Request for Proposals Horizon Foundation Structural Racism Media Campaign
RFP released March 20, 2024
3 Notification of Bidding to Foundation by Interested Firms – April 15, 2024
4 Detailed Proposal Due (no more than 20 pages, excluding appendices) May 20, 2024
Introduction
The Horizon Foundation seeks proposals for a marketing campaign that invites residents to partner with the Foundation to change the narrative around structural racism and health inequities – and to ultimately join the Foundation’s work to dismantle systems and policies that perpetuate structural racism.
About The Foundation
The Horizon Foundation is the largest independent health philanthropy in Maryland. We are
committed to a Howard County free from systemic inequities, where all people can live abundant
and healthy lives. We fight for equitable and compassionate health and mental health care, access
to affordable and safe homes, a community where healthy food is accessible and affordable and
where all residents are able to generate and pass down wealth. Our mission is to work side by side
with community to build power, advocate for policy change and dismantle structural racism to
achieve better health for everyone in Howard County and greater Maryland. Learn more at
Context
The Horizon Foundation envisions a Howard County free from systemic inequities, where all people
can live abundant and healthy lives. Centuries of racism have defined and created many of the
inequitable structures that exist in our society today, and have led to significant health disparities.
We view health disparities through the lens of racial equity, because it is the most persistent and
difficult to address. We are committed to working to remove structural, institutional and systemic
racism that continues to exist in the health, social, and economic systems in our community. This
includes, for example, racism that is embedded in laws, regulations, policies, and governmental
agency budgets.
Through this RFP we are seeking a partner to design and execute a marketing campaign that
articulates the barriers structural racism presents to living a healthy and abundant life and calls the
community to action.
The Foundation intends to execute a multi-year contract with the winning firm, with an initial budget of $300,000 for the first 12 months and subsequent renewals provided both parties wish to continue the work.
The Foundation is partnering with Ignited Strategies to execute this RFP process. For questions or
communications related to this RFP, please reach out to Tiffany Erbelding attiffany@ignitedstrategies.com
RFP: Horizon Foundation Structural Racism Media Campaign 2
Goal and Audience
Goal and Audience
As noted above, our goal is to engage residents in a conversation on structural racism, and how it drives health inequities – and to invite them to join a network of commmunity partners working together to dismantle structurally racist systems and policies that drive health inequities.
We want to move residents to get involved with the laws and policies that perpetuate structural racism.
We want to invite them to move their thinking beyond accepting that racism is a “bad thing”, and to
take action to make real, structural change in the community. The Foundation has a history of working very intentionally at the policy level to drive change, and we want to lean into policy and advocacy opportunities for this campaign as well. Learn more here about the Foundation’s past advocacy work and policy successes.
Considering this goal, the campaign will likely focus on audiences that are more likely to engage and act.
While we acknowledge individuals are all on different paths of their own racial equity journeys, this
campaign will focus on those who are already somewhat engaged – given their understanding of the
impact structural racism has on health outcomes, or bringing an interest to grow their understanding.
This audience might include allies who want to support the work, individuals with lived experience who have been directly impacted by racism and inequities, or even people who see that something is not quite right but who might not yet be able to name it or what to do about it. We understand that different messages will resonate differently within these audiences – we hope to find creative ways to reach each of them.
Proposal Elements
Proposals should describe a marketing campaign that incorporates different mediums to effectively reach the target audience.
Below are key elements to be addressed in the proposal. Submissions should be multi-layered and incorporate a number of approaches. We are open to ideas on the best ways to reach the target audience and goal, and firms may consider other elements to include in the submission:
1. Message Development/Market Research
• Use qualitative and/or quantitative methods to determine the most powerful and
effective messaging.
• Messaging and market research data should be broken down by race/ethnicity, age and other key demographics.
2. Marketing Approach
• Assist the Foundation in developing and executing a comprehensive integrated marketing plan that delivers effective messages to our target population. Potential mediums are listed below.
We recognize that this list is not comprehensive, and we are open to other creative or
effective approaches to consider. However, this initiative is intended to be a true media
campaign and should focus on marketing and communications (see an example of one of
our previous campaigns here).
o Paid media
Paid media strategy that includes, as appropriate, the development and purchase of sponsored social media posts, display ads, digital video ads, traditional mass media (e.g., cable TV, radio, etc.), text ads, etc.
o Social media
Social media strategy based on message testing that engages residents; focus on groups most likely to use and be impacted by social media.
o Collateral materials
Compelling print materials such as posters, rack cards, specialized content for libraries, provider offices, hospitals, faith communities and other materials/locations.
• We would also like to see the following considerations incorporated into the campaign,
alongside the marketing approach. Firms should consider and address these in their proposal:
o Incorporate ways to authentically and respectfully engage community in this campaign and campaign process.
o Leverage diversity of voice, particularly elevating the experiences of those in our community (e.g., through storytelling).
o Center health equity and structural racism – with a focus on structural racism (laws, structures and policies) vs. a focus on individual racism (beliefs and actions).
3. Evaluation
• Address how your firm will measure the effectiveness of its efforts.
• Effectiveness/results should be broken down by race/ethnicity, age, and other key demographics.
Project Budget
• The Foundation has budgeted $300,000 for all work associated with this proposal for a 12- month period (August 2024 – August 2025). A contract for that time period resulting from this RFP will be issued, with an option to renew for additional years upon mutual agreement and based on performance.
