Request for Proposals: Evaluation of the Neighborhood Leadership Program (NLP)

[Lee Cruz]

Download a copy in PDF format here.

 

The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven (“The Foundation”) is inviting proposals from qualified individuals or firms (a “Consultant”) to work with the Neighborhood Leadership Program (NLP) Facilitators and our Director of Community engagement to conduct an evaluation of the NLP.

The goals are as follows:

• to document the impact of the NLP on participants and their respective communities over the past 10 years.
• to understand how The Foundation might add additional value for the participants and their community.
• To provide insight on strengths and challenges of the existing program format to inform potential modifications.
• To address issues of recruitment and sustaining engagement of program alums
• to understand how The Foundation might change the NLP to increase participant diversity and be more inclusive.
• to understand how The Foundation might further learn from the “lived experience” knowledge of NLP participants so that we might better serve the communities in our geographic area and the people who live in them.

Background

The Foundation was established in 1928. Its mission is to inspire, support, inform, listen to, and collaborate with the people and organizations of Greater New Haven to build an ever more connected, inclusive, equitable and philanthropic community. The Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country with total assets of approximately $870 million.

The Neighborhood Leadership Program is a networking, skill building and grant program for resident community leaders of New Haven, Hamden, East Haven, and West Haven. The program evolved over several decades from the Neighborhood Small Grants Program to the Neighborhood Leadership Grants Program to the current, Neighborhood Leadership Program. The current iteration of the program was initiated in 2008. Through this program we support self-identified community leaders in their efforts to build and sustain community while bringing them to the attention of the broader community. Although the facilitators conducted feedback interviews with alum 4 years into the current program configuration and participant evaluations are conducted during program participation every year, no external evaluation of the current program has been conducted to date.

Scope of Work

The selected Consultant will:

• Work with the NLP facilitation team to develop a survey process including in-person interview questions and an online survey that will be administered to NLP alumni, community members they recommend and Foundation staff and leadership, total of approximately 100 interviews.
• Review written facilitator reports of the past 8 years.
• Write up initial draft and final draft of interviews and questionnaire findings; including interviews conducted by the NLP facilitators.
• Prepare a final report and PPT presentation with the evaluation findings that will be shared with Foundation staff and NLP facilitation and design team and interested alumni.
• Develop a list of findings and related recommendations for The Community Foundation based on the stated goals for conducting the evaluation.

Your Response to this Request for Proposal:

The Consultant should respond to this request with substantive content in the following areas.

1. In addition to a general overview, please describe your experience conducting program evaluation and provide demonstrations of experience evaluating community leadership programs and/or adult education programs.
2. Provide examples of experience working with programs that prioritize people of color, gender diversity and other-abled people working in community.
3. Outline of your approach and process for delivering on your proposal.
4. The submission should include a list of three references including contact names, email addresses and telephone numbers.

Professional Fees and Services:

The response to this RFP should include a proposed fee for the services outlined in the Scope of Work.

 

Timeline and Submission:

Consultant submission should be delivered no later than October 6, 2022 at 5:00pm (EST). It is expected that this project be completed no later than March 31, 2023.

 

Respondents should send their submissions to:

Lee Cruz,

Director of Community Outreach

[e-mail]

Please include: “CFGNH NLP RFP submission” in the subject line of your response.