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Request  for Proposals  for a Statewide  Affordable  Housing Communications  Campaign

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Organization Description: 

The  Strategic  Communications  and Fundraising  Group  is  a  collaboration  of  Vermont  non-profit organizations  whose  missions  include the  promotion of  equitable opportunities  for  affordable housing.  The  organizations  in the  group are Cathedral  Square,  Champlain  Housing Trust, Champlain Valley  Office  of  Economic  Opportunity,  Downstreet  Housing  &  Community Development,  Lamoille Housing  Partnership,  Evernorth,  Shires  Housing,  Vermont  Affordable Housing  Coalition,  Vermont  Housing  &  Conservation Board,  Vermont  Legal  Aid,  and  Windham & Windsor  Housing  Trust. The  purpose  of  this  collaboration is  to  align  efforts  around  supporting the  creation of  new affordable housing  across  the  state  to  address  the shortage of  housing and meet  the needs  of all  Vermonters.

Statewide  Communications  Campaign Goal: 

The  goal  of  this  campaign is  to  develop a unified  message  and  toolkit  that  can be used  at  both the state  and local  level.

Overall  Vision: 

Vermont  has  been experiencing  a  housing crisis  for  decades.  The COVID-19 pandemic  has brought  new  attention to  the  issue  of  homelessness  and  the  need  for  more  affordable housing in general.  As  a  group of  non-profit  organizations  committed  to  providing  equitable opportunities for  access  to  safe,  stable,  affordable housing for  all,  we are eager  to  capitalize on this  renewed awareness  and energy  around affordable housing in order  to  garner  support  for  each  of  our organizations’  work  in  the  form  of  activism  and  financial  donations.  It  is  important  to us  to continue to  raise  awareness  of  the need  for  the work  we do and  to  motivate individuals  to  get involved by  taking action in their  local  communities,  reaching  out  to  their  legislative representatives,  and  offering  financial  support  to  their  local  affordable housing  organizations.   It  is  critical to  us  that  this  campaign  be inclusive in regards  to  race,  ethnicity,  gender  identity, age,  physical  and  mental  ability,  and other  characteristics  that  have  traditionally  caused  many  to experience  systemic  housing  discrimination.

Why a state-wide  campaign? 

The  organizations  who are behind  this  effort  are  all  interested  in  raising  awareness  of  the  dire need  for  more  affordable  housing.  We  want  to help  Vermonters  understand what  affordable housing  is  and  the benefits  it  provides  not  only  to  residents  of  affordable housing,  but also  to  our neighbors,  our  workforce,  and  our  communities.  We  have decided  to pool  our  resources  in order to create  something that  can be communicated  broadly  across  the  state,  with a  toolkit  that  each of  our  individual  organizations  can  utilize  within our  local  regions.  We  hope  to  reduce  the NIMBY (not  in my  backyard)  reaction that  many  have to  the development  of  new  affordable housing, and to  plant  the  seeds  for  a  long-term  affordable  housing  “movement”  that  Vermonters  care about  and  actively  participate in.

Scope of  Work/Desired  Deliverables: 

We are seeking a consultant  to  create an  overall  brand and  messaging strategy  for  a  statewide affordable housing  communications  campaign  that  will  raise awareness  of  the need  for  more affordable housing  and  inspire state-wide audiences  to  take action.   Expected deliverables  include: 

• Develop a  visual  system  including  a logo and  graphic  elements  to  create  a visual  “brand” connection to this  movement

• Create a  campaign  website landing page,  navigation system,  and  a template for subpages  that  we can build out  for  various  topics:

o Calls  to  Action  –  what  you  can do  to  get  involved

o Briefing papers  on various  issues

o Resources  for  citizens  (housing  tool  kit)

o Resources  for  municipalities  (Zoning for  Great  Communities,  speakers  bureau)

o Examples  of  recent  new  housing,  photo  gallery o Success  stories  of  residents,  quotes  from  residents,  municipal  officials,  local business  people,  faith  communities

• Provide messaging around an affordable housing movement,  including  a  tagline,  call  to action and overall  language  that  inspires  people  to  get  on board  with the  movement

• Develop template graphics  for  social  media (Facebook,  Instagram, Twitter))  and  print media • Attend 2  broad  community  meetings  on affordable housing  messaging.

Point  of  contact: Cara Hansen (802) 477-1330 chansen@downstreet.org

Proposals shall  be submitted  no  later  than  Wednesday,  March  2nd.                        

Please send an  electronic  version of  your  proposal  to:  chansen@downstreet.org

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