Hiring Organization Information
Position Information
Walla Walla Public Library Capital Campaign Fund
Request for Proposals
Capital Campaign Fundraising Manager
Date of Request: Friday, July 22, 2024
Proposals Due: Friday, August 12, 2024, by 4:00 pm
INTRODUCTION
Public library services were first provided by the City of Walla Walla in 1897. In 1905 the Carnegie library was opened. Our current building was built in 1970 with a 5,000 SF children’s wing added in 2006. The current library is approximately 17,000 SF, with an additional 2,000 SF at basement level.
The library serves as the community hub, offering a diverse range of resources, programs, and services to residents of all ages. Over 15,000 individuals have an active WWPL card. The library receives an average of 11,000 visits each month and circulates 250,000 items annually. The collection currently contains approximately 100,000 physical items. We also provide access to databases, Wi-Fi, and ten public computers. The library offers hundreds of programs each year to serve a wide range of ages. These programs are highly popular with over 12,500 attending last year. Additionally, the library offers two small study rooms and one medium-sized meeting room for public use.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Over the past couple of decades, the methods in which libraries are used have significantly evolved. The current library space and layout no longer meet the needs of our customers or our staff. A variety of needs and updates have been identified via staff and patron input, observation, community workshops and meetings, public outreach, and strategic planning.
Our library needs to be thoroughly renovated. We have hired a design firm to work with us and our community to design this renovation and rebuild. We anticipate a budget of up to $16 million and a campaign of up to three years to move from today’s library to our future library (the “Campaign”). A portion of this potential Campaign goal has already been committed by the City and initial funders.
We need to hire contract staff to complete the capital campaign necessary to accomplish this new vision. While the Capital Campaign Fundraising Manager will work under the supervision of the Campaign Director on a day-to-day basis, the Fundraising Manager will report to a Campaign Executive Committee that is composed of the Campaign Director, the Library Director, the City Manager of the City of Walla Walla, the President & CEO of the Blue Mountain Community Foundation, and possibly others.
The Capital Campaign Fundraising Manager will have the following duties.
- Oversee all aspects of the campaign, campaign reporting, campaign communications, and the execution of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities in support of campaign goals and priorities.
- Develop ongoing relationships with key prospects and donors.
- Create and coordinate Capital Campaign fundraising events as part of the overall fundraising effort.
- Provide monthly capital campaign reports regarding fundraising goals and initiatives, and progress.
- Coordinate with staff and leadership to develop and implement fundraising strategies for the public phase of the campaign, including any appeals or targeted publicity
- Schedule, attend and support all capital campaign planning and Steering Committee meetings.
- Prepare all lists, reports and profiles concerning campaign prospects.
- Conduct ongoing ethical prospect research.
- Manage and maintain records of cultivation strategies, evaluations, solicitations, contact reports and results of all contacts with campaign prospects.
- Produce all capital campaign packets for prospect and donor visits with supporting documentation and follow-up correspondence.
- Produce all campaign correspondence including letters of acknowledgment.
- Maintain records regarding campaign gifts and pledges including payment schedules and the production of pledge reminders for outstanding pledge balances.
- Background in capital campaign development preferred.
CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS
We are looking for a consultant with the following qualifications:
- Proven experience in managing successful capital campaigns, ideally within the library, educational, or non-profit sectors.
- Deep understanding of fundraising principles and best practices.
- Exceptional communication and organizational skills.
- Experience in donor relationship management and major gift solicitation.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse teams, including board members, staff, other consultants, and volunteers.
Familiarity with community-driven initiatives and a passion for enhancing public libraries.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals shall be submitted electronically as a PDF to rebecca@rjzconnections.com.
Submissions must be received on or before August 12, 2024, 4:00 p.m. PST. Late submissions will not be considered.
All inquiries regarding the RFP should be sent via email to Kol Medina, President & CEO, Blue Mountain Community Foundation / kol@bluemountainfoundation.org , and Rebecca Zanatta, President, RJZ Connections, Inc / rebecca@rjzconnections.com. We encourage you to ask us questions before submitting your proposal. We see this RFP as a starting point for you; you should ask us for the additional information that you think you need to prepare a successful proposal.
Proposals should include the following elements:
- Cover Letter: Brief introduction and summary of qualifications.
- Consultant Background: Detailed description of your experience (related to duties and qualifications specifically listed above) with capital campaigns, including specific examples of successful campaigns.
- Approach and Methodology: Outline your approach to managing the campaign, including your process and suggested timeline.
- Budget and Fee Structure: Detailed budget proposal, including all fees and expenses over the three years of the capital campaign.
- References: Contact information for at least three references from organizations where you have managed similar campaigns.
RFP SCHEDULE
The following is the anticipated schedule for the RFP process:
Date
Event
July 19, 2024
Request for proposal released
August 2, 2024
Deadline for Questions
August 12, 2024
Proposal Submission Deadline
Week of August 19
Interview of top candidate(s)
August 23
Selection of Consultant
PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
Relevant experience and success in similar campaigns.
- Quality and feasibility of the proposed approach and methodology.
- Ability to meet the campaign’s timeline and budget.
- Strength and relevance of references.
- Overall cost-effectiveness and value.
THE ROLE OF BLUE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The City of Walla Walla has partnered with the Blue Mountain Community Foundation to administer the public fundraising portion of the Campaign. Specifically, the City has created at the Foundation the “Walla Walla Public Library Capital Campaign Fund.” Consultants hired to undertake this Campaign will be hired by this Fund at the Foundation and will, thereby, be
contract staff of the Foundation, not of the City. However, the Foundation has largely delegated management of the Campaign fundraising staff to the City. Legally, this RFP is being issued by the Foundation and not by the City.
All public donations – from individuals, businesses, and non-governmental grantmakers – will be routed to the Fund at the Foundation so that those donations are being made directly to a
501(c)(3) entity rather than directly to the City. As the receiver of the donations, the Foundation’s core staff will be responsible for accepting and processing all the donations
(including unusual donations such as securities and real property), completing and sending tax acknowledgements for all donations, and maintaining the accounting for all of the donations.
LIMITATIONS
The Foundation reserves the right to modify or withdraw the RFP at any time without prior notice. The Foundation reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all proposals received without penalty. The Foundation may reject proposals without providing the reasons underlying the declination. The Foundation also reserves the right not to issue a contract as a result of this RFP. A failure to award a contract will not result in a cause of action against the
Foundation. The RFP does not obligate the Foundation to contract for services described herein.
PRE-CONTRACTURAL EXPENSES
The Foundation will not be liable for any costs incurred by applications in the preparation of proposals in response to this RFP, in the conduct of an interview presentation, or any other activities related to responding to this RFP.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The Foundation is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Minority and women- owned firms are encouraged to submit proposals. No bidder will be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or natural origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, or sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity) or on the grounds of being a member of a legally-protected class.
Thank you for considering partnering with Walla Walla Public Library for this transformative project. We look forward to reviewing your proposal and working together to achieve our vision.