Poverty Non-Profit Organization Issues Marketing RFP
Penquis, a Maine based private, nonprofit corporation created as a result of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to bring locally developed solutions to the multifaceted problems faced by the poor is looking to hire a marketing and branding company. Penquis’ mission is to assist individuals and families in preventing, reducing, or eliminating poverty in their lives and, through partnerships, to engage the community in addressing economic and social needs. Penquis primarily serves low- and moderate-income individuals in Maine, providing services to more than 26,000 individuals annually with an annual budget of over $42 million and over 300 employees.
Services are delivered through six departments and two subsidiary organizations:
- Child Development oversees Head Start, Child Care, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
- Family Enrichment Services offers programs in child abuse prevention, parenting support, youth development, assisted living, civil legal services for domestic relations cases, supervised visitation and safe exchange, homeless youth outreach, transitional housing, and senior volunteer opportunities.
- Housing and Energy Services provides heating and utilities assistance, USDA commodity foods to food cupboards, weatherization and improvements to inefficient heating systems, housing rehabilitation and replacement loan programs, and lead testing and abatement.
- Housing Development Services creates safe, affordable rental and home ownership opportunities.
- Lynx Mobility Services provides a variety of transportation services for the general public, MaineCare-covered appointments, treatment of cancer, and individuals with disabilities.
- The Transportation Brokerage is the single source for scheduling MaineCare non-emergency transportation in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Kennebec, and Somerset counties.
- Rape Response Services provides sexual assault victim services and school-based prevention education.
- MaineStream Finance offers training, counseling, and lending programs to support homeownership and microenterprise development.
Penquis is seeking professional consulting services to assist it in defining, developing, and refining its message(s), and planning a multi-media, multi-month messaging/marketing campaign leading up to and through its 50th anniversary year in 2017. In conjunction with its 50th anniversary, Penquis seeks to develop a unified multi-media messaging plan that highlights its services, builds community awareness and understanding, and reinforces its name and reputation.
Proposals are due by January 26, 2016 and should be submitted to Janeen Feero at (207) 973-3500 or jfeero@penquis.org
