioritizing an immediate response. TSFF seeks the development of a process, methods, and tools to guide Foundation information gathering in a disaster context over time, to analyze data collected, and inform Foundation decisionmaking about how best to use its resources. Emphasis should be on the assessment tools, process design, and gap analysis portions below. PROJECT SCOPE AND DELIVERABLES 1. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Objective/Description: Development of a broad/simple schema describing process of gathering and analyzing information from community sources including but not limited to: disaster responders and intermediaries; government; TSFF grantees, other nonprofits, and community leaders; written, visual and oral information broadcast (news sources); advocacy organizations; other funders; and public convenings Deliverables: Visual graphic for use with TSFF Staff and leadership 2. TOOLS FOR DATA GATHERING AND ANALYSIS Objective/Description: Development of a community assessment tool and analytical tools that considers the geography affected by the disaster, the populations affected by the disaster, and the type of needs (food, shelter, medical care, mental health care, case management, advocacy, etc.) identified in the post-disaster period. This effort will require: o Defining key sources of information in collaboration with TSFF staff o Designing a method for prioritizing sources to be contacted o Designing the questionnaire or other tools for TSFF staff to use o Designing methods and tools for data analysis o Testing the data collection and analysis tools with staff and sources to ensure scale, practicality, and usability by individuals with a range of disaster-related knowledge Deliverables: Needs assessment questionnaire, other information-gathering tools, and analytical tools for use by TSFF staff 1 Enanoria, Wayne TA, and Tomas J. Aragon. IDREADY.ORG. Rep. Center for Infectious Diseases & Emergency Readiness, University of CA Berkeley, 12 Aug Web. 15 Apr

4 3. PROCESS DESIGN Objective/Description: Development of staff procedures to conduct information gathering and analysis including a dynamic and flexible plan that includes but is not limited to: o How to track data received by phone, , and in-person data accounts o Process for analyzing data for decision-making o Testing staff procedure with staff and stakeholders to ensure scale, practicality, and usability by individuals with a range of disaster-related knowledge o A process that is adaptable for follow-up assessments Deliverables: Visual graphic and Staff Instruction Manual for distribution to TSFF Staff 4. GAP ANALYSIS Objective/Description: Development of a process to guide TSFF decision making about actions and resources to maximize Foundation impact given the overall landscape of resources and players. Deliverables: Gap analysis questions and/or other analytical tools for use by TSFF staff 5. FINAL PRESENTATION Objective/description: Presentation of project findings and recommendations to TSFF staff with an opportunity for a question and answer session. Deliverables: Presentation utilizing electronic visuals to enhance understanding of the information presented; an executive summary to share with Board members and employees of the organization. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS For consideration, a complete response to this RFP should be submitted in an electronic file format to Andrea Zussman (abz@sff.org) by June 21, Proposals should provide a straightforward, concise description of your ability to meet the requirements of the RFP. Under the contract to be established with the successful applicant, only travel costs related to the project within the Bay Area region will be reimbursed. Individual contractors as well as established research firms are encouraged to apply. All proposals should include the following: 1. Executive summary containing a brief description of your proposed approach to this project 2. Proposed schedule for developing deliverables 3. Brief description of your or your institution s approach to creating and implementing assessment plans for use in post-disaster environment 4. Background & qualifications of principal and/or proposed team, including examples of experience facilitating participatory assessment processes and data collection with diverse communities and in disaster contexts

5 5. Diversity information. Business enterprise is (check all that apply): Woman Owned Minority Owned Disabled Owned Veteran Owned If your business has employees or a Board, describe the current composition using the chart below: MINORITY NON-MINORITY Professional Staff Support Staff Board of Directors/Trustees TOTAL Male Female Male Female 6. List previous clients with similar needs/requirements, along with contact information of at least 3 references. 7. Breakdown of fees/costs and payment details. SELECTION AND PROJECT TIMELINE Proposals due June 21, 2013 Selection process through July 15, 2013 Project begins no later than August 15, 2013 Project concludes no later than December 15, 2013 Proposals must be submitted via to abz@sff.org by: June 21, 2013 The San Francisco Foundation especially encourages proposals from consultants who are diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, language, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical abilities.