REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: Transition Consultant

Transition Consultant

About Foundation for Louisiana

Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) is a social justice philanthropic intermediary founded in 2005 as the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation to invest in the immediate recovery of Louisiana’s communities after Hurricane Katrina. While FFL was founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, our founders recognized the need to address the longstanding inequities that have shaped life outcomes for the most marginalized of Louisianans. Our programs grew in response to these needs, and today FFL focuses on racial justice, climate justice, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, LGBTQ organizing, and support for Louisiana's vibrant arts and culture via a three-pronged strategy: 

• Invest: FFL makes grants and loans to support organizations and movements throughout Louisiana in our key program areas. We attract and invest resources to support on-the-ground projects, many of which can’t access traditional philanthropy. Through fiscal sponsorship, we support innovative ideas responding to unmet needs throughout Louisiana.
• Build: We build power to effect change in Louisiana communities. Our TOGETHER initiative convenes community leaders and provides training in organizing, policy change, leadership, public speaking, and facilitation to tackle issues of climate change, police accountability, health disparities, housing access, and more.
• Transform: By fortifying movements, we shift systems and shape regional and national narratives. We re-imagine how our communities are governed and funded in order to redefine how residents are able to thrive in them.

Since its inception, FFL has invested $55 million in more than 250 mission-critical nonprofit organizations working across the state toward building a more just Louisiana. As a social justice philanthropic intermediary, FFL’s work unapologetically advances racial justice while moving Louisiana forward. The foundation engages communities in both program co-design as well as its grant-making process in order to expand opportunities and move communities towards a more just future.

Our Values

• COMMUNITY WISDOM: We are guided by the experience of those most impacted by injustice. They are also best informed to lead positive change in their communities.
• COURAGE:  We persist in the face of fear.
• INTEGRITY: We are clear, open, and honest about our goals, values, and strategies.
• COMMITMENT:  We are steadfast and consistent in our pursuit of FFL’s mission

CEO and President Leadership Style

• Striving to achieve distributive leadership
• Practicing feminist leadership
• Collaborative
• Consensus-based
• Justice-oriented

Goals

In July of 2022, FFL’s long-time CEO and President resigned.  The Foundation’s Board of Directors appointed Charmel Gaulden (who formerly served as COO) as the organization’s new CEO and President. Transitions create opportunities for reflection, evaluation, and implementation of new visions and strategies.  FFL seeks a consultant to help us seize the moment created by the transition.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Transition Consultant, in partnership with FFL’s Board and Staff, will design the learning journey, facilitate information gathering, and document wisdom shared during the process while using FFL’s values as a core framework. Additionally, the consultant will provide coaching support to the CEO and President both during the process and in implementing the recommendations elicited from this process. 

Outcomes

FFL’s Board and Staff hope to answer the following questions during this process:

• How have we (FFL’s staff and Board) managed this leadership transition?  What opportunities are presented by this transition?
• Do our mission and vision need to be revised?
• Which avenues of funding should we maximize to increase organizational sustainability?
• Who do we need on our Board and staff to support the implementation of FFL’s vision and mission? What skills do we need on our Board and staff to support the implementation of FFL’s vision and mission?
• How do our strategies and tactics need to be refined to support the implementation of FFL’s vision and mission?
• What conditions need to be shifted to allow FFL’s vision and mission to become a reality? What will FFL continue to do? What will FFL stop doing?
• How will we know if our strategies and tactics have changed conditions in Louisiana?

At the end of the process, the Transition Consultant will provide FFL with a report that captures these learnings and incorporates recommendations offered by the consultant, our communities, and the philanthropic field. Additionally, the consultant will support the CEO and President in developing an implementation plan.

Budget

Foundation for Louisiana has budgeted between $25,000-$40,000 for this engagement.

Suggested Timeline

Foundation for Louisiana expects to interview applicants and select a consultant in early December.  We suggest that work commence in January and conclude in early April.

Qualifications

• Deep commitment to equity and justice for us all but with specific experience supporting the global majority (BIPOC), LGBTQAI communities, people with disabilities, immigrants, women, people working in the South, and low-wealth communities
• Demonstrated experience supporting NGOs who engage in grantmaking/cash payments, nonprofit grantmakers, or philanthropic intermediaries
• Experience engaging diverse communities by providing written and verbal feedback on:
  • Community need
  • Nonprofit and philanthropic ecosystems
  • FFL’s roles (both expected and actualized) in addressing these needs and strengthening these ecosystems
  • Analysis of organizational roles and strengths, growth opportunities

Evaluation of Proposals

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

• The Consultant’s proposed approach to addressing the outcomes above.  Effective incorporation of FFL’s values and the CEO and president’s leadership style will be critical. (35%)
• The quality of the Consultant’s experience including the ability to work successfully with many different types of stakeholders, which include FFL’s Board, staff, and community. (30%)
• Reasonableness of proposed cost (25%)
• Experience working in the American South (10%)

To Apply

Please provide a work plan outline with the expected timeline from a similar engagement the consultant has led, bio/cv/resume, description of qualifications and approach, past client list/references, and description of similar projects and outcomes by November 18, 2022, to jobs@foundationforlouisiana.org as a pdf.  We anticipate having an exploratory call with finalists on either December 2, 2022, or December 9, 2022. FFL’s staff and Board anticipate selecting a consultant in mid-December. 

If you have questions, submit your questions to jobs@foundationforlouisiana.org by November 12, 2022. We anticipate posting answers to any questions submitted by November 18, 2022.

Foundation for Louisiana aspires towards freedom for all Louisianans and aims to create a fully inclusive and affirming workplace for all people.  We welcome and encourage applications from people who have been involved with the criminal legal system. FFL is committed to providing staff with resources to work from home effectively.  Reasonable accommodations may be requested to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of the position.

Foundation for Louisiana follows an equal opportunity employment policy and employs personnel without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, criminal legal background, and marital status.

We encourage applications from people with disabilities and are available to discuss reasonable accommodations for any applicant who may need them. To inquire about accommodations, please email cgaulden@foundationforlouisiana.org or call FFL at (225)383-1672.  Please refrain from making phone calls for any reason other than to request application accommodations. 

This policy also applies to internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, terminations, outside vendors, members and customers, service clients, use of contractors and consultants, grantees, board members, and dealings with the general public.