Tag: RFP

Kittitas Stewardship Fund

Request for Proposals

Overview

The Kittitas Stewardship Fund (KSF) is a budding non-profit, whose mission is to provide philanthropic and organizational support to community initiatives that seek to maintain and conserve critical public lands, improving ecological health while sustainably and effectively managing recreational assets.  This fund will serve multiple land managers and non-profits in efforts that improve watershed health; support working forests; increase fire resiliency; conserve lands at risk of development; develop and manage recreational infrastructure; and address the backlog of maintenance on lands open to the public. Members of the East Cascades Recreation Partnership (ECRP), a group of land managers and nonprofit partners, seek proposals from professionals who can assist with establishment of the initial nonprofit, its structure, a longterm funding plan, and initial rollout to the community.

Who Should Apply

The ECRP members are exploring multiple ways to accomplish the work of establishing this Fund. We are interested in working with individuals, firms, or even other nonprofits who specialize in the creation of 501c3s. If you feel your skills and past experience align with our needs, we hope to hear from you.

Tasks/Outcomes

The goal of this position is to fill a gap in capacity among those entities that support the health and upkeep of Kittitas County’s working forests, public lands, and recreational areas. While all these groups agree on the need for an entity like KSF, staff do not presently have the means (or, in some cases, the legal freedom) to establish a 501c3 or guide its first steps. For that purpose, the ECRP has raised funds to hire a consultant or limited term staffperson to conduct the following tasks:

1. Establish official 501 (c) (3) status for the Fund;
   1. develop a charter
   1. define rules of engagement, guidelines for communication, and expectations for participation from eventual Board of Directors
2. Draft a communication outreach and marketing plan
3. Develop a roadmap for and potentially initiate implementation of a funding strategy based on a voluntary surcharge service model. 

The coordinator will work with multiple land managers, Tribal partners, county and local governments, and other non-profits.  The coordinator will sit on the Checkboard Partnership Planning Committee, and the East Cascades Recreation Partnership, to best align and unify components of these efforts.

Project Timeline

Release of RFP	September 14, 2020
Applications Due	October 2, 2020
Interviews	October 7, 2020
Final Selection	October 16, 2020
Project Completion	March 15, 2021
Final Billing	March 30, 2021

Preliminary Scope of Work:

1. Establish official 501(c)(3) status for the KSF
   1. The consultant or applicant will complete all the necessary steps to incorporating the Kittitas Stewardship Fund as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3), including developing a clear purpose statement and charter document; drafting Bylaws for the Board of Directors; collaborating with ECRP members to identify members of the eventual Board of Directors; filing incorporation paperwork, and filing for 501(c)(3) status.
2. Draft a communication outreach and marketing plan
   1. The consultant or applicant will develop a strategy to raise awareness among the community of KSF’s existence, goals, and needs. This will include identifying audiences and key messaging; drafting outreach materials such as press releases, fact sheets, and model social media posts; and establishing a website.
3. Develop a roadmap for and implementation of a longterm funding strategy
   1. The ECRP has conducted research into various funding models for conservation and recreation foundations. The group feels that a voluntary surcharge program (VSP) has the greatest likelihood of success in Kittitas County. A VSP would involve businesses that benefit from the outdoor recreation economy signing onto an agreement to add an optional 1% charge to all sales. The consultant or applicant would translate research findings into a glidepath for implementation in the community, including determining local fundraising potential; identifying businesses who fit the criteria and working with the ECRP to meet with their representatives; developing messaging to best market the VSP to those representatives; establishing a system to receive funds.

Desired Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrated ability in community organizing, prior experience of civic engagement, and developing and sustaining partnerships with local organizations.
• Experience with structure of non-profit organizations.
• Knowledge of marketing and communication planning.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and in a collaborative team-based environment.
• Must be a self-starter and have the ability to manage own performance effectively, plan and organize time and priorities to achieve results.
• Demonstrated ability to move partners toward action, highly preferred.
• Effective and confident public speaker and facilitator.  Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
• Familiarity with Kittitas County communities and business entities, desirable.
• Commitment to an organizational culture where creativity and diversity are celebrated.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, build relationships, and exhibit a flexible approach to work, and quickly adapt and pivot to changing needs in a rapid-paced environment.

How to Format Your Application/Proposal

Please provide the information and details requested below as part of your proposal. Submissions should be no more than three pages. Send final documentation to Nicky Pasi at nicky.pasi@mtsgreenway.org by October 2.

• Description of applicant and relevant project experience
• Methodology and plan to meet proposed goals:

501(c)(3) incorporated, tax-exemption filed
Draft charter and bylaws
Communication plan development
Media kit development
Website development
VSP research and budgeting
VSP marketing
VSP implementation path development
Interfacing with ECRP and CPPC

• Proposed project budget, aligned with above scope of work

Compensation

Compensation is based on multiple factors that will be discussed during the hiring process and documented in a mutually agreed upon employee contract.  Generally, the pay will be negotiated based on applicant’s proposed budget and ability to meet set goals.  While the initial contract is set through March of 2021, the position depends on a number of fundraising factors, including the incumbent’s efficacy at establishing the VSP program.