About Smart Growth America (SGA)
Smart Growth America (SGA) is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, that helps create healthy, prosperous, and resilient places to live for all people through research, advocacy, and direct community support. Our work spans housing and land use, transportation, and economic development to find solutions to communities’ most pressing needs. Through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought
leadership, we support communities in achieving livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity.
Goals and objectives
SGA seeks an experienced fundraising consultant (either an individual or a small firm) to build and implement a strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-capacity individual donors. The selected consultant will work closely with our leadership team to enhance SGA’s long-term fundraising capacity and impact.The primary goals for this engagement include:
Fundraising Systems Development
Prospect Identification and Cultivation
Donor Engagement and Solicitation Support
Fixed-fee scope and deliverables
Scope includes:
Assessment of current fundraising efforts and infrastructure
Major donor development strategy and tactical implementation plan
List of at least 30 potential high-capacity prospects with alignment rationale
Coaching and solicitation prep sessions with key staff/board members (at least 3)
Draft of donor cultivation and stewardship materials
Progress report and final strategy refinement
Deliverables include:
Plan for Major Donor Development
Donor Prospecting List with Background Profiles
Solicitation Coaching Materials
Donor Communication Templates
Progress Summary Report (Final)
Budget
SGA has budgeted up to $25,000-$40,000 for this job. SGA will take value and cost into account in assessing proposals.
Additional services: Hourly rate proposal
SGA may seek continued fundraising support beyond the initial scope. Additional services could include:
Event strategy and implementation (e.g., donor salons, briefings)
Donor communications and campaign copywriting
Continued prospect identification
Research and relationship mapping for new sectors or regions
Submission requirements
Proposals (maximum 10 pages) must include:
Background and relevant experience, particularly in developing individual major donors
Description of approach and proposed work plan, including a fundraising goal
Two (2) references for similar fundraising work
Fixed-price proposal for the deliverables described above
Hourly rates for any additional fundraising services
Application process and timeline
Please submit your proposal by August 29, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET via email to Ashley Heckstall, Senior Manager, Events and Development: aheckstall@smartgrowthamerica.org. Subject line should read: Major Donor Fundraising RFP
Estimated project timeline:
RFP Issued: August 1, 2025
Proposal Deadline: August 29, 2025
Finalist Interviews: Week of September 8, 2025
Consultant Selected: September 19, 2025
Project Kickoff: September 25, 2025
Midpoint Check-in: Week of February 23, 2026
Project Completion: September 24, 2026
Evaluation and selection
SGA is committed to full and open competition and encourages submissions from small, disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned businesses. Proposals will be evaluated based on:
Strength of experience and qualifications of key personnel
Experience working with nonprofit organizations at SGA’s size
Cost competitiveness and value
Proposed approach
Understanding of and alignment with SGA’s mission
SGA will also consider other benefits associated with the procurement in the selection process including, but not limited to, the opportunity to use small, disadvantaged, and minority and/or woman-owned firms or individual consultants.
SGA would consider extending this contract into additional years, based on the success of the effort. SGA may discontinue this RFP at any time at its discretion and without explanation.