RFP-FSU-26-01 Fundraising Campaign Feasibility Study

Background
Framingham State University (FSU) is a comprehensive teaching university located in MetroWest Massachusetts, dedicated to educating residents and advancing the economic and cultural life of the region.

The FSU Alumni Association and Foundation (FSUF), established in 1983, is a nonprofit organization that supports the university's mission by raising private funds and managing endowment assets. FSU has recently completed its second comprehensive fundraising campaign, exceeding its goal of $35 million.

Work Details
The contract involves hiring a fundraising/campaign consultant to conduct a comprehensive pre-campaign study, which includes:

1. **University Campaign Readiness Study**:
- Conduct an internal assessment of fundraising operations, focusing on staffing and benchmarking against peer institutions.
- Identify successful fundraising strategies and recommend necessary personnel, infrastructure, and budget.
- Assess campus culture and readiness for fundraising activities.
- Provide a final report summarizing findings with actionable recommendations and gap analysis.

2. **Campaign Planning Study**:
- Assess willingness of alumni, friends, donors, and the university community to financially support initiatives.
- Recommend campaign goals including size and scope supported by analysis of giving capacity and potential risks.
- Deliver a detailed final report summarizing findings including key themes from interviews and donor perceptions.
- Present findings to senior leadership and lead discussions on campaign feasibility.

Period of Performance
The project is expected to be completed within approximately 3-4 months from initiation to delivery of the final report.

Place of Performance
The services will be performed at Framingham State University located in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Bidder Requirements
Bidders must have at least 5 years of experience in fundraising consulting for higher education or non-profit institutions similar in size to FSU.

They must provide references from similar projects, disclose any claims or lawsuits in the past five years, and include resumes of key personnel involved in the project.