Smart Growth America (SGA) is seeking proposals from qualified firms or individuals to provide program design and facilitation services in support of a community of practice focused on culture, design, engagement, and federally funded infrastructure projects from December 2024 to November 2025. Services include project design, planning, implementation, and community of practice facilitation services.
The deadline to submit is Thursday, November 14, 2024, 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time. More information on proposal submission can be found below.
Background
Smart Growth America envisions a country where no matter where you live or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient. We empower communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize our vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.
The Arts & Culture team believes that arts and culture play a crucial role in supporting this vision by providing an organizing force for residents, business owners, and other stakeholders, particularly in marginalized and underinvested communities, to build power and work towards strengthening neighborhoods, by revealing the multifaceted character of communities, and by connecting communities with decision makers to collectively pursue equitable policies and projects.
Project Goals and Scope of Services
Institutional change is needed to deliver more just outcomes for communities that have been harmed by and excluded from transportation planning and decision-making. Building off SGA’s expertise at the intersection of arts and culture, transportation, land use, and climate change, this community of practice is for change-makers, primarily Black, Indigenous, and people of color, working within metropolitan planning organizations and state departments of transportation, seeking to partner with cultural workers and advocates in underrepresented communities for institutional and sectoral evolution. We will convene peer practitioners for a two-day workshop to develop specific action plans for transformation. We will continue to meet throughout the year for monthly virtual sessions, kicking off a six-month-long community of practice that will guide and support participants through internal program design and initial implementation. The program will conclude with a second in-person convening hosted by a participating agency.
Essential responsibilities for this role include the following tasks and deliverables:
- Research and Engagement (10%)
- Work with SGA’s Arts & Culture team to identify and solicit key partners and potential program participants.
- Conduct high-level research on similar CoPs and programming to identify unique opportunities for this CoP.
- Program Coordination, Design, and Planning (75%)
- Participate in meetings with CoP project team and provide feedback on research design, including case study and recommendations. Provide one round of feedback on the draft report.
- Design, plan, and facilitate CoP virtual and in-person sessions, including content, curriculum, and guest speakers. Support event planning, including meeting and activity design and execution, for the two in-person convenings. Participate in event and session debriefs.
- Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting (15%)
- Monitor the progress of the CoP and of the participants.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the CoP strategies that have been implemented, including through surveys and interviews.
- Provide regular feedback and reporting on progress and key barriers for participants.
- Support program, event, and activity evaluation and measurement of impact.
Budget
Work is planned to begin immediately and conclude by November 30, 2025. The maximum budget for this project is $20,000 for the consultant to develop and implement the project deliverables. Consultant travel, lodging, and meals to participate in up to two in-person convenings will be covered by additional funds that have been allocated for this purpose. Other than these two in-person convenings, it is expected that all work will be completed remotely. Payment will occur on a monthly basis, corresponding to a negotiated timeline for deliverables.
Evaluation criteria
SGA is seeking a diverse pool of proposals. Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led companies are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants will be selected based on the following desired criteria:
- Substantial experience, thought leadership, and entrepreneurship at the intersection of arts, culture, and design, and transportation, community development, community organizing, urban planning, climate resilience, or other related fields;
- Meaningful experience working in and with transportation agencies (experience with state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations, councils of government, or regional councils preferred);
- Leadership in challenging the status quo and designing, instigating, and implementing institutional, social, cultural, narrative, or policy change within the arts, culture, design, or community development, transportation, or climate resilience sectors;
- Experience working and trust-building in and/or with community-based organizations, artists, culture bearers, and arts and culture organizations within communities of color or other marginalized communities;
- Deep commitment to racial equity, social change, and/or transportation/mobility justice and climate justice; and
- Proposed budget.
Proposal submission
Interested applicants should submit their proposal via email to Marian Liou, director of Arts & Culture at Smart Growth America, at [email protected] by Thursday, November 14, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. EST. Proposals should include:
- Overview: A letter of interest of no more than one page describing your interest and relevant experience in this opportunity;
Background: Brief resumes of key staff, including descriptions of three past projects relevant to this RFP and Smart Growth America that have been completed in the past five (5) years. - Proposed budget and rates: Proposers are encouraged to submit a proposed budget at their best terms, including hourly rate(s) and the estimated cost breakdown to produce the tasks and deliverables described above. Actual contract hours will be determined in collaboration with SGA after selection.
- References: A list of three professional references. At least one reference should be a current/former client.
Anticipated selection timeline
If interviews are necessary, the short-listed firms or individuals will be invited to participate in an interview process with an evaluation committee, to be scheduled during the week of November 18, 2024 (tentative). SGA reserves the right to award this contract based on initial proposals received without formal interviews and to award all or part of this project to one or more firms.
SGA will make a selection by the week of December 2, 2024, and will notify candidates after the selection is complete. Questions regarding the RFP should be sent to [email protected] by Friday, November 8, 2024.