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Request for Proposals: Fundraising Consultant

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from fundraising consultants with demonstrated major gift cultivation experience and/or experience in working with advocacy-focused nonprofits with budgets in the range of $2-5M. The selected consultant will guide Abundant Housing MA will cultivate major gifts in partnership with senior leadership, conduct an audit of existing fundraising capacity/efforts and develop a multi-year fundraising plan that staff can implement. Click here for a PDF version of the complete RFP. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 

Abundant Housing Massachusetts, Inc. (AHMA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit housing advocacy organization formed in 2020. AHMA believes that Massachusetts is for everyone. Our mission is to stand up for abundant housing for all in communities across Massachusetts. We drive policy at the state and local level by identifying pro-housing changemakers, building the power of local organizers, and connecting a statewide network. 

AHMA’s vision for Massachusetts is to create, sustain, and enhance:

  • Abundant housing for all;
  • A housing market that lets people move when they want, where they want, not when they have to;
  • Communities with racially and economically diverse residents;
  • Development patterns that facilitate low/no-carbon lifestyles; and,
  • Education on effective organizing tools to overcome our history of racial segregation.

The AHMA network encompasses hundreds of members statewide and over a dozen affiliate organizations/coalition partners  across the state who are advocates for housing in their own communities. To make AHMA’s vision a reality, AHMA builds the capacity of our network to enact pro-housing changes at the local level. AHMA’s work is empowered by a team of six, three active volunteer committees and a committed board of directors.  

A large percentage of our annual budget comes in this form of restricted revenue/grants. This hinders our ability to address needs as they arise and to be as responsive to our communities as they require. Raising unrestricted dollars is a necessity for every nonprofit. Increasing our immediate capacity to raise unrestricted funds will create a direct and lasting impact on the entire organization. 

Accordingly, the organization is seeking to hire a Fundraising consultant that can help build AHMA’s capacity and success in fundraising, raise critical funds and develop a comprehensive and customized fundraising plan in accordance with our long range strategic planning efforts. The fundraising consultant will build the critical infrastructure necessary to hire AHMA’s first Development Director. 

SCOPE OF WORK:

AHMA is seeking a fundraising consultant with facilitation experience to provide the following services:

  1. Major gift cultivation and donor engagement: Research and create a major gifts prospect list that includes potential donors from the private sector, government entities, foundations and/or individuals that may or may not be within the AHMA network already. In partnership with senior leadership, solicit major gifts with the stretch goal of raising $200,000 by the end of calendar year 2024. 
  2. Conducting an audit of AHMA’s fundraising capacity and efforts. Identify strengths and weaknesses of existing fundraising efforts and infrastructure to determine areas for improvement and development. Assess the opportunities and threats external to the organization as well as organization readiness that will inform the fundraising plan to ensure its success.
  3. Conduct annual fundraising training with AHMA board of directors and staff. 
  4. Developing a strategic multi-year fundraising and implementation plan that includes strategies to increase AHMAs fundraising efforts from private sector, foundations, individuals and others that is reflective and in alignment with the organization’s mission/vision/values and capacity. 

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS & TIMELINE:

AHMA is seeking proposals from applicants who can address all of the above stated issues and goals and who can provide additional expertise to help the organization and the communities it serves achieve a successful project outcome.

  1. Proposals must include a clear description of the applicant’s plan to complete all of the project components (i.e. in what order will the projects be completed, how long each component will take to complete, etc.)
  2. Applicants must include in their project timelines “check-in” points for AHMA to be provided with project status updates. As work products/deliverables are completed prior to the established check-in points, applicants will be required to send AHMA these materials to facilitate the status update meetings and/or conference calls. The successful applicant will be responsible for setting up the check-in meetings/calls, preparing an agenda for each meeting/call, sending out meeting invites and writing meeting minutes.
  3. AHMA will be responsible for implementing the recommendations from all final deliverables; however, it is expected that the consultant selected will provide the agency with ongoing coaching and implementation support as needed, per letter of agreement.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

In awarding a contract for fundraising consulting services, AHMA will examine a number of factors and criteria will include:

  1. The extent to which the proposal addresses the stated management issues and clearly describes the scope of work;
  2. Specific plans or methodology to be used to perform the services;
  3. Qualifications and experience of consultant in engaging in fundraising consultation; 
  4. Availability for work to be conducted between June 2024 and September 2024. 
  5. Project cost.

APPLICATION PROCESS & PROCEDURES:

  1. To indicate initial interest, please submit a 1-3 paragraph summary of your qualifications and approach to scope of work to Jesse (jesse@abundanthousingma.org).
  2. If chosen, Abundant Housing MA (AHMA) will notify applicants who indicated initial interest and request a full proposal. AHMA will also provide a budget range for this project at this stage.  All invited and completed proposals will receive a stipend of $200 to compensate applicants for their time. Candidates must be chosen to proceed to the full proposal phase to be eligible to receive the stipend.

When invited to do so, please provide a complete written response to this RFP. Proposals should include:

  1. A brief Executive Summary;
  2. A description of the applicant’s general approach to fundraising consultation, including methodology, perspective, or philosophy that guides your work with organizations in this undertaking;
  3. A list of project goals and deliverables to be created with a detailed timeline for each deliverable, goal, and overall project completion;
  4. Any budget detail relevant to the pricing of the proposal;
  5. Credentials and qualifications of key personnel who will take responsibility for working directly on this project.


Encouraged but not required: 

  1. Example(s) of a fundraising plan created by your company.
  2. At least two references of prior clients.

Applicants should submit one electronic copy of the proposal.

Inquire and/or send completed proposals by April 30, 2024 to Jesse Kanson-Benanav (jesse@abundanthousingma.org)