Request for Proposals: Strategic Planning Facilitation Services

Goals

• Confirm/refine mission, vision, values, and theory of change grounded in gender and racial equity.
• Prioritize strategic outcomes for the next 3–5 years (e.g., community investments/grantmaking, advocacy, partnerships, and resource development).
• Align governance, staffing, and operating model to support strategy (roles, capabilities, systems).
• Create a practical implementation roadmap with clear milestones, measures, and accountability.
• Develop a 30th Anniversary Strategy (From July 2026 to June 2027) that aligns with and launches the new strategic plan to strengthen visibility, narrative change, community engagement, resource development, and long-term positioning.

Key Questions

• Where can WFWM have the greatest regional impact in the next 3–5 years?
• What mix of grantmaking, convening, leadership development, and advocacy best advances our purpose?
• How should we grow and diversify revenue to sustain the work?

We invite partners who can help us design a strategy and implementation plan that meets this moment with courage, clarity, and commitment—and that leverages our 30th Anniversary in FY27 as an inflection point for visibility, narrative change, community engagement, and sustainable revenue growth. We seek a facilitation partner who can translate vision into a practical, community-rooted plan that shifts not only resources, but power.

Design a roadmap to drive the launch of the strategic plan by detailing the messaging, regional engagement, stakeholder involvement, events, resources, and a timeline for before, during, and after the anniversary. This should also include an implementation plan for the organization.

WFWM expects a collaborative process that includes, at minimum:
A. Project Design & Launch

1. Refine scope, approach, timeline, and decision-rights with a staff/Board planning committee.
2. Finalize stakeholder map and inclusive engagement plan.

B. Discovery & Assessment

1. Review core documents (bylaws, strategic/operational plans, budgets, program data, grantmaking data, fund development reports, communications, prior evaluations).
2. Conduct inclusive stakeholder engagement: interviews/focus groups with Board, staff, grantees, partners, donors, community members, and regional leaders; short surveys where appropriate.
3. Environmental scan: regional needs, philanthropic trends in gender equity, peer benchmarking.
4. Synthesis memo: strengths, challenges, opportunities, and design implications.

C. Strategy Development

1. Facilitate work sessions/retreats to articulate:
   1. Mission/vision/values refresh (if needed).
   2. Strategic priorities with outcome statements and 3–5-year success measures.
   3. Community Investments/grantmaking and advocacy focus areas; learning agenda.
   4. Revenue and resource strategy (philanthropy, partnerships).
   5. Equity-centered organizational capabilities and operating model.

D. Implementation Planning

1. 12–24 month implementation roadmap with initiatives, owners, timelines, resource/budget implications, and KPIs.
2. 30th Anniversary Strategy (2026): recommended activities, messaging, engagement plan, timeline, and resource/budget implications aligned with strategic plan launch.
3. Simple performance dashboard and learning/evaluation plan.
4. Change-management and communications plan (internal/external messaging, stakeholder updates).

E. Board Adoption & Handoff

1. Final strategy deck and plan document; facilitation of Board approval meeting.
2. Templates/tools (workplan, dashboard, meeting cadence) for ongoing execution.

• Project Charter & Timeline (PDF/Doc)
• Discovery & Assessment: themes, insights, and stakeholder input summary (Deck + Brief)
• Stakeholder Engagement Plan – Inclusive approaches for grantees, partners, donors, and community voices across all four counties.
• Data & Evaluation – Tools for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing input; proposed KPIs and learning agenda.
• Environmental Scan/Benchmark Summary (Brief)
• Draft Strategy Framework (priorities, outcomes, measures) (Deck)
• Implementation Roadmap (12–24 months) with budget implications and project management framework (Workbook + PDF)
• 30th Anniversary Strategy (FY27) — roadmap for leveraging milestone, including recommended activities, messaging, engagement plan, timeline, budget, and implementation steps aligned with the strategic plan launch. (PDF + editable files)
• Performance Dashboard Template (Spreadsheet)
• Change-Management & Communications Plan (Brief)
• Final Board-ready Strategy Deck and Final Plan (designed PDF + editable files)
• Detailed Strategic Plan Budget – cost of implementation for the next 3-5 years

*Preferred formats: editable Word/Google Docs, PowerPoint/Google Slides, and Excel/Google Sheets. Source files to be provided upon project completion.

• RFP Released: December 12, 2025
• Q&A Deadline (submit by email): January 9 , 2026
• Responses to All Questions Posted/Sent: January 16, 2026
• Proposals Due: January 30, 2026
• Interviews (finalists): February 9–13, 2026
• Consultant Selected/Notified: February 20, 2026
• Project Kickoff: March 2, 2026
• Anticipated completion date: December 2026 (Pending proposed process logistics)

WFWM anticipates a total project budget in the range of $15,000 – $20,000 inclusive of professional fees, travel, materials, facilitation, and translation/interpretation (if applicable).

Please limit proposals to no more than 15 pages, excluding appendices. Include:

1. Cover Letter (1 page) – Summary of your approach and why your team is well-suited.
2. Approach & Workplan – Describe the methods, engagement strategy, equity approach, proposed timeline of deliverables with phases and milestones, and any recommended retreats/meetings.
3. Project Team – Roles, bios, time allocations; identification of subcontractors, if any.
4. Relevant Experience – 3–5 examples of comparable projects (preferably philanthropy, women/girls, equity-focused, or regional/community foundations); links to public work if available. Name the tools that were used for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing input and data collection; proposed KPIs and learning agenda.
5. Equity & Inclusion Statement – Describe how you currently incorporate this into your work. Explain how equity, anti-bias practices, language access, and accessibility will be integrated into the Strategic Planning process, including design methods, materials, and facilitation practices.
6. Project Management Approach – Explain how you will manage the project, including project cadence, communication strategy, risk mitigation, decision-making authority, and quality assurance processes.
7. Proposed Budget – Submit a line-item budget with assumptions, including hourly rates and estimated hours by roles, within the $15,000–$20,000 range.
8. References – 2–3 client references with contact info.
9. Required Forms – W-9 (upon selection), proof of insurance (see Terms), and any certifications.

WFWM will assess proposals using the following weighted criteria:

• Quality of Approach & Methodology – Clarity, feasibility, participatory and equity-centered design, including 30th Anniversary Strategy.
• Relevant Experience & Results – Demonstrated outcomes with similar clients/communities.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation – Skill with inclusive, trauma-informed, and accessible facilitation.
• Team Qualifications – Expertise, lived/proximate experience, and capacity to deliver on time.
• Data & Implementation Orientation – Practical roadmap, KPIs, change-management support, and 30th Anniversary integration.
• Cultural & Regional Fit – Understanding Western MA context and WFWM’s mission.
• Cost Effectiveness – Budget clarity and value for scope.

WFWM may invite finalists for interviews and/or request a short facilitation sample.

WFWM’s strategy centers gender and racial equity. Proposals should demonstrate concrete practices for accessible meeting design (hybrid options, childcare/reimbursements, stipends for community time), plain-language materials, translation/interpretation, ASL, and ADA/Section 508 accommodations. Please include anticipated costs.

All materials shared by WFWM and data collected during this engagement are confidential and remain the property of WFWM. Consultant will adhere to ethical research standards, secure storage, and data privacy best practices. Any public use of findings requires WFWM’s written consent.

Email your proposal as a single PDF to: admin@mywomensfund.org with subject line: “RFP – Strategic Planning – [Your Firm Name]” by January 30, 2026.

Attachments allowed: proposal PDF; brief appendices (work samples, references).