Request for Proposal for Assistance in Strategic Planning

Organizational Profile

The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) is a membership-based 501(c)6 consortium of state and local education and workforce development agencies, corporations, and national organizations committed to the advancement of equity and diversity in classrooms and workplaces. Chartered in 1990, NAPE currently has 38 state members, over 300 affiliate members. The NAPE Education Foundation (NAPE EF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 2002. NAPE and the Foundation (hereafter called NAPE) share a common mission: to build educators’ capacity to implement effective solutions for increasing student access, educational equity, and workforce diversity. This mission is met by collaborating with stakeholders in education, particularly in career and technical education (CTE), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and workforce development to build the capacity of educators, parents, and employers through its four lines of business: professional development (PD), technical assistance, research and evaluation, and public policy. For more information about NAPE go to www.napequity.org.

NAPE last updated its strategic plan in 2020, before an especially tumultuous time for our world. Since that time the budget has continued to increase with an annual budget of over $2.7 million; the staff has increased to 10 full-time staff, and the consultant pool has quadrupled to 30 consultants in the field. The organization is fully remote with team members and consultants located throughout the United States. NAPE has received generous support from the National Science Foundation, and it is implementing statewide and smaller-scale professional development to close equity gaps in CTE and STEM throughout the United States.

The strategic plan that will be created over the next year will position NAPE for continued growth and scaling in serving its mission. This strategic planning process will require input from stakeholders, including staff, the NAPE Education Foundation Board, the NAPE Executive Committee, the NAPE Membership, and the larger field of education and workforce development, as well as partners in work focused on equity, civil rights, and social justice. NAPE is widely viewed as a leader in equity in education and workforce development.

Outcomes to Achieve

NAPE seeks to develop a strategic plan over the next year. The strategic plan will provide direction for the organization as it moves into its next phase of growth and effectiveness in meeting its mission and the needs of its members. NAPE seeks to scale its impact with quality and fidelity and improved member engagement. The strategic plan will drive priorities, initiatives, and programs over the next three years, and it will be used as a supporting document for seeking future federal and foundation grants to expand and deepen our work.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will serve as a facilitator on the following:

• Review NAPE materials to gain an understanding of the purposes and work of the membership organization and the Foundation
• Work with the Strategic Planning Committee comprised of individuals from the team, Foundation Board, and NAPE Executive Committee and to move the planning forward
• Identify and implement a process to gather information from both NAPE and NAPE EF Board members to provide input into the content of the strategic plan
• Develop and implement a process to gather input from constituents involved in NAPE and NAPE EF programming and other activities (with an emphasis on students and learners whenever possible), including affiliate and individual members, participants in the NAPE Virtual Learning Community, and key partners
• Conduct focus groups and other data gathering at the annual National Summit for Educational Equity in Spring 2024
• Facilitate in-person strategy sessions, e.g., two half-day to full-day meetings of the Strategic Planning Committee to further refine the work of the plan (location to be determined)
• Deliver a clear and consistent strategic plan with measurable criteria for evaluation of success that will be used by the organization for the next three to five years

Anticipated Time Frame and Deliverables

• July 31, 2023 Proposal Received
• August 20, 2023 Consultant selected
• Consultant and Strategic Planning Committee Planning meeting within 30 days of the vendor selection (before October 1, 2023)
• Written outline of planning process submitted within one week of that meeting
• Planning meetings (virtual and in-person) begin in November 2023 and extend into May 2024
• Over the course of the winter through the early spring, information and input will be gathered from members and key stakeholders
• Additional input will be gathered at the National Summit for Educational Equity (April 8 – April 11)
• An initial draft of the strategic plan will be delivered in early summer 2024 in time for the summer NAPE Program of Work and the NAPE EF summer Board Meetings
• The final Strategic Plan will be delivered by July 1, 2024 unless otherwise specified.

Qualifications and Skillsets

• Previous experience and successful completion of strategic planning with non-profit boards and other organizations, as evidenced by testimonials, letters of support, sample agendas and strategic planning materials
• Demonstrated and robust understanding of equity and diversity issues and experience; working with programs designed to address educational equity and social justice (required)
• Experience consulting with virtual organizations and capacity and skill to manage online meetings and manage information in an online platform.
• Ability to facilitate group processes using creative techniques that engage a diverse set of stakeholders including varied approaches to engaging neurodiverse thinkers and learners.
• Working knowledge of education, including federal education legislation and funding priorities (preferred)
• Understanding of the Career and Technical Education and STEM communities and the mission and goals of NAPE and the NAPE Education Foundation (preferred)

Submission Process

Submit your proposal and quote to Brittany Brady, Ed.M., CAP® CEO bbrady@napequity.org by email, no later than 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 31, 2023.

Please submit the following items:

1. A sample outline of the strategies to be used in the planning process with the name of the person(s) facilitating this process.
2. Samples of similar past strategic planning agendas, activities and written materials successful with non-profit organizations, especially other membership organizations
3. A statement of organizational or individual commitment to equity including guiding (or core) values or principles to assess alignment between the contractor and NAPE’s equity goals
4. Testimonials and references
5. Facilitator resumes and/or company prospectus
6. Detailed budget – Quote should include all costs associated with planning, researching, conducting, and writing related to the strategic planning process. This includes time, travel, printing, and consultant fees.
7. Contact information, including web site and relevant social media if applicable

If your proposal is selected, you will be asked to meet (through electronic means) with members of the Strategic Planning Committee to discuss your approach to the strategic planning process. 

For any in-person meeting, NAPE (NAPE and NAPE EF) will pay all costs related to the meeting. 

The consultant will be responsible for providing a final version of the strategic planning document, including agreed-upon content, no later than July 1, 2024, unless specified otherwise.

For more information about the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, please visit  www.napequity.org.

Responsibilities and Rights

The NAPE Education Foundation reserves the right to edit, print and distribute written materials used or created resulting from this planning process in a manner that meets its needs.

The NAPE Education Foundation reserves the right to request reasonable improvements or additions to the selected vendor’s plans and or budget.

In the case of an in-person meeting, the NAPE Education Foundation staff will be responsible for arranging facilities, conference organizational and management tasks.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity Education Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate in its employment or other practices against persons on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability or status as a disabled, Viet Nam era or more recent military action veteran.  Persons from those groups protected by federal and/or state or local nondiscrimination statutes are strongly encouraged to apply.

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