Specifications include, but are not limited to: The City is seeking technical assistance providers to support our capacity building effort. Technical assistance providers shall provide tailored assistance to under-resourced nonprofits in achieving effectiveness, as well as support their access to resources that will facilitate the organization's progress in achieving their goals. The primary purpose of the technical assistance providers is to provide a wide range of direct assistance to those who apply for the City of Columbia ARPA funds, so that they can successfully obtain and implement grant-funded projects. Technical assistance providers may also seek to support grantees in fostering partnerships among organizations that have not traditionally worked together, to address the City’s ARPA funded priorities. Applicants must be able to provide aid for the following at a minimum: ● Planning Activities: E.g., organizational assessments, strategic planning, fundraising assessment and development, communications/marketing, contingency/disaster planning, or business planning. ● Board and Leadership Development: May include activities such as leadership training, defining the role of the board, strengthening governance, assistance with executive transition, succession, expanding the diversity of the board and leadership, and search process. ● Strategic Relationships: Technical assistance/consultant support to help two or more organizations work through collaboration and strategic restructuring; positioning for merger or affiliation; or business planning for social enterprise and earned income. ● Internal Operations: Improvements to financial management, internal controls and chart of accounts, human resources, or volunteer management; onboarding new staff, training and technical assistance on quality improvement, or facility planning. ● Technology Improvements: IT capacity through upgrades to hardware and software, cybersecurity, networking, websites, and staff training to optimize the use of technology. ● Developing New Sources for Earned Income: Business planning, contracting, startup costs for a new program, legal services, accounting, or actuarial services. ● Building Evaluation Capacity: Consultants may be utilized to develop evaluation plans and train staff and board on outcome evaluation methods and metrics. ● Evidence-Based Program Adaptation, Implementation and Evaluation: Explore, evaluate, modify, or adapt an existing evidence-based program or service not currently or previously offered.
