Request for Proposal: Strategic Planning
Introduction: The Regina Folk Festival (RFF) is seeking proposals from qualified professionals to provide strategic planning services. The successful candidate will work closely with our board and staff leadership team to develop a comprehensive strategic plan that will guide the organization over the next two to three years. This work is especially exciting given the organization’s ongoing focus on rebuilding and reimagining our approach to programming in advance of the coming year.
Background: Established in 1969, the RFF has grown into one of Canada’s premier folk music festivals, featuring a diverse lineup of local, national, and international artists. In addition to the annual festival, RFF hosts a series of concerts and community events throughout the year, fostering a vibrant music and arts culture in Regina. In addition to our programming, RFF aims to take leadership in the music, presenting arts, and festivals sectors through progressive approaches to organizational infrastructure and advocacy.
Objectives:
Assist the team in a thorough review and potential revision of the organization’s guiding materials, including the mission, mandate, vision, and values.
Support the team in assessing the current organizational structure, operations, and programming in order to identify opportunities for growth and reimagine “business as usual”.
Develop a clear and actionable two to three year strategic plan with defined goals, objectives,
and timelines. We are looking for a working plan that can guide our ongoing work and aligns with current realities, community need1, and our guiding materials.
Scope of Work: We look to YOU to tell us what we can expect from your strategic planning process. In order to meet the objectives outlined above, we hope to see the following included, at minimum:
● A thoughtful, collaborative, and community-informed process for reviewing and potentially revising RFF guiding materials.
1 RFF has completed significant community consultation over the past three years. The successful professional(s) can assume they will have access to findings to inform the strategic planning process.
● The inclusion of a team-lead comprehensive organizational assessment, including appropriate analysis methodology.
● A clear and actionable working plan that sets RFF up for smooth implementation in order to meet our strategic goals.
Timeline: Ideally, this work would be completed prior to 2025. However, we look to YOU to tell us what we can expect from you in terms of timeline to ensure the project gets the time and attention needed to ensure we can achieve our objectives.
Budget: RFF is grateful to have received $7,500 in funding from the Community Initiatives Fund to support operational planning. We are anticipating directing a minimum of $5,000 of this funding to professional support for strategic planning. However, we are open to proposals that outline up to $15,000 in services.
We look to YOU to let us know the following:
● Appropriate fees that recognize your labour and professional expertise.
● Whether you are open to negotiating a corporate donation (tax receipt provided) or festival
sponsorship (single or multiyear) in exchange for a generous reduction in your fees.
Submission Guidelines: Qualified professionals are invited to submit a detailed proposal providing an overview of their approach, relevant experience, estimated timeline, and fees. Proposals should be submitted to risa@reginafolkfestival.com no later than August 16, 2024 at 4:00pm CST.
Proposals will be evaluated based on professional experience in like-projects, a demonstrated understanding of our objectives, the relevance of the proposed approach, creativity, and cost-effectiveness. Note that we are keen to invest in a process that will result in the strongest deliverable. While we have to be mindful of available resources, the lowest fees will not necessarily be successful.
Questions related to this RFP can be forwarded to risa@reginafolkfestival.com no later than August 10, 2024 at 5:00pm CST. Answers will be provided in writing to all those who have declared interest in submitting a proposal. Representatives will not be available for phone calls or meetings.