REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Development / Fundraising Consultant Texas CASA is seeking proposals from qualified development/fundraising consultants (individuals or firms) to assist in its fundraising efforts in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications contained in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The proposals received will be evaluated for the most suitable approach in terms of value and costs, and for best fit with Texas CASA s requirements. About Texas CASA Each year, there are more than 46,000 children in the Texas child protection system. But did you know that there are more than 8,000 members of the community stepping up to give these children a voice? These advocates are called CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers. When a child enters the child protection system because his or her home is no longer safe due to abuse or neglect, a judge may appoint a CASA volunteer to advocate in court for the best interests of the child and guide him or her to a safe, permanent home as quickly as possible. Texas CASA is the state association that provides resources and support to the 72 local CASA programs that serve nearly 25,000 children across Texas. However, with more than 46,000 children in the child welfare system, this leaves almost half of the children in care without a CASA volunteer to speak up for them. Our goal is for every child in care have a CASA volunteer and to establish CASA as a household name to build awareness of this amazing volunteer opportunity. Additional information is available at http://texascasa.org/
Scope of Work Texas CASA seeks a fundraising consultant/contractor to identify, solicit, and secure sources of financial support for the organization for full implementation and sustainability of its services. The respondent will have a creative approach to cultivating financial support. The consultant will: Develop an organizational Case for Support Sustain and strengthen relationships with current individual donors, corporate donors and foundations Identify and cultivate relationships with new individual donors, corporate donors and foundations Engage in event-related fundraising and acquisition of corporate sponsorships The consultant will work in collaboration with an existing fund development team, including a full-time Development Associate and contract grant writer, to achieve Texas CASA s fundraising goals. The consultant will work mindfully and in partnership with Texas CASA s membership of 72 local programs across the state. This is a one year contracted opportunity. Requirements Respondents should provide the following services at a minimum: Meet with Texas CASA to outline a strategy for carrying out the fundraising work, including integration of the current fundraising plan Review Texas CASA funding sources and coordinate the production of corporate and foundation funding requests to meet all requirements Identify and conduct outreach to potential supporters, including direct solicitation of interest from target supporters Identify new prospects from outside the current donor pool, cultivate those relationships, and identify gift opportunities that match donor interests Work collaboratively with CASA leadership and staff Deliverables Operational plan and reporting dashboard for FY16 / FY17 income Written organizational Case for Support Successful execution of fundraising plan Cultivate relationships with new foundations Updated donor and prospect records within our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software Updated foundation prospect list 2
Brief monthly report that includes a status update on activity during the reporting period, results during the reporting period and contact information for all new prospective donors identified during the reporting period. Reports should be submitted electronically to Texas CASA on a schedule to be negotiated in the awarding of the contract. The consultant must be available, if required, to discuss reports with Texas CASA s CEO and/or Deputy CEO. Train ED and Board of Directors as needed in gift solicitation, understanding of fundraising goals, and personal action plans to meet development goals Contract Duration Texas CASA intends to enter into one contract for a one year period with the possibility of renewal for subsequent years. Proposal Format Please limit proposal to 8 pages (not including resumes/attachments). Please address the following areas in your proposal: Contact information and address of the main office and the office that will manage the project. Description of the firm/individual: Structure, areas of expertise, time in business, qualifications, relevant knowledge about non-profits/casa, number of employees and other data that helps to characterize the firm/individual. Experience: Briefly describe five recent projects executed by the firm to demonstrate experience relevant to the proposal. List relevant nonprofit clients for whom you have performed similar work in the past five years. For each project listed, provide the name, address, and a contact name of the client s representative who can be contacted regarding your performance. Include the name of the lead firm in cases where you worked in partnership or in an auxiliary capacity. Personnel: Provide professional resumes for the key people to be assigned. Include those of consultants and describe their relevant experience. Describe proposed responsibilities of key people. Identify the person who would be the primary contact point for the client. Provide an organizational chart of the project team. Provide a narrative description of how the firm proposes to execute the project. Descriptions of experience with similar projects that demonstrate effective work are welcome, as are visuals that would help evaluate your firm. Submit a statement on why you believe your firm is best qualified to carry out the project. 3
Detailed cost proposal, any travel costs and other expenses. Include number of hours and days on site required to meet needs. Description of billing practices and payment terms Proposal Schedule Distribution of RFP: Tuesday, March 1 Bidder s Call Registration: Thursday, March 17 by 11:00am CT Bidder s Call: Friday, March 18 at 11:00am CT Proposal Due Date: Friday, April 1 by 4:30pm CT Candidate Interviews: Monday, April 11 Friday, April 15 Decision and Notification: Wednesday, April 20 Commencement of Work: Monday, May 2 Texas CASA reserves the right to change the proposed schedule, including extending the proposal due date. Submission Please submit one electronic copy (PDF format) of your application to Veronica Forsyth, Deputy CEO, at vforsyth@texascasa.org with the subject line Fundraising RFP by Friday, April 1, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. CT. Questions about the proposal will be addressed at a bidder s conference call to be held on Friday, March 18, 2016 at 11:00am CT. Please register for the call and submit your questions by Thursday, March 17 at 11:00am CT. Dial-in information will be distributed to registered attendees only. Click on this link to register: http://goo.gl/forms/8ns5hcvhgt Consultant Selection Proposals will be evaluated and scored by Texas CASA at their sole discretion based on the following criteria: Respondent s understanding of our agency, the context, and the task Fundraising strategy s fit with Texas CASA s values and operations Respondent s experience and qualifications Demonstrated experience of individual(s) to be assigned to the project Cost proposal Texas CASA may or may not choose to conduct telephone, online or in person interviews. Following proposal scoring, the top ranked firms or individuals, including the staff to be assigned to this project, may be expected to travel to Austin, TX at its/his/hers expense for an interview. Upon selection of a finalist, Texas CASA will enter into contract negotiations. If these 4
negotiations fail, Texas CASA may proceed with contract negotiations with the firm scoring second, and so on. Unsuccessful respondents will be notified. Additional Information & Conditions Issuance of this RFP does not commit Texas CASA to award a contract or to pay any costs incurred in preparation of proposals responding to the RFP. Texas CASA reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and re-advertise. All proposals become the property of Texas CASA. Equal Employment Opportunity Successful contract bidders must comply with provisions of all applicable federal law, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Any subcontracting by the successful bidder subjects the subcontracting firm(s) to the same provisions of the federal law. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against any individual, employee or applicant on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, sex, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, or veteran or citizenship status. 5