Major Gifts & Corporate Giving – Development Consultant: Request for Proposals

I. BACKGROUND
Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC) empowers victims of all crimes to achieve survivor-defined justice through advocacy, case management and legal services.
Located in the heart of Takoma, we are a growing DC non-profit organization with a team of nearly 30 staff who are passionate and dedicated to social justice. We are looking for a talented, highly-organized, and motivated professional with experience in major gifts and corporate fundraising to help drive and grow our development efforts at NVRDC.

II. GENERAL PROJECT SCOPE
NVRDC is seeking an energetic mission-focused, and entrepreneurial Development Consultant (“Consultant”) to lead and organize NVRDC’s large donor cultivation, annual fundraisers, and other giving campaigns.
This individual must be an independent, resourceful, and experienced fundraiser. The ideal candidate will be committed to working with people from diverse cultural, racial, linguistic, economic, educational, and vocational backgrounds to demonstrate NVRDC’s dedication to social justice and access to justice for all victims of crime in DC.
This Consultant will work closely with NVRDC’s leadership team while spearheading the fundraising strategies through development and implementation of a sustainability plan that includes strategies to execute fundraising within new donors related to major individual gifts and corporate giving.

III. DELIVERABLES
1. Develop and execute NVRDC’s Annual Sustainability Plan that includes the following activities:
o Leading the identification, research, and outreach to individual and corporate donors while coordinating cultivation efforts and executive communication;
o Manage and oversee donor data, gift processing, and regular and ad hoc reporting of fundraising progress;
o Oversee the development of donor communications, including calls, welcome packets and thank you letters, promotional materials, and other marketing strategies;
o Lead fundraising event planning activities, including NVRDC’s Annual Benefit planning, event sponsorship tracking and solicitation, and coordination of the Annual Benefit  Planning Committee; and
o Manage donor related communications relating to year-end mailing campaigns and the Annual Impact Report.

2. Provide support to NVRDC’s staff involved in outreach and digital communications to ensure consistent messaging across NVRDC’s Annual Impact Report, newsletters, and Constant Contact external communications.

3. Support NVRDC’s Executive Director in board engagement and training related to fundraising and communications.

NVRDC expects the final work products will include:
1. A finalized Annual Sustainability Plan with clearly identified execution activities and task assignments/timelines related to growing individual major gifts and corporate giving.
2. A Final Giving Summary of major gifts and corporate giving increases throughout the time period.
IV. TIMETABLE (each deliverable provided by month until March 2021)

• Finalized Annual Sustainability Plan
• Provide NVRDC's Board Fundraising Training
• Execution of NVRDC's Annual Benefit
• Execution of Year-End Giving Campaign
• Execute Major Gifts/Corporate Plans Resulting in Increased Giving
• Final Giving Summary

V. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
Interested Consultants must submit a proposal that should include, at a minimum, the consultant’s resume/CV, three relevant references with contact information, and the following information:
I. Scope of Proposal: Stated understanding of the need and desired outcomes.
II. Consultant Capability: Demonstrated history of success in fundraising related to major gifts and corporate giving, experience leading, training, and overseeing organizational event and development planning and execution efforts.
III. Availability: Statement regarding July 1 start date and 9-month timeline.
IV. Project Description of Approach: Discussion on how Consultant plans to achieve the stated deliverables and complete related activities described in the RFP.

V.Proposed Budget: NVRDC will offer a baseline Consultant monthly pay for each of the 9 months within the project period. However, additional compensation is available for secured donations related to individual major gifts and corporate giving. Consultant should propose clear expectations related to base pay and the percentage of compensation for secured giving brought in during the 9-month period. The total budget must not exceed $75,000.

Proposals must be submitted electronically to Bridgette Stumpf, via email at bridgette@nvrdc.org, by 5:00 pm on May 1, 2020 in order to be considered. Proposals should include the subject line “NVRDC Development Consultant Proposal [Candidate’s Last Name]”. Proposal submissions that do not follow these instructions exactly will not be considered.
NVRDC strongly values diversity and the benefits it brings to the workplace. Minority and women Consultants are strongly encouraged to apply.

VI. PROPOSAL REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT

NVRDC’s Executive Director and the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors will evaluate proposals. Consultants with competitive proposals may be asked to make an in-person presentation (offered remotely if necessary) to the Committee. Consultants will be evaluated on the following criteria, which form the basis for review of proposals and any presentation:

10 Points - Scope of Proposal

a) Does the proposal show an understanding of the project objectives and results that are desired from the project?

30 Points - Consultant Capability

a) Does the consultant have the support capabilities required?
b) Does the consultant have: previous relevant and positive experience in jobs of this type and scope; and success in planning and at a minimum 7-10 years of experience in non-profit fundraising?
Is there a demonstrated successful track record of personally identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and securing individual and corporate donations?
Is there a documented experience working with major donors, including coordination of executive outreach, and ensuring effective cultivation?

20 Points - Availability

a) Can the work be completed in the necessary time?
b) Can all the required deliverables be completed by March 31, 2021?
c) Are other qualified personnel available to assist in meeting the project schedule if required?
d) Is the consultant flexible and available to work with the Executive Director as required?

20 Points - Project Description and Approach
a) Does the consultant understand NVRDC’s needs and goals?

20 Points - Cost and Work Hours a) Is the estimated budget within NVRDC’s suggested  budget (no more than $75,000)?
b) Are the work hours presented reasonable for the effort required in each project task or phase?
c) Is there a clear statement of base pay expected monthly and clear metrics of additional compensation for successful execution of additional individual major gifts and corporate gifts secured during the project period?