Strategic Planning Consultant: Request For Proposal

Strategic Planning Consultant

Request For Proposal

Project Name: Seed to Table Oregon Five Year Strategic Planning Process

Searching For: Strategic Planning Consultant

Application Deadline: January 30, 2023

Award Notification: February 9, 2023

Project Start Date: Decided to complete project by no later than September 1, 2023

Organizational Background

Building community through fresh vegetables is at the heart of the Sisters based non profit, Seed to Table Oregon. Tucked in behind a long row of townhouses, just a short walk from the Sisters Elementary School, Seed to Table Farm sits on four acres. Founded in 2013, the mission of Seed to Table Oregon is to increase the health and wellness of the Central Oregon community by providing equitable access to farm fresh produce and through providing opportunities in farm-based education. Seed to Table envisions a community where people of all races, ages, sexual orientations, genders, abilities, geographies, and socioeconomic statuses have access to fresh produce that is nourishing, locally grown, and responsive to those we support. 

The mission is brought to life through three different program areas; K-12 farm-based education in the Sisters schools, the Community Table food distribution programs and the Sisters Farmers Market.

Our Commitment to Equity

Seed to Table envisions a community where people of all races, religions, ages, sexual orientations, genders, abilities, geographies, and socioeconomic statuses have access to fresh produce and farm-based education. Our board and staff are dedicated to growing and providing organic, fresh veggies that are nourishing, locally grown, and reflect the preferences of those we serve.

Seed to Table recognizes that within Central Oregon systemic injustices, such as racism, classism, ableism, ageism, and sexism perpetuate conditions that sustain poverty, cause hunger, and deny access to education and fresh produce essential to health and wellness. With this understanding, we commit to serving our community with dignity and value for each individual and their lived experiences. 

We resolve to listen to and learn from our community. We will continue to educate ourselves on systems that sustain hunger and poverty and interrupt these systems where we can. We will work to increase access and stay rooted in the knowledge that learning is never finished. We understand that we have and will undoubtedly make mistakes. When we do,  we will learn from them and take action to do better.

To learn more about Seed to Table Oregon, www.seedtotabloregon.org

Project Description

Seed to Table is seeking proposals from consultants to assist with the design, development, and implementation of our next five-year strategic plan (2024-2028).

We want to ensure that our strategic plan has a solid foundation of a shared vision, leads to measurable goals that can effectively guide our ongoing and future work, fully embodies principles of equity and inclusion, and provides a cohesive roadmap for our next five years.

The planning process is expected to occur over the next six  months, starting in early Spring 2023. We anticipate that the new plan will be formally approved in the fall of 2023 and take effect no later than January 1, 2024.

• Application Deadline: January 30, 2023
• Award Notification: February 9, 2023
• Project Start Date: Decided on together to complete project by no later than September 1, 2023

Additional Questions

1. What is your process in facilitating a 1, 3, and 5 year strategic planning process with a non-profit organization? 
2. After reading Seed to Table’s organization and strategic planning project, how would your background and unique skill sets support our organization in this process. 
3. How do you build a collaborative environment that supports conversation, problem solving, and decision making when facilitating a planning session with a group size of 12-20 people? 
4. Please share what excites you about the strategic planning process? What is the biggest challenge you have faced in facilitating a strategic planning session or process? How did you handle it and what was the outcome? 
5. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is important to Seed to Table’s mission and growth, how would you build this into strategic planning? What is your experience and knowledge in diversity, equity and inclusion? Please outline your commitment to this topic? 
6. How do you charge for your services? What is your budget proposal for this project? 

Application Process

• Please send us a Google Drive folder with all of the materials requested below to the email: office@seedtotablesisters.org. 
  • Subject line- Strategic Planning Proposal: Your Name
  • Submit a cover letter and resume
  • Submit answers to questions 1-6 above
  • Please submit a proposed agenda for a two day strategic planning retreat (10 hours max of group facilitation)
  • Plese ask questions to office@seedtotablesisters.org 
  • To Learn More about our organization www.seedtotableoregon.org

Please see information on how to apply in job description or learn more here. 

https://www.seedtotableoregon.org/join-our-team