At United Way of Larimer County (UWLC), we believe the nonprofit sector plays a vital role in creating and maintaining a resilient community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, partnerships between public, private, and nonprofit organizations enabled an effective, efficient response to community needs. Nonprofits participated in collaborative efforts to distribute direct financial assistance and facilitate crucial programs for everything from meeting basic needs to increasing vaccine access and utilization. These activities highlighted the essential role of grassroots and community-led organizations (GCLOs) in serving Larimer County residents, particularly those from historically marginalized communities.
However, this work has also shed light on the critical need of many organizations for access to resources that increase their capacity to provide services and sustain their operations. This became especially clear as state and local agencies reviewed applications for pandemic-related funding support from local GCLOs. Although these applicants presented a compelling case for support and were well-qualified to facilitate the programs they sought support for and connect with their communities, they lacked the necessary infrastructure to successfully compete for and manage government funds.
To support GCLOs in developing policies, processes, and other requirements for successfully securing and managing grant funding (e.g., Title XI requirements, cash management, etc.), UWLC’s Nonprofit Excellence program will provide resources to a nine-month cohort of GCLO leaders, including:
- Group workshops and training in topics such as understanding funding solicitation requirements and evaluation criteria; OMB Uniform Guidance; pre- and post-award best practices for grants management and compliance; strategic considerations for collaborative funding partnerships; and other topics as needed/requested by project participants
- 1:1 consulting and support for the needs of individual organizations
- Facilitation and other support for collaborative grant funding opportunities By the end of the program, cohort participants should feel more prepared to seek, secure, and manage grant funding, with a majority of participants applying for new grant funding by December 31, 2022.
Scope of Work
UWLC seeks a consultant with expertise and experience in securing and managing government funds to provide training and technical assistance to 10 GCLO cohort participants. As part of our commitment to promoting impacted leadership, the consultant will work with participants at the start of the program to determine the specific areas of focus in the cohort curriculum, which will inform specific learning objectives for the program. The consultant will be supported by Nonprofit Excellence program staff, who will work closely with United Way’s partners in state, county, and municipal governments and other funding organizations to ensure alignment with standards and requirements applicable to participants.
Specifically, the consultant will provide:
- Five two-hour group trainings designed to improve grant readiness + a one-hour introductory meeting with cohort participants (11 hours)
- Five hours of 1:1 consulting/coaching for each participant (50 hours)
Our budget for this role also includes approximately 25-30 hours for planning/prep and other miscellaneous meetings and activities as needed. Training and other meetings may be conducted virtually, at our offices, and/or at another location within Larimer County, depending on the location of the consultant and current public health guidance and recommendations.
Budget
$18,000
Timeline
Work will be performed between April 1 –December 31, 2022.
Contact
Morgan Vanek (she/her), Senior Nonprofit Development Manager | mvanek@uwaylc.org | (970) 407-7045
Selection Process & Criteria
The deadline to submit a proposal is March 20, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. We will interview finalists during the week of March 21-27, 2022, and will notify applicants of our decision by April 1, 2022.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated subject matter expertise, such as academic qualifications, professional background, or lived experience (or a combination) and history of successful grant seeking and management (especially government grants)
- Experience providing training and consultation in grant readiness for nonprofit organizations
- Experience with grassroots, community-led, and/or start-up nonprofits and social impact organizations, especially those serving and led by Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC) individuals and other historically marginalized communities
- Interactive and engaging facilitation/training style
- Exceptional interpersonal communication skills
How to Apply
For your reference, a PDF copy of the application questions is available here and a PDF copy of the RFP is available here. If you have questions or experience technical difficulties, please contact Morgan Vanek (she/her), Senior Nonprofit Development Manager, at mvanek@uwaylc.org or (970) 407-7045.
About United Way of Larimer County
United Way of Larimer County leads philanthropy in our community, ensuring that gifts of time, talent, and treasure address today’s greatest needs – and reduce tomorrow’s. UNITED, WE STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY.
United Way is committed to the principles of diversity and belonging. As an organization, we:
- Value, champion, and embrace diversity as an integral part of our business.
- Respect co-workers and other individuals without regard to race (including hairstyles traditionally associated with race), color, religion, creed, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, sex stereotyping, transgender status, sexual orientation and gender identity), parental status, national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), marriage to a co-worker, sources of income, political affiliation, status as an officer, or enlisted members of the military forces, veteran status, and retaliation for engaging in protected activity (opposing a discriminatory practice or participating in an employment discrimination proceeding), supporting equal opportunity programs, or any other protected characteristic applicable under federal, state, and local laws.
- Refuse to engage in or tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination.
